Stray cats typically fit a certain profile, but in the case of a street-dwelling tabby cat named Barnaby, the profile was entirely different.
This was a cat who was far more timid than most of his contemporaries, who roamed the streets alone and didn’t seem to be afraid of humans.
Cats end up homeless for several different reasons.
Sometimes, they’ve been abandoned due to age. Sometimes they are let go due to high vet bills.
Regardless of how they got there, one thing’s for sure: they deserve our love and care just as much as the cats you might find in a sophisticated cat breeding business.
Barnaby Finds a Home — But Not His Forever Home
Barnaby was taken in by Voorhees Animal Center, one of the largest of its kind in the state of New Jersey.
This particular shelter specializes in older cats who need extra care and attention and Barnaby certainly fit the bill.
A Glimmer of Hope, But No Cigar
Family after family came in, and it was impossible to ignore Barnaby. He was one of the sweetest cats most visitors had ever seen, but they always found an excuse not to take him home.
Sometimes, it’s because he was deemed to be too old.
Other times, they had too many small children, or a household that was too noisy for a cat of Barnaby’s age.
Barnaby did not appear to be doing well, so the vet staff went to work.
They doubled down on ad spending to try and find him a loving family, and were worried he would never find his forever home.
One family came along and gave him a lot of attention.
They said they had a senior cat in the past, and everything seemed to be progressing nicely.
Then, they called an audible at the last minute. The family chose not to adopt, and the team was devastated.
A Veterinarian and His Wife Step In, and Then This Happened
It was around this time that a veterinarian and his wife made their way to the Center.
The man’s name was Dr. Sheehan from Camden, and he asked to get Barnaby out of his cage to get to know him better.
At first, no one thought much of the meeting, considering all of the letdowns that had happened in the past.
But then, just when all hope was lost, the man and his wife discovered something about the cat that would change not just one, but three lives in the process.