Umi has a backstory and to find his forever home, I need to tell it all.
We pulled Umi from the Wake Co shelter on the fourth of July weekend. His previous owners surrendered him. He was unhappy with shelter life and hissed at prospective adopters. With a full shelter, they moved Umi to a waiting room until his five days were up. The evening I met him, he was scheduled to be euthanized. He looked so much like my prior cat Gabe and we could tell by the way he was asking to be pet, that he just needed a better situation.
He also needed time. Umi doesn’t like new people. He had not been neutered, so I scheduled that immediately. In the weeks that followed, he became a super friendly and loving cat—but only to the two people he lives with. When someone else would enter the house, Umi would growl and run up to them puffed up. He would swipe. He is a guard dog. We’ve discovered that after about four introductions, Umi will accept a person into his house without complaint.
Once he bonds with you, it is a very tight connection. I have no worries at all about being scratched by Umi anymore. I completely trust him around me and my 15yo son. (Umi definitely prefers me, but is kind to my son.) When someone else comes into the house, I let Umi meet them if it is someone who will come over again, and then I take Umi into another room. If it is a one-time visit, I usually put Umi away to start. He is quite protective of his home.
Umi isn’t a lap cat; he is a chest cat. I often work from home, and once or twice a day, he’ll jump in my lap, putting his paws over my shoulder and snuggling heart-to-heart. He is *so* easy to love—once you gain his trust.
I have a 50-lb cat-friendly dog, two cats who turned 1yo when Umi joined our family, and two 5mo foster kittens. Umi loves them all, but especially the kittens. Umi’s paperwork said he was 3yo, but that can’t be true. He has grown in size and weight since getting here and he plays like a kitten. I think his first birthday is right around now (Sept-Nov?).
Umi’s ideal family: He would probably do best with a single person or couple who lead a pretty chill life. No children in the house. He needs someone who will come visit him several times over a week or two to allow him to get to know them slowly before taking him home. And he needs someone who will take things slowly with him when he gets to his new home. He may be grouchy. He may scratch you. He’s just afraid. It won’t last long. He very quickly realized I was his friend and let me in. He needs someone who will work with his boundaries, who will think of him when they have guests coming over and will move him to another room so he won’t feel he needs to defend his territory. Maybe in time, this will get better. We introduce him to new people from time to time and it seems that he is improving.
He needs catnip. I gave him catnip every time I went into his room when he first got here, so he would relate me to something pleasant. He loves it. And he wants his own kitten. Umi really loves having another cat around and does really well with the 5mo olds he currently lives with. He will play with them, groom them, and nap near them. The slightly older female cats won’t let him get near them, though he has tried over and over. He really will be happiest with another kitten. (These kittens were in a different home for a few weeks and Umi's joy in having them back was obvious.)
Umi deserves a person who will love him devotedly, and Umi will return that love and more. I am committed to finding him someone who will understand his needs and will work with him to learn to trust people, because I can see what a true love he is once he is not afraid.
