Special Need Animals

The Pet Project Foundation is dedicated to finding loving, forever homes for all our adoptable animals - including those with medical conditions, behavioral issues, or those just getting on in years. This page highlights just a few of these very special animals that you can find at our shelter, and will be updated monthly. Please find room in your heart and your home for these furry friends who still have so much love and companionship left to offer.

SHANE – SEAL POINT DOMESTIC SHORTHAIR – SIX YEARS OLD

Shane is a fabulously handsome seal point with a charming bobbed tail.  He needs a quiet, low stress home environment where he can relax.  The shelter is not a good environment for this boy! 

He's very affectionate but becomes overstimulated.  You will learn to approach him slowly with a comb and then intermittently pet/scratch his back and face, which he enjoys.  He will sit happily on your lap, again, if the environment is calm and quiet. 

Shane hates other cats and has been known to panic and freak out when he sees them.  He's tense and uncomfortable at the shelter but would be relaxed, comfortable and an affectionate companion in a home.

            Shane has tested positive for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).  You can Google this term to learn more about it, and here is one site that explains the condition well:  http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fiv.html

            We know of many cats with FIV who have lived long and healthy lives.  Vigorous vet care when Shane becomes ill or injured will be required, and a well-designed diet will keep him healthy.

            Your affection and attention will make Shane a happy boy.  Please help by giving him a home.  He’s not happy at the shelter!  UPDATE:  Shane was so unhappy at the shelter that we needed to get him into a foster home.  Call the shelter to arrange a meeting with him:  (949) 492-1617.

COCO – SIAMESE MIX – SENIOR - DECLAWED

            If you look under “princess” in the dictionary, you will see a picture of Coco.  These pictures just don’t do her justice.  She’s very pretty!  We list her age as eight, but she may be older.  But who cares?  If you are looking for a special needs cat, age is immaterial.  She will love you unconditionally, although on her terms. Just give her a little bit of time, and she will be sitting on your lap and purring loudly.

            Coco was rescued in May 2008 from a neighborhood where cats do not survive outdoors, much less declawed cats!  The neighbors couldn’t figure out where she came from.  She was scared and weak and sick.  Enter Pet Project Foundation, and Coco has another chance!

            Her ailments were many when she came in.  She was anemic, dehydrated, and, well, she didn’t feel well!  And when Coco doesn’t feel well, she’s cranky and doesn’t want to be touched. 

            Because she probably has irritable bowel syndrome, she needs to be on a special diet.  We have found one that works for her, but that’s not to say there may be another out there that will keep her intestines calm.  She has recurrent pancreatitis that needs to be monitored.  She’s not on any medication as of this writing, but she may occasionally need subcutaneous fluids to keep her hydrated.  Watch her for vomiting and increased fluid intake.  As we say, she gets cranky when she doesn’t feel well, so you’ll know if something is amiss.

            Coco is now in foster care where she can get closer attention.  Her foster mom reports that she is so happy she snores when she sleeps - serious. She is eating well and drinking from her new water fountain.  She has a window to the world and sits there all day looking at the birds. At night she camps out in her bed and snores herself to sleep.

She may have a little arthritis in her legs as she walks funny and she doesn’t jump up on things (including your countertops!).  She loves head rubs, but doesn’t like her back touched.

She’s not too keen on other cats, but given some space, she could probably cohabitate with another cat that leaves her alone. 

Call the shelter at (949) 492-1617 to arrange a meeting with Coco.  You’ll be glad you did!

KIKI – 9 YEARS OLD – SEAL POINT RAGDOLL

Kiki is a charming and mature playboy, He loves attention and will interact with you in ways that will amaze you.  Ask him a yes-or-no question, and he’ll respond with “huh-uh” or “uh-huh”! 

He presently needs subcutaneous fluid every other day to help his kidneys, and he’s perky after it’s administered.  He's pretty good about getting his fluids but does start getting restless towards the end of the session.  But afterwards, he becomes a perky boy.  He's relatively active for his age as long as he's getting his meds.  Kiki was given up by his owner because she was elderly and couldn’t care for him anymore.  It was a sad day for her, and we’re sure it was sad for Kiki, not to mention confusing.  He needs a home and will be a wonderful companion for someone.  Come meet Kiki.

RUPERT- FIVE-YEAR-OLD ORANGE AND WHITE MEDIUM HAIR - DECLAWED

            Oh, my, Rupert is still here!  He's such a sweet boy, and if you are frequent visitor to this page, I thought I'd tell you a couple other things about him.  Rupert loves to sit and look out the window at the dogs and activity going around him when he's in the visiting room.  Unfortunately, that's for a short time during the day.  We have many cats that need to get out of their cages! 

            Rupert is a lap cat who loves to be brushed while lounging with you.  He is so love starved!  Please consider Rupert for your pet!

            Rupert came to our shelter in August of 2008.  He was adopted about a month later and brought back in January 2009.  It seems that Rupert doesn’t want to share his home with another cat.  Although he can be playful with other kitties, he also becomes aggressive with them, and his displeasure was sometimes shown by inappropriate elimination (outside the box).  Rupert has never had that issue at the shelter, so we have to assume it’s because of the other cat in his home.

            Rupert has special needs because of his diet.  He came to the shelter originally weighing in at over 10 pounds.  When he was returned to us in January, his weight had dropped some, and he continued to lose weight, weighing at one point 8 pounds 12 ounces.  That would not be so bad for a cat, except that Rupert is very long and needs more weight on his frame. 

He had a very bad case of chin acne, which probably put off his taste buds, and that was aggravated by having to give him antibiotics because of the infection on his chin.  He’s given only glass bowls now so that the acne will not return.  We have been feeding him Science Diet A/D, and he’s gained back a few ounces. 

Rupert is a handsome fellow.  He loves being brushed or combed and is very easy to handle.  He’s not a lap cat, but does seek out your attention and petting.  Somewhere along his life, he learned to enjoy drinking water directly from the running faucet. 

He loves women and is less sure of men.  Strangers scare him, but he does enjoy his familiar people.

Please come see handsome Rupert!