When I first adopted this little orange kitty, she was described as new and nervous; she would hardly move, except to occasionally make biscuits in her bed. On top of being a bit timid, she had a really nasty URI that landed her in the ER within the first two days of adoption. She was certainly a crusty kitty in need of some TLC! I was worried that she wouldn’t make it, and many friends and family quietly believed she wouldn’t. But once she got the care she needed, Shell showed her true colors and blossomed into the wild orange cat she was meant to be!

Once a street kitty, Crab Rangoon (formerly Shell) now works as my emotional support animal and is healthier than ever (not to mention far from new or nervous). Rango lives up to her orange cat name by zooming around and battling anything she can get her paws on; loved ones describe her as darling in every sense of the word and energetic to the nth degree. She’s a cat who knows her boundaries, and has helped me learn how to be patient with both her and myself. Though sometimes independent or aloof, miss Rango is full of love and meows whenever she hears me coming up the stairs; she even melts when given pats or scritches. Slow blinks and morning head butts are her favorite ways to show affection, it warms my heart every single time. She loves chasing ping pong balls and chirping at the birds and rabbits outside. She is fluent in ‘trilling’, and spends her days finding new things to play with. Rango is my first cat after losing my childhood best fur friend, and I see him living on through her every single day; she helped me find somewhere to put all of that love that was left from Leo’s passing.

She is the perfect lil baby, and just celebrated her first birthday a month ago. My life has changed for the better because of her, and I knew from the moment I saw her that she was the one. This is the closest I’ve gotten to parenting in my life, and let me say having a fur baby rules if you have the time and energy for it. Rango and I found each other in a point in our lives where we needed each other the most, and I am so grateful to have her as my darling kitty baby. If there was one message I could give to folks considering adoption: give adopting a cat a chance. Even if they seem quiet or sick, sometimes all a kitty needs is some love and urgent care to come out of their shell.

Shell now Crab Rangoon (Rango)