Betty and Pearl are looking for their forever home!

Meet Betty and Pearl!

    Betty and Pearl are a bonded pair of 10-year-old cats that I took in off the streets in August. After being abandoned and living next to a dirty AC unit for at least five years, they were in rough shape, but after a lot of love and care, they are ready to find their forever home! We have been looking for a potential home for them since late October, but unfortunately, older cats are often overlooked.

    I adore these girls, and I want to find them a home that will love them just as much as I do. Please keep reading if you'd like to learn more about them, and to see if you think you (or someone you know) would be a good fit to give these girls the golden years they deserve.

(First night inside, snuggling for comfort.)

(A recent photo, the queens of their castle!)

THEIR STORY

    In early August, I stumbled upon two stray cats living outside of the apartment building next to mine. The tuxedo, who I named Betty, was extremely friendly and would greet me excitedly every time I came by. When I gave her some wet food, her friend (and likely littermate), a gray and white tuxedo, would approach shyly to get some food as well. It only took me a day to win over the cat I now call Pearl -- wet food with gravy goes a long way!

Pearl tries catnip for the first time (mid-August)

    After asking around, I was told that these girls had been living behind the building for at least five years. It could have been longer, but that is when the oldest tenant moved in. They are not skittish enough to be feral, so they seem to have been abandoned, and, in Pearl's case, maybe abused. The way that she sits on her front paws indicated to the vet that she might have been thrown from a high window at some point, but she experiences no pain from this. The woman who had been feeding them told me it took her a year to even touch Pearl at all. Thanks to her care, Pearl has come a long way (it only took me a day and some Friskies shreds to win her over), and now comes right up to get lots of loving scratches.

    What drew me to these girls the most is how much they adore each other. Betty is Pearl's knight in tuxedo armor. Pearl will follow Betty's lead wherever they go, rubbing up on her and butting heads. Betty will stand guard whenever Pearl feels nervous, and always goes to check in with her. I have to imagine that when they were living in the patch of dirt behind the apartment building, they had to look out for each other constantly. 

    Their deep bond is the main reason I decided to take on the financial responsibility of these girls myself, rather than put them in a shelter. I was worried that maybe the girls would be separated, which would be the most heartbreaking end to their story that I can imagine. So, that's why I'm writing this, to hopefully find someone with enough room in their heart and home for both these sweet girls!

First vet trip ever!

    After taking the girls in to get their preliminary shots and dewormer, I brought them into my second bedroom to foster. I was worried they might not take to being indoors after so many years outside, but to my shock and delight, they turned into instant princesses. They have no interest in going back outside whatsoever, except to lounge on the screened-in patio. They love their soft blankets, catnip, treats, and heated beds. Now that they know the good life, the only interest they have in the outdoors is watching squirrels through the window.

    Here is their glow-up from mid-August to late October!

THEIR PERSONALITIES

Betty

(aka Betty Boop, Miss Boops)

    Betty is definitely the leader of this duo! Whenever I enter the foster room, she gets up to greet me, meowing and purring and circling my legs. She's hoping for some snacks and snuggles. She chirps and headbutts my face, and loves all the attention you can give her. She loves catnip toys, and brings them into her "house" with her.

    When I first took them in, both cats had very poor coat conditions. Betty felt very rough to the touch, but after two months of healthy wet food and living inside, her fur is as silky and smooth as a rabbit's. She's a very charming little lady, and would love to be there to greet you when you get home!

Pearl
(aka Pearly Girl, Little Pearl)

    Pearl is the shy one of the pair. As sweet as she is, she is also the least photogenic cat I have ever met! Even when she's happy and relaxed, the way her forehead naturally sags low over her eyes make her look like she's glaring. I promise that she really is a sweetheart, no matter what that horrible "glower" may tell you.

Would you believe she was purring here?! 

Her facial structure means she is permanently mean-mugging the camera!

    Pearl is a tiny cat, with a short little tail. She's very adorable and stubby. She was named Pearl because she was absolutely filthy when I took her in (spent most of her years on a rusty AC unit), and her fur was more orange than white. But just like how pearls start off as a little grit of sand, time is making her start to shine!

