Toby the cat’s family handed him away to a new home in February.
He had no clue why he was being forced to leave his family, but he really missed them.
So he decided to flee. He arrived at his former family’s doorway after traveling 12 miles back. Instead of being welcomed back, he was treated with hostility.
“They took him to a shelter and wanted them to euthanize him,” Tara Lynn, the SPCA of Wake County’s communications director, told The Dodo. “It was sad to know he had made it all the way back to his family, and that was their reaction.”
The public shelter declined to put Toby down and instead notified the SPCA, who immediately took him in. The SPCA began providing him with the medical treatment he required to prepare him for adoption.
“He had feline immunodeficiency virus and an upper respiratory infection,” Lynn explained. “It took some time for us to have him treated for the illness.”
Toby instantly warmed up to the shelter personnel despite the fact that he no longer had his family.
Lynn described him as “extremely pleasant.” “Just your usual nice cat – they want to get love and to love you.”
The calls started pouring in after the rescue posted about Toby on social media. Michele Puckett of Raleigh, North Carolina, went over to meet him — and the rest, as they say, is history.
Lynn stated of Puckett, “She had no hesitancy at all.” “She was working on a construction site and basically dropped everything to come here.”
Toby was formally adopted last Friday, and it didn’t take long for him to fit in in. Toby now has two new human siblings to play with, in addition to two new cat siblings.
Puckett told The Dodo, “He is just so nice, affectionate, and loving.” “He’s also taken over our bed, as if he’s been here forever.” He enjoys lying beneath our pillows to unwind.”
Puckett can’t help but think about Toby’s unfortunate ending with her family when he sees how at ease he is with her family.
“It’s difficult to fathom how someone could have dropped him over to be euthanized like that,” she added. “It’s startling, but we’re thankful he was saved.”
Lynn feels the same way, and hopes that Toby’s tale may assist other creatures who, like him, can get a second chance via rescues.
“There are a lot of pets who are easily abandoned by their relatives or a breeder,” Lynn explained. “I sincerely hope he motivates more people to adopt.”
Link to Paws Daily