Shelter Creates ‘Best’ Adoption Profile for Adorable Blind and Deaf Cat

A Pennsylvania animal shelter is being applauded for its creative efforts in trying to help a blind and deaf cat get adopted.

It can sometimes be difficult for shelter pets to stand out from the crowd. The sad reality is that many have a very small window of time in which to catch the eye of a prospective adopter. In a 2014 study published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science, researchers observed 250 interactions between adopters and shelter dogs.

They found that adopters interacted with just one dog per visit and that these interactions lasted for an average of just eight minutes. That’s hardly enough time for anyone to make a lasting impression, especially if they might take a little longer to come out of their shell.

Termite the cat’s situation is a little more complicated than that. When he first arrived at ACCT Philly, the largest animal care and control service provider in the Philadelphia region, he was in a distressing state.

“Termite came to ACCT as a stray after being hit by a car,” Mikayla Allen, Communications Coordinator at ACCT Philly, told Newsweek. “He had dried blood on his face, his eyes had ruptured and were necrotic, and a bruised tail.”

The shelter’s veterinarian determined that Termite would need to have both his eyes removed, but he has made a full recovery since and now spends his days playing on the various crinkle mats set up throughout the home he shares with a foster carer, who asked not to be named.

“Termite was living as a stray cat for several years before he was hit by a car but not much is known about him before that,” they said. “He was a community cat, meaning he had a caretaker who fed him outside. They quickly noticed something was wrong, and were able to trap him to bring him to ACCT.”

The ACCT veterinarian suspected Termite’s eardrums had ruptured, leaving him with about 20 percent of the normal amount of hearing of a cat. Yet his lack of sight and limited hearing are not the biggest hurdles when it comes to finding Termite a forever home.

The biggest issue is that Termite simply doesn’t like being touched by anyone, ever. It might be down to his limited senses, or past experience, but it makes him a difficult pet to bond with, as his foster carer acknowledges.

“Unfortunately I think while having a blind cat might take some getting used to for a foster, Termite’s personality is realistically his biggest hurdle when it comes to finding an adopter,” they said. “It’s totally normal for someone to want an affectionate cat, but it’s difficult to find someone who wants a cat to just look at, as cute as he is.”

It’s nearly two years since Termite first came to ACCT Philly, and while he is happy and comfortable with his foster carer, they have not given up hope of finding him that forever home.

Those efforts received a much appreciated shot in the arm this week when Termite’s inspired adoption profile from the ACCT Philly website went viral on Reddit, where it was branded the “best adoption profile of all time.”

Tongue-in-Cheek Profile

The tongue-in-cheek profile begins: “Are you tired of regular cats that want to hang out with you all the time? Then maybe Termite is for you. Termite is a high-risk, low-reward, decorative cat that requires only slightly more work than a discounted houseplant.”

It later states: “Termite is a little chunky, but it’s nearly impossible to play with him, as essentially all contact is perceived as a threat. Termite is very low key, except when an item in his room is moved two inches to the left, at which point, he will cry dramatically.”

The affectionately droll profile earned widespread praise and has already been upvoted over 29,000 times. Allen attributed some of the profile’s success down to Termite’s dedicated foster carer.

“Our fostered pets often benefit from more comprehensive narratives detailing their personalities and backgrounds,” she said. “It’s all part of our concerted effort to showcase their individuality and garner interest from potential adopters, and being able to provide so much additional information is one of the many ways fostering a pet helps save more lives.”

Though Termite is comfortable and happy, his foster carer believes that, despite his complex needs, he’s a cat who could easily fit into the right kind of home. “He needs to be adopted by someone who doesn’t force physical contact, and who respects his space,” he said. “I do think Termite would LOVE to live with a kitten, or at least a very affectionate cat.”

If you have a cat in need of a snuggle partner, Termite would happily oblige.

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