Photo taken their first day indoors, showing off how tiny she is. 

Her back has healed and her fur is so much healthier now!

    Pearl and her shyness is one reason that I didn't want to put these girls in a shelter. I was afraid she wouldn't thrive there, and be too scared to allow anyone to get to know her. She feels the most safe when she is surrounded by three walls, like in her little pink cat cave or in the boxy part of her cat tree. 

    She will stretch out of her hiding spot to ask for pets; she loves to be scratched all over, especially on her neck and at the base of her tail. She's not the type of cat to get easily overstimulated and swat; once you are petting her, you can pet her up and down and sideways (even on her tummy!) and she will purr up a storm. Because she's missing one of her canine teeth, this also means some happy drooling.

    When a hand comes at her quickly, Pearl is likely to hide. If she feels cornered (usually only in her cat tree box), she may hiss. Even with me, who she trusts, she can get startled if my hand comes at her too fast when she is in a small space. I believe she was abused at some point in her past, but she is learning that human hands mean good things now. Every day she gets a little braver.

    Secretly, Pearl is my favorite of the pair. It's really special for a cat who has been hurt by humans to learn to love and trust again, even showing her belly and rolling on her back. I would love for you to be able to feel that same special connection with her! She's been through so much, and just wants to be loved.

A BONDED PAIR

    One of the sweetest things about these girls is how strong their bond is. They are always checking in on each other, and never out of eyesight. Through years and years of living in the wild, they were all each other had, and clearly they have been looking out for each other ever since.

(The last two photos are their first few days indoors, when they were still very dirty.)

    On their first night indoors, Betty sat herself up against Pearl, blocking her so she was able to hide against the wall. Even now, when Pearl is in one of her favorite hide-aways, Betty will join her inside to shield her from the world and keep her safe.

    They are each other's kitty soulmates, and make each other so, so happy. If you are considering giving these ladies a spot in your heart and your home, please only do so if you can keep them together!

WITH OTHER CATS

    Both the girls are used to having other cats around outside; sometimes when I would go to feed them, cats owned by neighbors would be there, sharing the food. They are no strangers to having other cats around, and even sharing their food with raccoons and possums who came to steal some kibble...

    In October, I started bringing my two young boy cats in to meet the girls in short sessions. Gary (pictured) is a goofy one year old boy, but he's good at picking up the social cues from other cats. While neither of these old ladies have any interest in playing with the boys, they tolerate them just fine. 

"What's wrong with this kid?"

Betty is very protective of Pearl; when the two younger cats start being too silly, she will put herself between them and guard Pearl, making sure Pearl does not get too scared. It's very sweet to see! 

Brave knight Betty standing guard for Princess Pearl.

In November, I started letting the girls come and go as they pleased out of the foster room. While they mostly stay in their "territory", they have been getting along great with the boys when they come out to explore. They love the screened-in patio!

    Betty and Pearl would do fine with other friendly cats. They might be alright with dogs who are known to already like cats.

A GOOD FIT?

    I think Betty and Pearl would do great in a calm, quiet home without young children (younger than 10). It would be ideal if they were adopted by someone who has had cats before, and is familiar with their body language, especially with Pearl's initial shyness. Because they are older, they are lower maintenance, and don't need lots of playtime like a kitten would. They are happy to just hang out and keep you company.

Please watch the videos above to see how sweet Pearl is...

...she just has an (adorably) horrible resting face!

    Betty and Pearl are up-to-date on all their shots, dewormed, and FIV and FELV free. I took Pearl in to get a senior blood panel done, and the vet told me that her results were phenomenal for a cat her age! As stated above, the way she sits is likely due to trauma, and does not affect her now. For two cats that lived such rough lives until now, they are medically in tip-top shape!

    If you have any questions about Betty and Pearl, or you think you might want to meet them, please reach out to me at amanda.bryant.art@gmail.com.

    I would love for you to give these girls their happily ever after!