CATO Domestic Short Hair & Tabby Mix Grand Rapids, MI

Seems like the harder they have had it out on the mean streets, the more docile and gentle they are when they finally make it somewhere safe;  such is the case with the courageous Cato.  Born in the fall of 2009, this timid tom cat ended up a stray in a Belmont trailer park in the summer of 2012.  By the time we got him in September he had suffered a broken tail, damage to his left fore paw resulting in a toe amputation and another toe being deviated, broken canine teeth down to the gum line and poor little foot pads were rock hard and cracked from life outdoors.  And, to top it all off, he tested positive for FIV.  Luckily he was taken initially to Gina Marvin of Focus on Ferals, who got him medical attention and housed him until we had a spot at Big Sids.
I have to say that initially I was apprehensive about how well Cato would acclimate at our sanctuary, as it is cage-free and two levels;  he seemed more content to confine himself in small spaces where he could lay low and fly under the radar.  But thanks to the patience and diligence of our fabulous volunteer staff, he came out of his shell and stayed there after not too long in our care.  The transformation even the shiest of cats make in our care is what we strive to obtain;  we want to create a happy little haven for each and every one of them so that they know peace and tranquility and feel safe and secure. 
Cato is a sweetheart, and although big and bulky, he is a gentle soul.  We would love nothing more than to find him a home of his own, and since he is a lover and not a fighter, there is no reason at all that he can't go into a home with another cat or two - in fact, he would really fancy that!