The Loneliest Cat In Britain Is Facing His Second Christmas Alone
The loneliest cat in Britain is heading into another Christmas without a home, and his story is tugging at plenty of heartstrings. Toby, an 11-year-old tuxedo rescue cat, was taken in on Christmas Eve last year after being found in a house with 46 other cats, but finding his forever family has not been easy.
Now back at the RSPCA branch in Canterbury, Kent, Toby is still waiting for the kind of quiet, loving home every cat deserves. With the holidays here again, his second Christmas alone is looking painfully familiar.
And this time, the wait feels even longer.
According to the official RSPCA of England, black cats wait 28 to 30 days for their forever home while living in the shelter. However, the shelter employees and volunteers were optimistic that sweet Toby would find his new home by the New Year.
Per their website, in celebration of National Black Cat Day, the RSPCA shares these stats:
Over the last three years (from 2015 to 2017), we have rehomed 3,169 black cats, and it has taken, on average, 30 days to find them a home.
In comparison, tabby cats - 1,613 have been rehomed within an average of 23 days, and ginger cats - 616 have been rehomed within 19 days.
The most commonly seen cat in our care is a black and white cat - 4,151 have been rehomed over the last three years, and they wait an average of 28 days to find their new owner.
As the New Year came and went, Toby found himself still lonely at the shelter, awaiting his forever home. Then, sadly, the months continued to pass.
Before long, Toby surpassed the previous record holder for Britain's Loneliest Cat, Twizzle:
It’s hard not to think of Dwight, the lonely shelter cat who reaches out for love while waiting for a forever home: hold-your-hand vibes.
Toby did settle into a foster home, thankfully. But as the anniversary of his rescue fast approaches and well over 300 days have passed, Toby remains lonely, perhaps destined for a life without a forever home?
Beth Hixson from the RSPCA told reporters that Toby was initially a very shy puss, but over time in foster care, he has really come out of his shell. His personality is blooming. She said:
Toby’s former housemates were rehomed quite quickly, but poor Toby didn’t cope well with being in the cattery, so he hid away and wouldn’t come out to see people when they came to choose a cat.
We found a foster home for Toby where he has proven to be a sociable, friendly, and interactive cat.
Personality is an important part of how and why a cat gets adopted, and Toby has plenty of it! The shelter and his foster family say that Toby loves to venture outside and enjoy the sunshine, and then he loves snuggling up at night. He sounds like the perfect cat; the only thing the sweet boy is missing is the right family to share his life with.
RSPCA staff had hoped that Toby's big day would have come with National Black Cat Appreciation Day, but that was in October. Beth said, "We’d love to see him find a new home for Christmas; there must be someone out there looking for an older cat for some company." As of late November, the RSPCA stated, "Almost half the cats in its care are black, and it takes longer to rehome them than any other color."
A Promising Update
After Toby's story went viral, calls began to flood in, inquiring about the senior cat. On their official website, Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship therapist, emphasizes the importance of companionship, stating, "Animals can provide unconditional love and support, making them perfect companions for those feeling alone." The RSPCA mentioned that things were in the finalization process. Will Toby have his forever home this Christmas?
Do you know author and motivational speaker? Let us know in the comments how pet adoption has impacted your life!
See how the cat who walked 12 miles was still almost euthanized before finding his family: the “left behind” journey.
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