Prepare yourself to hear a heart-wrenching tale about Valentino, a stunning Ragdoll cat who found himself abandoned outside his house when his family left without him. With no shred of empathy, his former owners deserted him, forcing him to survive on his own. Lost and scared, Valentino wandered the streets, moving from one house to another, desperately seeking someone who would be willing to give him a new home.
One day, experienced foster mom Debbie Harris received a call from a colleague, inquiring if she could take in a stray neighborhood cat. According to her friend, she had been caring for the abandoned fluffy feline whose owners had left their home and relocated without him.
The woman would have taken him in herself, but her husband’s severe cat allergies prevented it. So, she offered him temporary shelter in her garage and reached out to the one person she knew could help.
Debbie couldn’t resist the urgent request and decided to take in the cat – and that’s how she crossed paths with Valentino!
As soon as Debbie laid eyes on her new foster fur baby, she fell head over heels in love. She shared a picture of Valentino on her Instagram, expressing her excitement at meeting this adorable ball of white fluff.
In the caption, she gushed:
The cat’s personality is really sweet and gentle, confidently exploring its surroundings as if it already owns the place. Debbie is still unsure whether it’s a male or female, as trying to check was like parting the Red Sea. Their relationship hasn’t progressed to that level yet, so she’ll wait and try again later. Just like she does with all her foster cats, Debbie has scheduled a vet appointment for Valentino to determine his gender, age, and overall health.
According to a recent Instagram post, Valentino behaved exceptionally well at the vet’s office. Debbie described him as very calm and well-mannered, charming everyone with his purring and friendly attitude. The vet identified Valentino as a 12-pound male Ragdoll cat, estimated to be around 2 to 3 years old.
Despite a minor upper respiratory infection, which was treated with antibiotics, Valentino was declared to be in overall good health. His blood work came back negative for any feline illnesses, and he also received his rabies vaccination during the visit. Additionally, the vet trimmed off four large matted areas on Valentino to provide him with some relief until he could be professionally groomed.
In less than a month, Valentino made a full recovery from his respiratory infection, much to Debbie’s delight. She shared on Instagram how sweet and friendly Valentino is, living up to the Ragdoll breed reputation. After finishing his medication and receiving a clean bill of health from the vet, Valentino was treated to a spa day. Debbie proudly mentioned how well-behaved Valentino was at the groomer’s, even catching the groomer’s eye who expressed interest in adopting him.
Debbie explained that she already has a long list of potential adopters for Valentino but has yet to make a decision. Despite this, she couldn’t help but wonder if this fluffy white ball of love might just end up becoming her foster fail.
For those who aren’t familiar with the term, a foster fail occurs when someone takes in a cat with the intention of providing temporary care, but ends up growing so attached that they decide to keep them permanently.
Debbie found herself in this exact situation with Valentino! She originally planned to foster him, but after spending time together, she realized she couldn’t bear to say goodbye. Instead, she made the decision to give Valentino the love and forever home he deserved.
Debbie had already welcomed two foster cats, Jojo and Lil Man, before adopting Valentino. After a bit of an awkward introduction, the three felines quickly bonded and established their roles in the household. It was clear that Valentino and Lil Man were inseparable best friends, with Jojo taking on the role of supervisor to make sure the boys didn’t get into too much trouble around the house.
I am thrilled that Valentino found his forever home. After the sadness of being abandoned, he truly deserved to find someone special who could restore his trust in love and people. Debbie did an amazing job in giving him a second chance at happiness!
To show our support for Debbie’s hard work, I highly recommend following her on Instagram. A passionate cat lover like her truly deserves our help!