Cheeto - Domestic Short Hair Cat for Adoption in Charlottesville, Virginia

Cheeto is what we'd call a work in progress! We are learning about him while he's learning about himself.

Cheeto was found at a colony by one of our dedicated colony feeders. He used to approach her and rub against her ankles, so we thought perhaps he was friendly and that someone had dumped him. We moved him into foster so that he could decompress and we could evaluate him further.

He's been in foster for a few months now, and he's coming around! But he also has some quirks. It took over two weeks before his foster was able to touch him for the first time. But since then, he has steadily proven that he absolutely LOVES being petted and scratched. However, he's only really comfortable with receiving pets when he's inside his safe space, the box in his cat tree (where you can see him in one of his photos). He uses hissing as his defense mechanism, which we think is a hard-wired instinct from his time living at the feral colony, because he's never aggressive: he never ever tries to swat at his foster or bite. Hissing is more his way of saying "I'm a little scared and I want us both to know it." He also likes to meow in a very cute and friendly way! It's his way of saying "hello, I'm here!" from across the house.

He has also begun to observe his foster's two resident cats, and he seems to be a huge fan of other cats. He trills and meows at them, and has approached them a few times. Having the other cats in the house seems to greatly help with his confidence. We hope to see him engage in playing with them soon.

We suspect that with additional patience and decompressing, Cheeto will continue to relax into life as a house cat. His foster is eagerly awaiting the day she's able to pet him outside of his safe box, and her dream is that he'll one day become a big lap cat!

The domestic short hair cat is a popular and diverse breed known for its unique personalities and low maintenance care. These cats come in various colors and patterns, with short, easy to manage coats that require minimal grooming. Domestic short hairs are friendly, adaptable, and make wonderful companions for individuals and families alike. They possess playful and affectionate qualities that endear them to many, making them one of the most beloved and widely adopted cat breeds worldwide.

Mission statement: To improve the quality of life for cats in central Virginia through a trap/neuter/return program, a foster/adoption program,...