Status / Details
2018, Adopted
Additional Info
About Rufus
Adopted by Cecy & Tom
Born ~4/16, M, Red Tabby Maine Coon Mix
Here’s Rufus the Red. He is just a sumptuous, big red boy. Such a great loving armful. He needs to be adopted with his sister, Miss Congeniality. No Exceptions please.
Yes, Rufus’ claim to fame is his amazing fluffy curled tail. There is no way to see his special tail without grinning. Is he part Husky or part Squirrel? Strange but true. He loves to stand on his hind two legs. Is he part monkey?
However, Rufus is much more than a cat with an marvelous tail. Like his sister, Miss Congeniality, he is a huge lovebug. He is drawn to humans and loves their touch and presence. As kittens these four siblings (including Josie and Snuggles) were a vulnerable, motherless litter of kittens under the weather with colds (and due for euthanasia in the shelter). Perhaps they are so loving because they knew how much help they needed and are grateful to humans for it. Rufus was the most ill and he could not see at all thru his swollen, closed eyes for over two weeks. His sisters stepped on him and climbed over him. Worried about him I gave him his own cage. He cried right away so I put him back to be reassuringly, I guess, stepped on. His eyes looked awful. I had a good connection with an eye vet and her training gave me the courage to take on these kittens. (Thank you, Dr. Gratzek!) She had taught me that kitten eyes could and do heal amazingly well, past all imagining. Rufus was medicated every two hours with two or three different medications. For 14 days. After that he was able to see a bit and I was able to medicate him less often (and sleep more.) Rufus’ eyes are permanently a little cloudy but he has good vision and that is a triumph. His eyes, like his sister, Snuggles, are also a bit crosseyed.
Rufus is of course the nicest, most mellow guy. That is what red tabby Maine Coon guys are known for and Rufus is a classic red boy. He is very interactive with his humans. He will watch everything you do and follow you about to help you do your chores. Rufus has been through so much in his early two months that I think he is a little worried about his safety in life. Some kitties are easily adaptable to being taken to new places, for example. Rufus would be slower to find it all fun. He likes knowing his world, his home. (Miss Congeniality will be out exploring right away, Rufus will hang back.) He just needs a little time to settle and living a few more years will probably end this delay. Miss C is his companion and main buddy and so they will go home together.
I am protective of him because he is such a tender, loving boy. He is a bit of a baby kitty still. Do you see that in his face? His adoptive family will need to keep their eye on his eyes. Periodically he needs a little eye ointment or drops. We give him immune support drops and supplements to strengthen him (Herpes never fully goes away so he needs to keep it at bay – which is true for all cats and humans and perhaps a bit more true for him.) So his family needs to take on a commitment to watch his eyes and care for him with ointment or drops or a trip to the vet if need be. He is doing very well. Cats, like children, get stronger as they grow out their babyhood. Maine Coon kitties keep growing in size, coat and personality up until about the beginning of their fourth year. Rufus, for example, has just started growing his Maine Coon ruff around his neck in the last half year.
These two curly tailed Maine Coon kitties are a fabulous pair of entertaining lovebugs and some family will be so lucky to have their company.
Rufus eats wet and dry food and, like his siblings, likes to drink water out of a faucet as well as a bowl.
His foster mom is Harriet in Santa Cruz.
Contact Harriet at (831) 336-2983 or email: harrietkitty@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.