Venus
Venus is a 12 year old persian in New York City (NYC) who needs an experienced owner / rescue. New York, NY — This post is for a friend whose cat, Venus, I am trying to rehome in an attempt to save her life. The words below the photo are not mine, they were written by the loving owner of this stunning cat who has run out of options. Venus needs a compassionate, patient home to work with her through her behavioral problems — ideally somebody who spends a good amount of time at home and either does not have other pets or has enough space for Venus to feel like she is the one and only. All inquiries can be directed to me, Bekah Wilcox, via Facebook or bekah.w@gmail.com. Venus has just a few short days left in foster care and must find a permanent home — sanctuaries, no-kill rescues and fosters will not be considered because she needs the commitment of an individual dedicated to her happiness or else she may never truly find inner peace.
I found Venus on the streets of Astoria, Queens, in 2000. She was creeping around a couple who were kissing on the sidewalk, meowing up at them desperately. She looked frightened and out of place. As a fluffy Persian calico, I knew she wasn’t your typical stray. I brought her home where she hid for several days, only creeping near me to accept treats that I gave her by hand. When she finally emerged from under my bed and shook off the dust-bunnies from her coat, she snuck timidly into my living room and wriggled her way into my heart where she has remained my constant companion and adored friend for the the last 11 years. I realized that Venus had once been looked after, so I posted signs around the neighborhood to find her rightful owner. They never emerged. So I brought her to the vet to find out the details of my new pet. She was spayed and declawed, but had not been microchipped. The vet estimated that she was 1-2 years old (which would make her 12 or 13 today). She got a clean bill of health, aside from a nod to her weepy eyes, which I understand are typical of her breed.
Venus lived with me up until a few months ago in my one bedroom apartment. For several years my boyfriend lived with us, but he moved out and it was just Venus and I for 7 years. She was fully pampered and loved by me and slept every night next to me on my bed. She followed me everywhere I went and would even paw at the bathroom door if I dared close it for some privacy! She never pushes for strokes or attention (though she’ll tolerate them to a point before she gets bored and moves on), but absolutely must be where the action is, observing from somewhere in the room. When it was the two of us chilling in the living room she loved to hang out in my serving tray, placed center stage on the coffee table. It always made me think of her as a “zen” kitty, preferring to sleep in a box, rather than in a soft bed. (I bought her several, she refused them). She mostly liked to laze around with me, turning her nose up at things like catnip and quickly getting bored of any chasing/yarn games after 5 minutes or so. She’s definitely a lady of luxury and a true diva. I call her the JLo of cats. She is an incredibly docile and sweet cat with a fantastic sense of humor. I have never heard her hiss and she has never bitten me more than gently. When I take her to the vet, she never struggles or fights, preferring to deal with the stress by just getting very still and hunkering down as the vet handles her. The few times I’ve seen her around other animals, she’s had a very timid curiosity, tentatively having a sniff, then jolting back if the other animal makes any sudden movements. She’s never spent, in my observation, more than a few moments around other non-human animals. Around human strangers, Venus (as cats do) always is drawn first to the person who doesn’t grab her or push themselves upon her. She like to come to people on her own terms, though this takes only about 10 minutes or so. I have observed that she prefers women to men, and will much more readily approach women and allow them to pet her. Who can blamer her? 
Unfortunately the last few years have been a challenge for us. I came home one evening to find that she had peed on my bed. Over the next few years, the behavior got worse and worse, to the point where she destroyed two of my couches and I had to cover all my furniture in plastic drop sheets every time I left the house. I have tried absolutely everything to curb this behavior and have spent thousands of dollars on vet bills and behaviorists trying to remedy the problem. I have had her tested for every medical condition under the sun to ensure that she is not suffering from any painful illness. Everything has come back negative, leading the vet to believe that she has a behavioral issue. I have tried containing her, which is next to impossible in a one bedroom apartment. I’ve tried two different kinds of anti-depresents, neither of which changed her peeing behavior, but the last one had her hiding in the closet for three days. I’ve tried new environments, outdoor, indoor, you name it. She has brought me to tears of frustration so many times because I love her so much, yet she is ruining my house and causing so much stress and emotional pain.
Recently I moved to London and planned to take her with me, getting her microchipped and rabies shots and tiders. Unfortunately her bad pee behavior has continued and I have run through the good will of my friends and their friends in terms of people willing to take on a cat with behavioral problems. I have decided not to spend the thousand dollars or so it would cost to send Venus over to the UK because she would be entering a new environment with two other clawed, much younger cats and I think the stress of this coupled with a new home and international journey will only exacerbate her behavior. I am living with another person who will not tolerate that as an option in their home. With no one willing to look after her in the states and me unable to create a suitable home for her in the UK, I am absolutely crushed to admit to myself that she may not be a suitable pet for anyone who I can find. I adore Venus and the thought of her being put in a shelter amongst other animals, frightened and alone is more than I can bear. If anyone is willing to take her, I would be relieved and grateful to think of her in a home where she is loved and cared for. However, I fear the chances of that are low and am considering euthanizing her as the most humane option. I’m quite sorry that I’ve ended up at this conclusion, but I’ve done so after truly exhausting every available option to me that I know of. I will miss her terribly.
If anyone can help this calico persian in new York City please reply to the email at the top of the post.
