Dennis won’t be going to Petsmart. He actually did go to Petsmart when Maria and Angelo went a few weeks ago, and he reacted so badly to being caged that I had to go get him a few hours later and bring him home. Poor Dennis. So I’m writing this post in hopes that y’all will share his story on Facebook and Twitter and wherever else you want to, and someone will fall in love with his sweet face and just have to have him. It doesn’t hurt to try, right?
If we aren’t able to find a home for him, he’ll eventually need to go back to the shelter. The shelter is great, and he’d be well cared for, but I fear that due to his scaredy-cat tendencies he’d only run and hide when potential adopters approached him, and he’d end up spending his life at the shelter. I would love it if we could find him a great forever home through word of mouth!
Dennis is about six months old. He’s a smallish cat, a brown tabby with beautiful green eyes and a sweet, quiet personality.He has gotten along well with all the other cats he’s come into contact with here. He’s the least “alpha” cat I’ve ever seen, and seems to understand that if another cat hisses or smacks at him, it’s not personal. He is not at all pushy with other cats, and will wait for them to come around and decide he’s not so bad. It doesn’t take other cats long to realize that he’s not a threat to them in any way, and he’s willing to hold back and wait for them to decide he’s A-OK.
When he first came to us, he spent most of his time around the fringes of the activity, watching the other cats play and be cuddled by us. He’d eventually venture close enough to be petted, and then would retreat to a “safe” distance. It took a couple of months of work to get him to the point where he is now. He’ll still skitter off if you walk toward him, but if you sit down (or lay down), he’ll immediately come over to be loved and petted. He’ll roll around in my lap for a long time, purring and kneading, while I pet him. He loves to be snuggled and kissed and is just the sweetest boy. If I lay down on the bed in Fred’s room, he’s there like a shot, rolling around so I can pet him, and purring very loudly.
When I say that it took a couple of months of “work”, what I mean is that he just had to get used to us. It’s not like he ran and hid every time he saw us, but it just took him some time to trust us. Believe me, it was very much worth the wait.
He is still, after three months with us, a bit skittish. As I mentioned, if you walk in his direction, he’ll run away. Loud noises startle him, and he probably wouldn’t do well in a home with small children or babies. He’d be great in a multi-cat home; he seems to have zero interest in being the alpha. He tends to be a hider and will disappear for a few hours, only to reappear all of a sudden. (He thinks it’s funny that you might have been worried about him.) Rather than letting him free to have the reign of an entire house, I would highly recommend that whoever adopts him start him out in a small room and very gradually give him more room to explore.
He’s a super playful boy and will come running for the feather teaser or any toy mouse or ball that jingles or makes noise. He will hunt that laser light down as long as you move it around for him – he knows he’s going to get it one day, and then that laser light is going to be SORRY it teased him for so long. He is fascinated by the FroliCat Pounce, and loves it when you turn it on for him. He likes big, plush, overstuffed beds where he can stretch out, and covered beds where he can curl up. He likes sitting and watching the activity outside just about any window, whether that’s birds or cars or people.
Dennis is located in the Huntsville, Alabama area, and although Challenger’s House will do long-distance adoptions, the adopter is required to come here to get him.
If you have any questions about Dennis, please email me – mizrobyn (at) gmail.com He’s been here with us for three months now, so we know him pretty well. If you are interested in adopting him, you can contact Susan at Challenger’s House by phone – 256-420-5995 – or by email: challengershouse (at) mchsi.com
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Previously
2013: Khaleesi’s birth story.
2012: No entry.
2011: “It was skeery.”
2010: “What? I’m just rolling around, here. I’m not gonna steal your box!”
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: My feng is not shui’d, and it’s annoying me.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
I wish I could, I have really enjoyed reading about Dennis but i dont think my 5 would take to him, (they dont do well with new kitties)that and I have no way to get to Alabama to get him. He is a very pretty tabby who looks alot like our Brothers Bligh and Kookoo. I do hope he finds a forever home and doesnt have to return to the shelter.
