Leigh learns to love

Leigh came to us as a semi-feral teenager, shy and unsure of herself, and surrounded by younger, more outgoing kittens. No one seemed to notice the small, shy girl in the corner. Leigh was very scared of people and would run away when anyone tried to pet her. One thing that became clear is she LOVED other cats. Leigh would walk around trying to nuzzle other cats while watching the other cats be loved by potential adopters. She wanted affection but was just too scared to seek it from people.
 
Ed, one of our longtime volunteers, sees every cat — the proud, the scared, the joyful, the shy. He is a cat-whisperer, and a regular in the Cat Cottage, who comes bearing a bag full of toys and stays for hours. Ed spent months building a friendship with Leigh, trying to draw her out of her hiding places. Each cat has their own timeline on developing trust in people. It was clear Leigh was a cat that would take a long time.
 
Two years ago, he asked us if he could foster Leigh. He had other cats (also adopted from PAWS Atlanta), and he thought they could draw her out. Ed also has a super laidback energy and the patience to give a shy cat the space and time to find her way.
 
During this time of sheltering-in-place, Leigh has made huge strides. She now cuddles with her PAWS Atlanta alum Paluchi and no longer feels the need to hide. She jumps up on the couch multiple times a day to get scratches from her foster dad.  Watching her, Ed realized he was not just Leigh’s temporary foster home until she could find the real deal. He was her family. He wanted her forever.
 
We are thrilled, grateful, a little teary, and beyond happy. It’s been a long road, but what a perfect, happy ending. Ed, We wish you and Leigh every good thing! Thank you for giving her the time and space she needed to find home.