Status / Details
2017, Adopted
Additional Info
About Maxwell
Adopted by Mindy
Born ~2011, M, Seal Mink Tonkinese
I have said before that one of the most intriguing , challenging and frustrating aspects of being a foster mom is not knowing the history of your foster kitties. Maxwell is a case in point. The shelter asked me if Purebreds could take him. As a “Needs Rescue “ cat he would not leave the shelter alive unless he went to rescue. He was “shy” and not suitable for the public adoption cages. Max was “Owner surrendered” due to “eviction” and his owner said he had lived with dogs, cats, children, seniors, and adults and was “inside only”. He certainly sounded like a family cat.
Well, he arrived really quite scared of everything. He hid and hid and hid. We gave him a big room with windows on two sides and a high loft, which is much loved by cats. He hid. And hid some more. He ate well at night and used his box and stayed away from our outreached hands. We wondered what had happened to him. We gave him time. Months and months. We had thought maybe he was depressed due to being abandoned at a shelter but we came to believe that his troubles were something more. This was a cat who had been seriously traumatized. We noticed he was frightened of loud voices, of noises , of clatter and commotion. We think now he had lived with a very dysfunctional family. Loud shouting , slamming doors, anger and chaotic energy, bad feelings. Marital troubles? Alcohol? Mental troubles? Tonkinese kitties are so sensitive. They pick up every emotion. Max runs to hide and we occasionally think we see him act as though he has been hit or kicked. Maxwell has never shown us any aggression with teeth or claws at all. He might have growled a bit the first day or two I don’t remember but he is a very gentle cat.
I am posting him here because now many months later he has recovered and is comfortable with us . Max is ready to go to his new home. (yaaay!) He will let strangers pet him. His confidence is a little shaky and he may go tag up with his safe spot but then he comes right back for more attention. Loud noises still scare him.
He is such a sweet cat. He is longing to cuddle with a human at night, safe and warm. At least that is what I think. He is a gorgeous BIG Tonkinese boy with a long, strong body. Of course his blue, blue eyes are set off by his dark seal point coloring. He is very healthy. He likes other cats; there is no question about that. He is not an alpha cat and if he lives with another cat it needs to be a gentle, friendly kitty. He wants love and peacefulness. No stress. I don’t know how he is with dogs. I would suggest for him a home with no young children. He is not a climber and seems to prefer lower places. He absolutely loves catnip.!
So what we want for this sweet boy is a peaceful, quiet, stable home. He needs a human or two with whom he can bond and with whom he can find a safe, loving, heart space. Tonkinese lovers know how tender and sensitive these cats are. They are wonderful companions. His family will need to be patient and give him the time he needs to accept his new home. I would love to be able to watch him grow so happy in his new home. How special that will be for his new family. Maxwell is a great cat. He will unfold and blossom. We can already see his personality coming forth in his progress with us. So great.
Maxwell eats wet and dry food and is litter box perfect.
His foster mom is Harriet in Santa Cruz.
Contact Harriet at (831) 336-2983 or email toharrietjane@comcast.net if you have questions, or send an Adoption Application. If you are unable to reach Harriet by phone or email, email us at Info@purebredsplus.org.