You might imagine that if a child had the option to pick any pet from an animal shelter, they would choose a puppy or kitten. But one young boy has proven this assumption wrong. When his mother told him that he could adopt any pet he wanted, he chose a 10-year-old, giant orange cat! (1)
Animal Shelter Dreams
Easton, a young Canadian boy, was excited about adopting a new pet. His mom had told him that he could choose the animal himself. His options were between a puppy dog or a cat. (1)
Easton and his mom were looking at the Facebook page of the Exploits Valley SPCA, a shelter located in central Newfoundland, Canada. That’s when Easton spotted the pet he decided was for him. (1)
Tiny, a large 10-year-old ginger cat, had lost his home and was in foster care waiting for a new family. His sister, Trinity, was in foster care with him. However, the two cats weren’t bonded, and because it can be so challenging to rehome overweight senior cats, the animal shelter was allowing them to be adopted separately. (1, 2)
The Exploits Valley SPCA had posted Tiny and Trinity’s story on their Facebook page as a courtesy so that they wouldn’t need to leave their foster home and come to the shelter until it was necessary. The animal shelter hoped that the cats’ future families would see the post and decide to adopt them. (1)
And they did! Easton told his mom that Tiny was the cat he wanted, and they went to the shelter to meet him. Easton and Tiny loved each other, so they decided to take him home. (1)
The Perfect Match
In an interview with LoveMeow, Easton’s mom, Elizabeth said, “Easton loved Tiny because Tiny loved him. He was never withdrawn around him from the second he saw him.”
The family completed the adoption process and placed Tiny in a carrier in the backseat next to Easton for the drive home. During their journey, Tiny wanted to get out of the cage and snuggle with Easton. (1)
The animal shelter posted a photo of Easton and Tiny snuggling in the car. They wrote, “On the ride home Tiny got out of his cage and cuddled in with his new owner and has been stuck to him ever since.” They added, “Great job Easton, Tiny is one lucky cat!” (3)
Extra Fluffy Cats
Before adopting Tiny, Easton’s family already had another cat. They adopted Oscar when he was three years old. He weighed 20 pounds at the time, and his family describes him as “extra fluffy”. He soon lost five pounds with the help of his new family. (2)
When Easton was looking at the Exploits Valley SPCA’s Facebook page, he told his mom that he wanted another cat like Oscar. After taking Tiny home, the family now has two “extra fluffy” cats. (2)
Easton’s choice has also shed light on the plight of senior cats in animal shelters. Although they need loving homes just as much as kittens and juvenile cats, they are often overlooked. (2)
“Easton has always been a child who takes to personalities and temperaments over size or shape,” Elizabeth told iHeartCats. “As soon as Tiny nuzzled into him, that was it!” (2)