Looking for a furry friend at the animal shelter can be tough. Some kitties purr and nuzzle right away, begging for you to take them home. Others, well, not so much. That’s exactly what Carrie Choi and Cody Carlton found when they visited HALO Animal Rescue in Phoenix.
They were playing with a playful kitten named Skittles when a grumpy meow echoed from above. There, perched in a cage, was Chowder, a two-year-old kitty with a reputation for being less than friendly.
Staff explained she rarely left her cage and wouldn’t let anyone near. Turns out, Chowder had been surrendered twice, her previous owner finding her “too aggressive.” No wonder the poor kitty seemed scared and unhappy.
Carrie couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. “It broke my heart,” she told Newsweek. “We knew Skittles would get adopted quickly, but no one even looked at Chowder.”
Here’s the thing about Carrie and Cody – they have big hearts. They decided to give Chowder a chance, bringing her home to a cozy spare room. At first, Chowder wasn’t interested in exploring.
She stayed huddled in her crate, growling when Carrie offered treats. Seeing how scared she was, Carrie and Cody knew they needed a different approach.
Instead of pushing affection, they gave Chowder space. They let her explore the house at her own pace, ignoring her for a while. This turned out to be purrfect! By the next morning, Chowder was a changed kitty.
Gone were the hisses and swats; instead, Chowder was happy to take treats from their hands, even letting them pet and pick her up! She even started playing with toys and cuddling up with her new feline sibling. In just a few days, Chowder blossomed into the most affectionate cat imaginable.
Carrie shared their heartwarming story on Reddit, and people loved it! “You guys are amazing for giving Chowder a chance,” one person wrote.
And they’re right! Carrie and Cody showed that sometimes, all a scared kitty needs is a little understanding and a whole lot of love. Their story reminds us that even the grumpiest furballs can become cuddle monsters with the right people by their side.
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