Eugene was a scrappy cat when he arrived at Animal Aid more than three years ago. He had mood swings and his manners needed refinement. But as time passed, his charm and charisma began to shine through those rough edges.
That’s what attracted Susan Rooney to him.
“The glamour shot on the website was very hard to resist,” she said. “He had some special challenges that I knew I could meet if anyone could. I seemed to have the perfect setup for him, so I wanted to give him a cushy home. He has earned it.”
Susan is a veteran of caring for many rescue cats, so she was ready for another challenge. Her last cat, Eddie, passed away six months ago. She prefers adopting older males, because “they need homes more than kittens, and even if that weren’t the case, they have so much more personality than a kitten. It’s a shame not to provide a home for them when you can.”
Eugene arrived at Susan’s home on September 1, and “things have been smoothing out a lot more quickly than I anticipated,” she said. “I thought he might be a bit of a pain for a while until he got used to being here, but he’s already turning into such a lover boy! I know that as time goes by, he will learn to trust me more and more and consequently become more relaxed, and we’ll have even more fun!”
It didn’t take long for Susan to notice another side to Eugene as well: “He is quite emotionally intelligent and sensitive—even more than most cats,” she said. “He’ll jump up on the bed and look fixedly at me to see how I am feeling and might react. Or if I tell him to get off of something, he’ll look at me first to see just how much trouble he is really in.”
Susan is looking forward to the day when she and Eugene can snuggle.
“I’m having a hard time being patient for it, but I know it is coming,” she said. “I thought my last cat was the most affectionate cat in the world, but I think Eugene may give Eddie a run for his money in the affection department.”
“I think Eugene is going to be a great companion,” she went on to say. “Thanks for taking such good care of him until I got my chance.”
Is there a happy tail in your home? We’re always excited to hear how our former Animal Aid cats and dogs are doing! Email us at contact@animalaidpdx.org with the mews and pupdates, and don’t forget to share a photo or two as well, please and thanks!