Happy Tails | Cheddar

Every single animal that comes through our shelter has a story. Some are complex, many are sad, but all of them get better the minute they arrive at the Virginia Beach SPCA. Cheddar came to the VBSPCA in February 2020 when his previous owner moved into a home where pets weren’t allowed. Around that same time, Lisa and her family were finally ready for a new furry friend after losing their three cats to different sicknesses over the past few years. The VBSPCA staff introduced Cheddar to Lisa and her family, and the rest is history! We recently caught up with Lisa to hear about life with Cheddar… and another VBSPCA animal.

How did you find Cheddar?

In late February 2020, my kids started to ask when we would be getting another cat. They wanted a kitten, as they had never been around a kitten before.  One Saturday, we randomly stopped at the VBSPCA to see kittens and cats. I told two different employees that I was looking for a social cat or kitten, and they each led me to Cheddar. We immediately fell in love with him!  We loved his outgoing personality and his talkative nature. We did find out that he had been sick at the SPCA with urinary issues. Initially, I was hesitant to adopt him because we had just dealt with our other cat’s sickness the year before and it was so upsetting and exhausting on so many levels. However, we loved Cheddar so much and felt a connection to him so we decided to take a chance and adopt him. I’m so happy we did!

How is Cheddar doing in the home?

We adopted Cheddar on March 4, 2020. It was immediately before the COVID-19 lockdown, so it was such a great time to adopt him as we were all home and were able to help him adjust more easily to our home. Since adopting Cheddar, he has had absolutely no urinary issues! He is very healthy and has thrived in our home. It took him a little while to adjust, which is to be expected. However, he is very comfortable in our home now, and he has become such an important addition to our family.

What sort of activities do you and Cheddar do together?

Cheddar loves wand toys and chasing fuzzy mice toys. He naps in my office while I am working. He is always in our presence.  

How has Cheddar enriched your life? 

Pets bring so much joy! Cheddar didn’t replace the cats we lost, but he has helped us to heal. He is such a sweet and docile cat and we are all so happy that we adopted him. It was meant to be! Cats are such fun and interesting pets to have and like any pet, they provide unconditional love.

You also adopted a kitten in June 2021. Why did you decide to adopt another feline?

My kids still wanted a kitten. I wanted to wait a while to allow Cheddar to become fully comfortable in our house. He is still a young cat, so I thought maybe a buddy would be good for him. We visited the VBSPCA again in early June 2021 and met Frisco, an 8-10 week old kitten. He was full of spunk and energy and as with Cheddar, we all felt a big connection to him. It took a while to introduce Cheddar and Frisco, but they seem to really love each other a lot now. They still “rough house” with one another, but they now play with each other more, nap near each other, and follow each other around the house. It has been great for both of them! Frisco is now about four months old and still full of a LOT of energy! We love when kittens do the “sideways” jump.  

Do you have any funny stories to share from your time together?

Cheddar and Frisco chase each other like crazy through our house! Their interactions while they play can be very comical and entertaining as well. We bought a cat tunnel for them recently and they play their version of “hide and seek” in it. It’s really funny!

Why do you think people should consider adopting a pet from a shelter?

All of our cats have been rescues! I love going that route because it’s such a blessing and it’s a wonderful opportunity to give a sweet animal a second chance and to provide them with a loving home.