Stefan (Special Needs - Deaf)

Hello, my furiends! The Scruffy Paws family is happy to welcome to Petfinder this loveable guy who thrives on attention - it's Stefan! Stefan is 1 year and 6 months young, an active, playful, sweet boy - and did we mention how much he adores getting attention? He is highly vocal and loud and will let you know if you are giving him too little attention, but he's deaf, so he doesn't know how loud he can be. He loves his food and enjoys just being around people. He does great with kids and dogs. He does okay with some cats, but the personality of the other cat is key. He is friendly with other playful and outgoing cats but does best with cats who know how to give a good signal when he is being too much. With Stefan being deaf and having a neurological issue, which I will go into, it is hard for him to read other cats' social cues, so he can easily be too much for other cats. Also, being so vocal sometimes can be annoying to other cats since they don't understand why he is like that. The best home for Stefan would be an active home where someone is there most of the time. Stefan would not do well being left home alone for long periods of time. This attention seeker is a stage 1 cat clinger - he is a needy boy - and he needy a lotta love and attention from his humans! He loves kids, so that would be great for him to have in his new home. Now, back to his neurologic issue. On top of being deaf, Stefan also has what is called Bilateral Vestibular Disease. Putting it in simple terms, he basically has constant vertigo, so his world is always spinning, and his balance is off. He can be wobbly and uncoordinated when he walks and constantly swaying his head back and forth to focus on things better. Stefan has seen a neurologic specialist, and we've done all sorts of testing on him: different bloodwork panels, x-rays, an MRI, and a spinal tap. All results have always been normal, so there is no cause that the doctors can find for his vestibular disease; there is a good possibility he was just born this way, or the other possible reason the doctor gave was that he may have had an untreated ear infection as a kitten that caused permanent nerve damage in his ears. Regardless of his issues, Stefan is a happy-go-lucky cat who likes to make the best of life and thinks he is just a normal cat. He can follow toys well, loves laser lights and wand toys, has no litterbox issues, and has no trouble eating or drinking. He prefers to drink moving water and loves a good water fountain. This boy will bring lots of laughter and love into a home. He is like a little shadow always at your feet. Time to meet and greet your new best furiend! Thank you for being so interested in adopting from Scruffy Paws Animal Rescue! If you see this post, we still accept applications for this cat(s)/kitten(s). Please refrain from emailing us regarding availability. All adoption fees include spay/neuter surgery, microchip, rabies, and distemper vaccinations, proof of FIV/feline leukemia testing, flea treatment, deworming, and an exam by a licensed veterinarian. Our shelter hours are by appointment only and are not open to the public. Many of our cats and kittens are located in foster homes. An adoption application MUST be submitted and approved before meeting our cats/kittens. We do this for the safety of our fosters and potential adopters. Our adoption process includes the following: 1. Adoption Application To be considered for this cat(s) or kitten(s), you MUST complete an adoption application: - Through our website (preferred) at www.scruffypawsanimalrescue.org/ - Email a copy to [email protected] - Drop off a hard copy to either of our partner PetSmart locations (Johnston or North Smithfield) - Mail a hard copy to Scruffy Paws Animal Rescue at 2944 Post Rd. Warwick, RI 02886 2. Veterinary Reference Please call your vet beforehand to give permission to release records to our adoption team. Out-of-state adoptions typically require an exceptional veterinary reference and are at the discretion of our adoption team. 3. Proof of Home Ownership OR Landlord Approval The landlord's contact information must be provided if renting so our adoption team can seek approval. 4. Home Visit Please make sure you are located in our vicinity. We are based out of Warwick, RI. Due to COVID-19, we are currently doing virtual home visits until further notice. **Please note: Our volunteers try their hardest to contact every applicant in a timely manner but are often overwhelmed with a high volume of applications. Please allow up to two weeks for a response. Please be considerate and refrain from sending multiple follow-up emails or submitting duplicate applications.