If you follow our social media accounts, you may have fallen in love with a sweet, former tomcat named Falkor—also known as the star of #falkorfriday. Falkor was part of a large cat colony in Cumberland that our volunteers had been working to Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), and was rescued by Ten Lives Cat Rescue at the end of June. After he was humanely trapped, we realized he actually wasn’t feral at all—just painfully timid. He was in terrible condition when he first joined our program. His fur was so matted, he had to be shaved when he was seen at the spay/neuter clinic.
Under the mats, Falkor had scars and wounds from being attacked by other cats. Sadly, this is very common for male cats who are not neutered. They fight over territory, female cats who aren’t spayed, and food. Because of the location of his wounds (on his lower back and hind quarters) the vet felt like he was trying to get away. He also tested positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV+), which is not uncommon for unneutered male cats living outside.
Ten Lives’ Executive Director has a soft spot for former tomcats, and became Falkor’s foster mom after his neuter. During his time in our program, Falkor has needed a lot of TLC. He developed an infection at his neuter site, has extensive dental disease, and was suffering from a terrible ear infection. Despite all of the treatments and vet visits, Falkor retained his soft and affectionate personality. Within the first week in his foster home, he allowed his foster mom to rub his cheeks and gently pet his back. Over the past few months, he has transformed from a terrified cat who would hide in his crate to actively seeking out affection, playing with his rainbow wand, and napping out in the open.
He now spends his days demanding attention, getting brushed, and asking for his favorite treat, Churu. Falkor is still working on his catfidence and getting used to regular household noises, but he’s starting to explore more and show off how brave he can be.
According to his foster mom, Falkor has turned into an extremely sweet boy, and has a tender soul. She knows he’s going to bond closely with his adopter if they are willing to put in a little work. He has a relaxed and easygoing personality, and as a bonus, he’s adorable, too. He has big fuzzy paws, the most soulful eyes, and this large slow-moving body. Falkor is easy to fall in love with!
Falkor will be having an extensive dental surgery in October. Sadly, due to his time outside, his teeth are in awful condition. He has severe dental disease, including broken teeth, tooth resorption, and will require numerous extractions to deal with it. His surgery is estimated to cost the rescue $800. After Falkor recovers, he will be looking for the perfect forever home, which should be a quiet home with patient humans, who will give him the love and support he needs to continue to blossom.
Falkor is part of our Forgotten Feline Program, which aims to help scared and under-socialized cats who are considered “unadoptable” by other shelters. With the help of our dedicated foster families, we are able to give them the support they need to blossom.
If you are interested in sponsoring Falkor and contributing to his upcoming dental surgery, please click here.