Major Romeo Salt: A Ragdoll Cat's Journey to a Loving Home

Major Romeo Salt – Ragdoll Wannabe of the Week

The adventure of Major Romeo Salt.

One day, not so long ago, a month to be exact, a lone kitty roamed the neighborhood.  He was skinny, his long hair coat messy, and his tail down, he walked passed all the homes in the street. As temperatures dropped to the low teens and some nights into the single digits, the kitty made a home under a yellow shed. Not too far from the shed stands a little house, home to 4 girls, 2 human ladies and 2 kitty gals.  The lone kitty was shy and quickly retreated to his shed when the humans entered the yard.  They could only take a quick look at him at a time.  As the days went by and the cold was here to stay, the kitty grew weaker and hungrier.  He knew it was only a matter of time, before he wouldn’t be able to survive out there on his own, he had be brave and approach the humans eventually.

One morning he discovered a bowl of food and water inside a warm cozy insulated shelter box.  As he slowly approached the box he cried and cried long sad meows. The mows were deep and labored and constant.  Still afraid he retreated to his shed after hastily eating and drinking. The next evening, the humans went outside with another bowl of food and a fresh dish of water.  From a distance they could hear the long sad meows turn louder and louder as the kitty emerged from the yellow shed.  This time he would stay a little longer but at a reasonable distance and continued the long cries.  The humans learned that this kitty isn’t a feral, but a stray, and he cannot fend for himself in the cold.  He once had a home, but where?

The third night, a human came out with a bowl of wet food,. The sound of the can cracking open and the smell of the fish filled the air changed everything.  The crying kitty trotted over, sat right in front of the human and the cries turned into a mix of purrs and happy meows. While desperately eating his meal, the human had a chance to take a good look at the kitty and reached out to pet him.  His body was stiff and bony, his coat dry and matted, his face full of scabs and his tail filled with leaves and dirt.  Inside the house, the resident cats observed the feeding process and slowly backed away. The newcomer wasn’t a pretty sight.

The humans knew that serious action needed to be taken, but what?  They grew attached to him and wanted to bring him inside but plans needed to be made first.  The kitty stayed outside for one last night.  The humans lost sleep as they are haunted by the sounds of his cries through the glass kitchen door.  Inside they were warm and cozy while outside sat the lone kitty with blue eyes, shivering in the cold.  As the humans lied in bed, they made plans for a vet visit, a special room for the kitty and everything else involving a new cat.

The next day operation “save the kitteh” was in full swing.  The humans ushered him through the house into his new-dedicated room, complete with food, water, a litter box, kitty furniture and blankets.  Behind the closed door, the resident cats took note of this secret operation.  To be on the safe side, they retreated to the basement and hid in the darkness.  Meanwhile inside the isolation room, the kitty settled in quickly, exploring all the amenities of his new home.  After a hearty meal and time to warm up, he started grooming his coat and proceeded to a much-needed calm nap. Several hours later he went to the vet for several exams and a weigh in. He weighed only 11 pounds, had a respiratory infection, fleas and worms.  His microchip led the vet to his owners but unfortunately they surrendered their 6-year-old rag doll named Romeo, and it was up to his new owners to take the plunge and care for him.  Why wouldn’t they?  He is just too pretty and has a calm loving personality.

Back at his new home, he received quality wet food every 2 hours and a much needed bath. His long and difficult ordeal was finally over.  As the days passed he grew fonder of his new humans and rewarded them with purrs and rubs.  During the next 2 weeks he gained a pound and was well on his way to becoming his old healthy self.

After a month in his new home, his body felt less bony, his fur softer and his energy levels higher. He was introduced to the feline ladies and has the whole house to make his home.  Sappho and Artemis, the resident cats aren’t too thrilled for the new comer yet, but they tolerate him and he doesn’t look for any trouble.  His mission is to eat, groom his coat, sleep and gain weight.  He has a calm personality and purrs as loud as a motor. His body language is more relaxed and he enjoys taking naps on all the sofas, beds, carpets and towels, as long as they are not Sappho’s towels.  At mealtime the 3 cats eat together and enjoys all the flavors of the Wellness wet food brand. They also have the option to enjoy GO Fit + Free dry food which is high in protein.  During playtime, he is the fondest of a leather string and running after a little ball that the humans toss throughout the house.  Unlike his lady friends, he is much more receptive to human guests and allows all sorts of interactions.

The humans added the rank of Major to his name to promote him for being such a trooper and survivor!  He is now the Honorable Major Romeo Salt.

Do you have a Ragdoll Kitten or Cat?  Consider submitting your kitty!  Ragdoll of the Week submission guidelines