We love the fact that we get the opportunity to post so many heart warming stories about animals being rescued from shelters. However, if you’ve noticed, many of the stories we receive are about dogs.
While dogs are awesome animals that can often brighten up a person’s day no matter what they may be going through, they aren’t the only furry little friends that need a place to call home.
Cat lovers are really going to love this story. Take a moment to read how someone who never considered themselves to be a “cat person” can’t picture a day of their life without their new best friend.
I’m pleased to be able to introduce you to Lil Dave. This furry little guy is sure to put a smile on your face.
Lens and Leash: Who is this adoption story about(name, breed, age, gender, etc…)? When and where did you adopt them and would you adopt from the same shelter/rescue in the future?
The Farr Family: Lil Dave, domestic long-haired fawn kitten. We adopted Lil Dave, then Wendell, from the Teton Valley Community Animal Shelter in late November. TVCAS is an amazing shelter who always has quite the variety of cats. They’re a bit off the beaten path and we’ve fostered animals from there before and helped them find their forever homes. The staff is very friendly and super knowledgeable of all their animals.
I have to warn you. You may want to grab a tissue before reading the next part of this story. Unfortunately, this family lost one of their beloved animals shortly before adopting. Here’s how they went from a terrible heartbreak to absolute happiness.
Lens and Leash: What made you decide to adopt?
The Farr Family: We lost our first cat, Wasabi, in early November to Anti Freeze Poisoning. It was absolutely heart breaking as we had just adopted her from the AAC a little over a year before. She was our first cat and just was incredibly special. She was a Star Valley street cat previous to the AAC and we thought she thought that all cats had the same Cinderella story that she had. From roaming the streets, to 500 thread count sheets. We were devastated when we lost her and my husband Dave (who is a total crazy cat lady) and I decided we were going to wait until the spring to adopt another cat into our family. Working for PAWS, I made a supply run out to TVCAS one night, and Dave came along for the ride (and the Teton Thai). We unloaded all of our supplies and then Dave ask to meet Wendell- he’d been “online shopping.” We met Wendell and a couple of others. We had a weekend trip planned to Denver that weekend and (Big) Dave couldn’t stop talking about Wendell. We returned from Denver on Monday and I got a text on my phone from my husband saying “Can I go get Wendell.. I thought I would ask you first before just bringing him home,” I asked if he was being passive aggressive with me as I am always bringing fosters, and friends animals home without asking… ha! So Big Dave went to go get Wendell.
Some people put a lot of thought and effort into coming up with the perfect name for their pet. While Lil Dave may seem like an unusual name for a cat, there’s a story behind it that’s sure to give you a good laugh. Take a moment to learn about how this incredible cat landed his awesome name.
Lens and Leash: Does their “name” have a special meaning or story behind it?
The Farr Family: Haha! Well my husband Dave was taking forever to name this cat. It was between a bunch of different Asian food inspired names (an ode to Wasabi). I started calling him Lil Dave that week because this kitten loved to do back flips and Big Dave was king of them too… plus Lil Dave was a bit naughtier and more “pyscho kitty” then Wasabi ever was and I thought it was funny to call him Dave when he was acting out… Human Dave named him Dumplings 8 days after bringing him home, and to this day he is the only one who calls the kitten Dumplings- the rest of Jackson calls him Lil’ Dave.
Age is nothing but a number when it comes to adoptions and rescue animals. Time and time again, animals have proven that they can make a great addition to a family whether they be brand new to this world or much older in age.
Let’s quickly go over how old Lil Dave was when he became part of the Farr family.
Lens and Leash: How old were they when you adopted them, and do you know anything about their life before you adopted them?
The Farr Family: 8 months. He was found with all of his litter mates when they were 8 weeks.
Has a shelter animal, or any other type of animal ever captured your heart? I’m sure it’s happened at least once in your life. Sometimes a furry little friend that you just met can make you feel like they have been part of your life for years.
It’s often an animals ability to form a bond that saves them from their fate in a shelter. Here’s how Lil Dave captured the hearts of the Farr family.
Lens and Leash: Why did you adopt them specifically and was there any hesitation in adopting them because of breed, stigma or anything else?
The Farr Family: We adopted Wendell specifically because he was everything Human Dave wanted- extra fluffy, loved lasers, very active, and incredibly sweet.
Have you ever been around a cat that seems to be able to effortlessly cheer you up, make you laugh, and put a lasting smile on your face?
That’s exactly what Lil Dave does. Check out what the Farr’s have to say about their favorite cat’s awesome personality.
Lens and Leash: What is your favorite quirk about them and what is their favorite things to do?
The Farr Family: He loves ducks! He is king of the creek and stalks them as if he is the star of Planet Earth. He likes the snow and water, which isn’t always the case for cats and will kitten bomb himself off our deck into snow mounds.
When it comes to training, cats can sometimes be harder to deal with than dogs. It is possible though as long as you are willing to put in the time and work. It’s never a bad idea to try different training strategies as well. This will help you determine what works best. It’s important to remember though that cats can become set in their ways.
The Farr Family tried to do a bit of training with Lil Dave. Here is how it turned out.
Lens and Leash: Did you have to do any training with them after you adopted them or have people ever been hesitant on approaching them before getting to know them?
The Farr Family: We tried to put him on a harness so he would be into leash walks… let’s just say Lil Dave is a free range cat and has killed all of the harnesses.
Adopting animals is something that should never be taken lightly. It’s important to remember that you will be taking something into your home that is going to depend on you. In many ways, it’s just like bringing a child into the world. Before bringing home a new addition to your family, you need to make sure you are prepared.
Here’s some advice from the Farr family on being a first-time adopter.
Lens and Leash: What tips or pieces of advice would you offer to people that are looking to adopt for the first time?
The Farr Family: Meet lots of different kinds of cats. Cats are all so different. Know what you want in a cat- active? lazy? super cuddly? indoor/ outdoor? I feel like dog’s personalities and likes can be molded by their owners, cats are who they are and you’re not changing them.
The Farr’s decided that they wanted to add one more thing to their Q and A session. This is honestly one of my favorite parts of this story. It gives proof to the fact that when an animal is right for you, it’s right for you regardless of species.
Lens and Leash: Anything else you would like to add?
The Farr Family: I never was a “cat person” until I was an Adoption Counselor at the AAC ( a couple of years ago). They are such a different pet than a dog and they add so much zest and humor to life. Try one!
So, there you have it. I hope you have enjoyed reading about Lil Dave as much as I have enjoyed putting this post together. My entire day brightens up every time I hear about a helpless animal being pulled from an environment that they should have never been in.
Thanks to the Farr’s for their time and thanks to all of you for reading this heart touching post.
