It was an ordinary Monday in 2012. After a long, tiring day, I walked into my local PetSmart dressed in my banker garb. I needed to pick up a few things for my cats, so I wandered over to the food aisle. “Maybe I’ll just peek at the cats up for adoption,” I thought to myself as I mingled over to the glass windows where cats were waiting for their forever families. And then I saw him. Curled up against the glass, there he was. “Cheetoh – 2 year old neutered male. Has been in foster care for a year after a good Samaritan picked up up off the street when he was being chased by a large dog. Shy at first but once he warms up, he loves to get cuddles and he likes to show you exactly where he wants to be petted.” As I stared longingly at this gorgeous, orange tabby, I noticed something different. His paws. His paws were…deformed. He had the sweetest face but he had a disability. My heart broke. I immediately thought to myself, “No one wants him because he’s different. If he’s still here in a week, I’m going to adopt him.” Cheetoh, now Joey, turns six in June 🙂
