Brazil's Golden Opportunity

A big day is approaching. Brazil will be going on a trial-adoption.

This will be very frightening for little Shimmer, and a shock, as he is now quite comfortable at the Cosy Apartment. He knows its routines and the personalities of its inhabitants. He has a playmate and a snooze-buddy.

But this is Brazil’s golden opportunity. The people he is going to meet understand that he is a very, very shy cat, and will likely hide for weeks. They are prepared for that. The rescue-group has spent hours with them, and they may be in contact with me to learn more about Brazil. They have had their eye on him for some time, and have read his profile on the group’s website several times, even noticing when some changes were made to it. They have two cats, one an older fellow who simply wants to be left alone, and the other a young feline who very much wants a friend and playmate. In terms of human and animal, this is the best chance Brazil will get.

I dislike this part of fostering. It isn’t so much for me that I dislike it, though I will miss this long and lean beast. In truth, I would probably keep Brazil, and spare him the confusion and fear of a new change, but he is quite hard on Imogen, and that won’t change. Imo is constantly on guard against Brazil rushing at her. As well, there are an infinite number of cats waiting for foster-homes. If a family would like to have Brazil as a member, then he must take that chance.

I have given a great deal of advice to be passed on to the family regarding Shimmer and how to behave toward him. I think that if they follow the pattern I established here, he will come around to them as he did with me. In fact, if the model of previous shy foster-cats holds true for him, he will overcome his timidity sooner than the time it took for him here. Hector (another cat I wouldn’t have minded adopting) was also shy at first, but surprised his adopter with how brave he was in his new environment. Portia (curmudgeonly, rather than shy) also responded much better in a new home after time with me. (I’m starting to think that after me, these cats view a new start as a relief…)

No date has been fixed for the trial to begin. Because Brazil is difficult to put in a carrier, he will go to the veterinary first, and then straight to his new home. (He is not suffering from any malady, but he needs his booster-shots, and it wouldn’t hurt to give him a medical once-over prior to his journey.) This will require timing, as both the doctor and the new family need to be ready for Brazil on the same day, and I must be able to get him into his carrier soon enough so as not to keep him waiting in there long but not so soon as to forego a second attempt if my first at capture fails.

Brazil is a complicated fellow.

But once in his new world, I am confident that he will come to trust his the people there as he does me, given time and patience. With those two qualities, much can be achieved for a cat.