A cat named Pikameow found himself on the emergency placement list of the city shelter due to his serious behavior issues. Rescuers of Puppy Kitty NY City immediately jumped at the chance to help him.
Shortly after arriving, Pikameow nestled in his bed and started kneading on the fabric to self-soothe. When they realized how much soft things calmed him, they brought him a cat plushie with a heartbeat to help him decompress.
They didn't know his full history, but they knew he needed a hero to help his true personality shine.
Certain sounds easily startled Pikameow and triggered him to lash out. "He's had a few incidents where he attacked people after loud noises. Otherwise, he's amazingly sweet. He makes muffins constantly," Meagan of Puppy Kitty NY City shared.
When Pikameow didn't have those strange episodes, he kneaded all day while carrying a stuffie in his mouth.
"He is the sweetest boy, and he also has the cutest meow."
Hoping to identify his triggers, they sought help from a cat behaviorist, who welcomed him into her quiet home, along with his little trusty lamb.
Over time, Pikameow made progress and even started to play with toys, but he continued to struggle with certain sounds. He had another episode triggered by a random noise from a phone despite the valiant efforts of the cat behaviorist.
"We won't give up on him."
Back to the drawing board, their determination to help Pika never wavered. They consulted their veterinarian and worked diligently to find a solution for the deserving boy.
"We are taking baby steps and taking it slow, adhering to the veterinary advice, we are trying medication to treat anxiety and cat behavioral issues," Pikameow's new foster mom shared.
Slowly but surely, Pikameow warmed up to cuddles with plenty of treats as rewards. A few days later, he decided to chase after a wand toy and let his inner zoomies come out.
Instead of clinging to his lamb for comfort, he now curls up in his foster mom's lap, wraps his paws around her arm, and tries to groom it.
For the first time, he feels relaxed lying on his back and exposing his belly for rubs.
He stretches his back toes up in the air and prints slobbery kisses on his foster mom's hand while getting a belly massage.
"Pika is doing extremely well on his meds. He has had zero aggression and is happy as can be. He was an extremely difficult behavior case, but we think he is really turning the corner," Meagan shared.
The rescue took a chance on Pika when others couldn't.
After four months of tireless efforts, he is becoming his true self. His foster mom continues to champion him and help him improve, one tiny step at a time.
Share with your friends. More on Pikameow and Puppy Kitty NY City on Instagram and Facebook. Thanks to Pika's foster mom @minxiehappyplace on Instagram.