Shy street cat meets his grandpa

I found this cat outside, biting into garbage bags and searching for food. He was confused and wary, not sure who to trust. We've never seen each other before this moment, and he doesn't realize it yet, but as you will soon see, we already have a deep connection. I was hoping that he might just step into the carrier, but he refused to step inside. Usually when you have a scared or skittish cat, it's better and safer to trap them instead. After eating all the free samples at the front of the trap, he wasn't in a hurry to go in. That means he may have another food source nearby, so I went to talk to a neighbor who feeds other colony cats on this block. The new one, how long ago did he show up? Two weeks now. Two weeks? Yes. And then he started being regular? Yes, every day, every morning. As soon as I come out there, he's waiting for me. I want to go around and talk to folks and see where the cat came from. She allowed me to place the trap in her front yard, where he usually eats, and this time I added some smelly sardines to help close the deal. I found this carrier across the street. It was covered in dirt, old urine, and feces, and that's an important clue as we try to figure out his story. This is not a feral cat. This is a scared, traumatized cat who was recently put out on the streets. And when you know where he came from, you know why he hisses. It's okay. So we'll take our time. A long time ago, we found this sick cat just a block away from the same spot. He was also looking for food, out of place, and unsure who to trust. The neighborhood kids called him Garfield. He was our first flatbush cat. He was neutered more than six years ago when we brought him inside. So while we don't know the full lineage, we named this one Garfield the Third, or Junior for short. Just like Garfield, he was very scared of us at first. Both cats flinched when you approached, as if you might strike them. We would need to rebuild his trust in people. That takes time, lots of patience, and treats. And before Junior could let his guard down, before he could accept our love, he needed to be safe and secure. And I don't know if he'd ever felt that before. A few days later, we had our breakthrough. I can't really describe how amazing it feels to earn a cat's trust like this, but I recommend you experience it yourself as a foster volunteer. We continued socialization work before each meal. I waited for him to approach me for food. Junior does not like to be held, but he can't resist a good chin-scritch. I wondered if anyone had ever scratched behind his ears before. I brought my laptop in to work with him every day, so that he would feel more confident around people. And eventually, he found his voice. And now, the moment we've all been waiting for, Junior was fully caught up on vaccines and ready to meet his grandpa. We always do cat introductions very slowly, over a period of weeks. You can find some great videos online that document the step-by-step process. When cats wash each other, it's a sign of familial affection. But grooming is also a way of asserting dominance. And if neither cat will admit the other has a higher social rank, it always becomes a fight. Always. While Garfield likes to make new friends, Mani does not. She's our baby, our princess, and doesn't enjoy sharing the spotlight. But over time, we found harmony, because Junior was happy to acknowledge Mani as the highest ranking cat in the household. I promise every cat we rescue that we will not only give them a better life, I promise that we will also prevent other cats from ever suffering outside. So while we were fostering Junior, we were also super busy and stressed with other team TNR and rescue projects, and the construction of our new non-profit clinic, Flatbush Vet. I was worried that we might not be able to give Junior the time, love, and attention that he deserved. Whether he might have a better life in a home that could make him the center of their world. We were already maxed out with three cats, including our senior gentleman, Tugazi. We did not want to be around other cats. And if we adopted Junior, we'd probably have to pause fostering other cats that also need a home. But he was getting more comfortable here by the day. He trusted us, and he was forming a deep bond with his grandpa Garfield. What would you do? Junior is also FIV positive, but that was not a concern. Because while many people are afraid of mixing FIV positive cats with their resident crew, research shows that cats with FIV can safely live with other cats in the same home as long as they get along. FIV is primarily transmitted through deep white wounds, and that should not be happening in a harmonious household. Even exchanging saliva through grooming or sharing snacks does not allow FIV to be passed from one cat to another. There was never one single moment where we decided to adopt Junior. We just settled in. It's been amazing to watch his transformation, especially after all he's been through. And what it took to earn his trust. Now, I'm constantly telling fosters not to adopt that cat. Find them another home so you can foster again. But Junior is family. Garfield is my son, which means he's like my great-grandson or something. I don't need to personally rescue or foster every cat to help more cats. And neither do you. Because with your help, we've created an amazing TNR and rescue team that is fostering well over 100 Flatbush cats right now. And we've built a world-class spay, neuter, and wellness facility that will help thousands more each year. We did that together. Because our real job is not just to rescue cats today, but to prevent cats from ever needing to be rescued tomorrow. Thank you for joining us on this mission and helping us keep our promise.