A stray kitten named Betty had no chance of being « ado pted » when she arrived at Jelly’s Place in California. When people passed by her cage, she got angry. In order to do something to change the cat’s behavior, the staff at the center phoned zoopsychologist Kendal Benken, who took him home for a while.
« No one could touch Betty: she was very angry. A real little demon. It was a fear reaction. She had probably never been in his arms, so she was acting very aggressive. » – Kendal explained.
At Kendal’s, the cat continued to hiss and pounce on anything that moves. To make Betty more comfortable, the woman placed her in a pen with food, water, a cozy house to hide in, and a litter box.
Soon, the mean cat was approached by Kendal’s dogs. They showed great interest in the new pet. Wild Betty particularly enjoyed the Labrador Truvia. « I think when she interacts with the kittens, she imagines herself to be some kind of mother cat. » – Kendal told The Dodo.
Truvie’s good nature started spending time with the little cat every day and within two weeks. He went from being a little demon to being a cute little fluffy thing.
« Betty started climbing on Truvie and sleeping on her. The dog was scared to move because she knew she had a cat on her. It was so cute. » – shared the animal psychologist.
With the kitty’s rehabilitation completed, Kendal began looking for a forever home for her. It took a long time, but the woman eventually found the right « mother » for the cat – Roz Westil.
It took Betty a few weeks to get used to her new owner and her cat Amber, but she eventually grew into a very affectionate, playful, and friendly animal.
