A Star is Adopted!

Many of the staff at the ASPCA adoption center got to know and love Rocket. He was the huge orange tiger cat who was being fostered in the office of our Senior Vice President, Gail Buchwald. Rocket, however, lived by the “don’t fence me in” philosophy and adopted the 3rd floor Animal Placement area as his entire domain. He could often be found lounging in the “in-basket,” keeping a watch over everything. We knew Rocket was destined for special things and needed a home where his high level of intelligence would be challenged.

Victoria Wells, of our Behavior staff, thought Moscow Cats Theatre might be a perfect fit. She not only arranged Rocket's "audition," but she conducted a site visit and interviewed the people involved to confirm that this was a loving, caring and low-stress adoptive situation for Rocket.

Rocket went for a two-week foster period with the Moscow Cats Theatre and it went great—he was officially adopted! He lives in the home of the producer and trainer for the show and has bonded with them, and is doing great with the other cats. Now that he is bonded with the people he will be taught to perform one or two tricks and to begin his performance career.

Rocket, ever the star of the ASPCA Adoption Center, now has a home with Moscow Cats Theatre

Katherine Miller, also of our Behavior staff, has seen the show and found it very entertaining as well as respectful of the animals. All the cats are trained and rewarded with food rewards, never aversives. Each cat learns just one or two special tricks to perform during the show so they don't have a demanding performance schedule. No cat is forced to perform and if they choose to leave and go backstage they can (and do!). Neither, she nor Victoria detected any fear or stress behaviors among the cats; they were not only relaxed but actually playful and very eager to earn the reward. All the cats live with members of the performance family. They are carefully selected for an outgoing personality so that they are not stressed by being in the show.

A quote from Kat Miller says it all: ”It was a real team effort to arrange this very special placement for a very special cat. We wish our friend Rocket all the best.”