#155: Roma's Adoption

I recently discovered that the shelter from where I adopted my two cats has a twitter account. Scrolling through their previous tweets I came upon one from February, announcing that one of their residents, Roma, had been adopted. I was so excited to learn this because Roma is the brother of my two cats.

When we adopted Kennedy and Noel as kittens we also met Roma in the foster home where they were being raised. He had already been adopted, and would be picked up the same day we came for the girls. After we had them for a week a woman from the shelter called to check how Kennedy and Noel were doing. I gushed about how quickly I had fallen in love with them and how well adjusted they were, and she said, "I wish I could say the same for their brother." Roma had been returned within 24 hours because he "cried too much." While the shelter tried to insist it was just an adjustment issue-- the poor baby had just been taken from his sisters and mother and was living in a new place, after all-- but she decided she didn't want him. In the end Roma and his mother went to the shelter itself. Shortly after they were both adopted, together, but that adoption only lasted a year. The woman who adopted them decided she wanted to offer childcare within her home and thought she'd be limiting herself by having cats. Roma and his mother found themselves back at the shelter.

Kegan and I have stayed involved with this shelter. We volunteer there and make financial donations when we can. Each time we went we would seek them out and spend time with them. They were very attached to one another, so the shelter was making an effort to find someone who would take both of them. When we went by this past Christmas we discovered their mom had been adopted...but Roma was still there.

It was hard to see him. I felt bad he had his mother, whom he had been so close to, taken away from him. Because he looks just like Noel, it was sad to see him in a cage; I couldn't help but see my own cat with a different fate. Honestly, I considered taking him home. Kegan, surprisingly, was the one who talked me out of it. We already had two cats, and three seemed excessive. Also Kennedy and Noel get along so well, we didn't know how the dynamic would change by adding an additional cat. With a heavy heart I left the shelter, and just began praying that Roma would find a home, one that would be lasting.

I am so grateful he's been adopted, and I truly hope that this is his "furever" home, as the shelter would say. (Yes, so corny. But I couldn't help myself.) For anyone that has ever considered adopting a pet, or has the means to, please consider it. There are so many Roma's out there...so many pets who are simply looking for a family, care and love. I guarantee you, from personal experience, you'll get that back, and more, in return.

Roma Love