Adoption Feature: A Cat Named Dancer

Adopting a pet can be one of the most rewarding decisions a young family can make. A close family-friend of mine, Heather Vanarsdale, made the decision about a month ago to open her and her family’s home to a little kitty in search of some love. Dancer is an eight-month old kitten who was found with her litter mates on the side of a road in West Virginia. Since they were found around Christmas, all of the kittens were named after Santa’s eight, magical reindeer. Heather’s kitty was given the name Dancer and after an interview with Dancer’s new mom, I can see how the Christmas Kitten lives up to the name of a lively, flying reindeer.

Heather’s family consists of her, her husband, her two young sons, and now, their new cat Dancer. Heather and her family do not have any other pets, but when I asked why adopt, Heather answered that her son had wanted a dog, but for right now she felt as though a cat was a better fit.

The family took a trip to Animal Friends in Pittsburgh seeking a fur-ever friend. Heather told me that the shelter had taken special measures to make sure that her one-year-old and five-year old sons made the purr-fect connection. They had introduced many cats and kittens to the family, but Dancer was the only one that was, in Heather’s words, “very personable with the kids.”

She had been worried that her sons, being young, would have had the tendency to play too rough or make the cat nervous. But, not Dancer. Dancer was the one.

Aside from being found abandoned on the side of the road, Dancer had had an upper respiratory infection when Heather adopted her. But after an antibiotic was given to Dancer, she was just fine.

I asked Heather if Dancer had any problems fitting in or getting adjusted to her new home. She told me that she was timid at first, but after a while, she was running around and likes to play and jump in the air. She told me that she is a fast runner and agile. Dancer loves to be brushed and watch cars out of the window.

Her older son loves to play with Dancer and even has taken on the great responsibility of giving her food and water. Dancer also has a favorite toy that Heather’s son makes sure the little kitty gets enough exercise. Heather’s son plays with Dancer with a toy fishing rod with a mouse toy at the end.

Dancer is another example of a cat with a new lease on life. Heather’s family has made a huge impact on the kitten’s life by giving her a loving home, toys to play with, and a family to share her life with.

When I asked Heather how she felt about the adoption, she told me that she was glad to adopt because so many pets are out there in shelters looking for a good home. I am almost certain that if we could ask Dancer how she felt, she would say the same.