One year ago, Heather Melanson and her fiance moved into a new apartment without realizing it came with a cat.
They tried to make friends with the cuddly orange cat, which they dubbed Carrot Cake, but he didn’t appear to want to. Melanson told The Dodo, “We would watch him wander around our yard, but he would never let us approach him.
Months passed, and Carrot Cake continued to avoid his new landlords. They could tell he had been someone’s pet at some point but had been on his own for a long time and seemed hesitant to give up his freedom. “He gave us the impression that he has the run of the block,” Melanson said. “At one point, someone cared for him enough to put a flea collar on him.”
Then, last week, Carrot Cake’s attitude suddenly changed.
This time, Melanson added, “he strolled into the terrace and when I extended my hand out, he came racing. He headbutted me, so I sprinted to fetch some wet food.
Since that moment, Carrot Cake has returned every day for food and pets. He’s even allowed Melanson to trim the matted fur on his belly and treat him for fleas and ticks. Still, Melanson is trying to take things slow so as to not scare off her new friend.
“He has already come into our hallway but he won’t come into the house until his fleas are all gone,” Melanson said. “For now, we keep his food and water in our entrance hallway and let him come and go as he pleases.”
Carrot Cake’s new landlords have evolved into his family, and he now has a true home. All that was required was a healthy dose of patience and faith.
We feel extremely honored to have been selected after all this time, Melanson said. I believe he loves us just as much as we love him.
