Veteran cat laps up attention
Lonely and afraid after his owner passed away, Bobby was left with no one to care for him.
The 11-year-old cat had lived in the same home for years, but was suddenly left alone.
It’s no wonder that he hid away for his first week with Blue Cross, scared to explore his unfamiliar surroundings.
Having travelled from London to our Southampton rehoming centre, the senior cat needed time to adjust.
Our team took things slowly to make sure Bobby felt comfortable after his life-changing upheaval.
“It took Bobby a little while to warm up but, once he did, he absolutely loved attention,” says Jo Macdonald, Animal Welfare Assistant at Blue Cross Southampton. “He’s very friendly and has the most amazing purr.”
It was thanks to the executor of Bobby’s owner’s estate that he was brought to Blue Cross.
And Bobby brought with him an incredible gift.
His owner had left a legacy to Blue Cross to help support our work to help pets and people.
Every gift donated to Blue Cross helps our work – last year we rehomed 5,322 pets, as well as helping 24,940 pets at our animal hospitals and clinics.
For Bobby, with only one tooth and a heart murmur, age had started to impact his health.
Our vet carried out routine vaccinations, flea and worming treatments, before blood testing diagnosed Bobby with FIV – or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus.
This means he has a low immune system, so can be more susceptible to illnesses.
Our team made sure Bobby’s room, bowls and trays were all cleaned with separate equipment, and worked hard to reduce any possible exposure to illnesses.
After 72 days in Blue Cross care, Bobby got the news every pet deserves and had found a new home.
The veteran cat has been thriving in a loving new home in Dorset – and can enjoy life as a well-loved pet again.
Moving to live with retired couple Barry and Christine Pemberton, both in their 70s, Bobby has all the attention and care he needs.
The couple are no strangers to older cats, having lived with previous pets Sooty and Benson from kittens to the ages of 20 and 17, respectively.
“Bobby has settled into his new home remarkably well,” explains Barry. “He is such a friendly cat and loves to sit on a lap.
“FIV was something completely new to us, so we were starting from a completely blank sheet but we did a lot of research and felt it wouldn’t be a problem, we just have to keep an eye on him as his immune system is not as good. He’s very happy and will sit on your lap all day if you let him.”
