Adoption Appeal for Special Needs Cat Nori
Two-year-old Nori is the sort of cat who would typically generate a flood of adoption enquiries. He is strikingly handsome and remarkably friendly. He loves to sit on laps and give our volunteers special ‘hugs’ - putting his paws around their neck and rubbing his face against theirs. He is a huge character and impossible not to love; our entire volunteer team has become quite besotted with him.
However, Nori’s situation is far from typical. He lost his tail in a car accident some years ago, and is incontinent as a result. He regularly ‘leaks’ small amounts of urine, particularly in his sleep, and does not always manage to poop in his litter box. He needs a very special home indeed.
This could be a home that is either largely outdoor, where his ‘accidents’ won’t matter so much, or it could be a home with exceptional adopters who fully understand the challenges involved in caring for an incontinent cat, but who are nonetheless committed to finding ways of managing his condition. Ideally, this would also need to be a home without too much carpeting.
Nori’s story starts in Romania, where he lived among a vast street cat population. After he was seriously injured in a car accident, he was rescued by a Romanian organisation, and surgery was performed to remove his tail. He was then transported to the UK for adoption.
Nori regained some bladder control after physiotherapy, and there is some potential for continued improvement as the years go on - but no guarantee. Unfortunately, Nori’s adopter in the UK found that they had not grasped the full extent of his toileting issues and could not cope. Due to the difficulty of rehoming an incontinent cat, a vet suggested euthanasia for the gentle boy.
Thankfully, Nori’s former owner opted to contact Catcuddles instead. Although we, too, were daunted by the challenges of finding the right home for him, we decided that this wonderfully friendly cat, who is fully capable of enjoying his life and is happy as long as he is in the company of people, had a right to live.
A largely outdoor home for Nori might consist of a farm, or somewhere with a large conservatory, where Nori could spend a significant proportion of his time outdoors, without any concerns about where he is toileting throughout the day, or where accidents can be cleaned up with no damage to furnishings or property. However, he would still need to be allowed managed access to a home environment, as he is extremely gregarious and loves attention above all else.
Alternatively, we will consider adopters with a proactive attitude to managing Nori's condition, and maintaining a sanitary and happy home environment in spite of it. Diapers or feline nappies are an option that can be explored, and there are many cat owners who use these for their incontinent cats very successfully.
An adopter with previous experience of caring for incontinent cats or cats with paralysis would be ideal, but ultimately, we are looking for someone with compassion and a sensible, realistic approach to Nori's disability. We would not wish for him to be adopted by someone attracted to his cuddly nature, who later realises that they are not prepared to care for an incontinent cat in the long-term.
A cat as lovely and big-hearted as Nori is a rare gem, and we are looking for adopters who are exactly that.