Believe me, I absolutely understand, Danielle! Hopefully someone who has the room will see his sweet face and fall in love. I figured it was worth a shot. 🙂
Praying for this darling dude. If only the universe would grant us all more accepting kitties and giant habitats for them. And wouldn’t Dennis and Tricki make a beautiful pair?
I would love to take on Dennis if I thought I could. He’s become my second favorite. The travel to Alabama would be difficult (but not impossible) and I am not sure how my Oreo would take to him. She seems to have some issues with new people these days. Best of luck to him (and you) though. He is a super sweety so I will share away.
Thanks for sharing, Holly! 🙂
I have a cat just like him, in looks and in character/behaviour. Can confirm that with patience, they come around so much. I’d love to get him, but well… I live in Europe…
Oh Dennis, such a sweetie! I hope he finds a forever home soon!
Good luck in finding a home for Dennis. He is a beautiful cat, and sounds like a really sweet one!!
I’m curious; exactly how did Dennis react “so badly to being caged”? He is one beautiful boy! Hoping Dennis soon finds his forever human(s).
How I so very much wish I could, Robyn. I have fallen in love with Dennis, and wish so much I could take him back home with me, into my heart, and into my life. Especially after the loss of my beloved boy, who died nine weeks ago. He looked so much like Dennis, and had the exact same personality traits and Dennis. He was my soul cat…my forever cat…Dennis reminds me so much of him. God, how I wish I could just jump into my car right this very moment and bring him back home with me.
I have pinned his beautiful photo on two of my Pinterest boards – I hope that will help. He is a beautiful, beautiful boy, and he needs a loving home…which I know he will find, but hopefully sooner rather than later.
What is keeping you from going to get him? Do you need some kind of help to get him? I will help if I can.
Hi Pam – I no longer live in the US. That’s the only reason I can’t bring Dennis back home into our home and into my life. To bring cats or dogs out of the US into Europe, there is a mandatory nine-month holding time and quarantine in the government-regulated kennel, along with massive, expensive fees to bring a domestic pet here.
Oh, I see. What a shame.
Hi again Pam – Believe me, if I could, I would bring that beautiful little boy home with me in a heartbeat. If I could just hop on a plane and bring him straight back home with me here, I would do it in half a second, if not less. If I had the money to, I would pay whatever costs it took to have him here. But then there’s the mandatory nine month wait – he’d have to, by law, remain in that kennel, quarantined, for nine months before I could even bring him home.
How I wish I could. It’s upsetting me that I can’t. I hope, so very much, that someone will be able to adopt him. I only wish it could be me.
By the way, Pam, thanks for your very kind and generous offer to help me regarding getting Dennis. Unfortunately, we’re separated by a few thousand miles, so there’s very sadly no way I can get him, and no way you can help me get him here. But thank you for your kindness and your generosity.
You’re welcome, June. I’m going to write a note to Robyn to see if there is someone else I might be able to help. I have six myself and noplace to put another one. But maybe I can still help him get to his forever home.
No, no, no…. I did NOT need to hear this! I already have my “limit” of cats, and they are both skitty kitties, too… Dennis is so sweet!
I know the feeling oh so very well in deed.. Sharing with hopes of finding him the right place to go.
I have shared with my Huntsville environs friends and asked them to pass it on. Remember Ollie, George and Snip from a few years back? Still doing fine in Ft. Worth TX, now with more brothers and sisters…. Angie and Gene and the boys have 3 puppies and 8 cats at present. They have Huntsville connections too, so I’m hoping and crossing fingers. Hugs to you for all you do for these beautiful and sweet animals.
Thank you so much for sharing, Grace! (And I remember Ollie, George and Snip – I’m so glad they’re doing great!)
I hope someone in the Huntsville area falls in love with beautiful Dennis since he’s not likely to do very well on a long journey!
I have been trying to convince my husband to let me have Dennis since he first appeared but we live in Wisconsin. We have a sassy lady cat and we were told if we wanted a second cat a relaxed male was the ticket!
That’s a long way, but maybe you could work something out?
Agreed. There are sooo many rescue people out there that would be willing to drive “legs”. Put out feelers!