A cat found the family of her dreams at 18 years old. Now, she sleeps holding hands with her person.
Bella the cat@bestfriendsfelines
Bella the cat was 18 years old when she arrived at Best Friends Felines, a cat rescue in Brisbane, for a chance at a better life.
She was brought in to a vet clinic because her owner had sadly passed away, and the family members no longer wanted to keep her. The clinic reached out to the kind folks at Best Friends Felines and asked if they could help the senior girl, who was in good health for her sprightly age.
Volunteers went to pick her up and rushed her into temporary foster care to save her life. They began seeking a long-term carer willing to give her a safe haven while looking for an adopter that would love and cherish her in her golden years.
She was 18 years old when she was rescued@bestfriendsfelines
"(At the vet), Bella was confused, grieving and basically out of sorts about all the sudden changes in her life. She was lashing out, growling and hissing," Best Friends Felines shared.
On the car ride to her foster home, her demeanor changed. "She was calm and chatting to her carer, smooching her carer's fingers through the carrier while purring."
She became very friendly on her way to her foster home@bestfriendsfelines
It soon became crystalline that Bella was an absolute solo cat who would not tolerate other cats around her or in the same dwelling.
"The moment you take her away from any traces of other felines, that switch flicks and she turns into a completely different cat - a friendly, sweet, loving and easy cat. Bella has so much love to give, and deserves a safe retirement home."
It became clear that Bella was a true solo cat@bestfriendsfelines
Bella received a clean bill of health and only needed one tooth extraction. "She is in amazing condition considering her age, and a testament to the amazing care she received by her owner."
To accommodate her needs, the rescue sought a wonderful long-term foster home for Bella, where she would be the only cat. Roslyn who readily agreed to take on the senior girl, welcomed her in with open arms.
She has so much to give and deserves a loving home to spend her golden years@bestfriendsfelines
"For the first couple of nights, Bella was not impressed. There was no aggression at all, just indifference - whenever Roslyn entered the room, Bella would leave," the rescue shared.
"After a couple of days, much to Roslyn's excitement, Bella realized that she missed human interaction and presented herself on the couch next to Roslyn - squeaking at her with the sweet little voice that she has and accepting pats and head boops."
She found Roslyn one day, and it changed everything@bestfriendsfelines
Roslyn was over the moon by the breakthrough and fell completely head over heels for the sweet girl. "Since then it's been onwards and upwards for Bella, who now sleeps on Roslyn's bed while they hold hand/paw."
Bella has come around and feels completely at home with Roslyn by her side. She now spends ample time snoozing on her human's bed, reveling in the comfort and peace and quiet.
Roslyn couldn't let Bella go and adopted her@bestfriendsfelines
Five weeks after Bella was rescued, Best Friends Felines received the most exciting news. "When Roslyn told me she couldn't let Bella go and was going to adopt her, we were overjoyed," the rescue added.
"The girl needs a big sleep after dinner which is expected to be served at 5:30 on the dot," Roslyn shared via the rescue's page. "I feel like the lucky one in this story. Bella is so precious."
Now, Bella can snooze all day on her human's bed@bestfriendsfelines
Share this story with your friends. More cats and kittens from Best Friends Felines (in Brisbane, AU) on Instagram @bestfriendsfelines and Facebook.
Related story: Four Kittens Found Outside at One Week Old Have Come a Long Way as a Tight-knit Bunch