Rowan’s Story
-Helen Morrison, Board President
Now….here’s a story to tell…one that I would never have expected in a million years!!
Before COVID, the Shelter had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Diana Roberts, who was a traveling vet at Kingdom Animal Hospital. Diana took a tour of our Shelter…and loved it.
Diana normally resides on the island of Roatan, off the coast of Honduras…but grew up in St. Johnsbury…and comes to KAH now and then, for a three month stint.
In February of this year, Diana contacted me with an unusual request.
She wondered if we would take a young orange feline boy who lived in a cat colony on the island, but kept wanting to get into a man’s house. Diana said that the man didn’t like the cat and she was afraid he would hurt the cat. Wow. A cat who was used to geckos and the jungle?? What would that be like??? It was just so utterly intriguing, who could resist?
A beautiful dark orange boy with light emerald green eyes…who only spoke Spanish???
After a long….long…journey with Diana, Rowan arrived at the Shelter on March 9, papers in paw, all in Spanish, of course. He was surprisingly friendly…and was immediately adopted.
However, within 3 days, he had escaped out a window. There was nary a sign of him anywhere…and it was totally foreign terrain for him. We feared the worst. Our expert/seasoned trapper, Nancy Pellegrino, looked high and low, knocking on doors, talking to everyone, searching, searching.
Nada. (Thought I’d throw a little Spanish in there!!). Two weeks went by. We decided to enlist the help of an Animal Communicator, Kate Solisti, and though she said it wasn’t her forte, finding lost cats, she would try. Within an hour, she reported she had “talked” with Rowan…and that he was still alive. Within three hours, he appeared at a neighbor’s window…meowing…and they scooped him up into a carrier. And home he came to the Shelter. He seemed extremely glad to be back…cuddling with the volunteers, enjoying the space and windows in the Shelter.
And then in early August, we got an email from a young man in Winooski, Vermont, who had seen Rowan’s photo and was intrigued. He sent an application, we checked his references, and went over for a home visit. All was in line for these two fine young men, Ryan, and Rowan, to begin to make a home together. Ryan came to pick up Rowan on August 10.
However, within 3 days, he had escaped out a window. There was nary a sign of him anywhere…and it was totally foreign terrain for him. We feared the worst. Our expert/seasoned trapper, Nancy Pellegrino, looked high and low, knocking on doors, talking to everyone, searching, searching.
Nada. (Thought I’d throw a little Spanish in there!!). Two weeks went by. We decided to enlist the help of an Animal Communicator, Kate Solisti, and though she said it wasn’t her forte, finding lost cats, she would try. Within an hour, she reported she had “talked” with Rowan…and that he was still alive. Within three hours, he appeared at a neighbor’s window…meowing…and they scooped him up into a carrier. And home he came to the Shelter. He seemed extremely glad to be back…cuddling with the volunteers, enjoying the space and windows in the Shelter.
And then in early August, we got an email from a young man in Winooski, Vermont, who had seen Rowan’s photo and was intrigued. He sent an application, we checked his references, and went over for a home visit. All was in line for these two fine young men, Ryan, and Rowan, to begin to make a home together. Ryan came to pick up Rowan on August 10.
Ryan’s first email on getting Rowan home:
“He's found the litter box and has been using it properly.
He has not however touched his food at all. I have some dry and wet food and water sitting out since last night but he hasn't touched it. Perhaps he's just a bit nervous still?
He's been pretty glued to the front porch windows too so maybe he's just very excited about that.
“He's found the litter box and has been using it properly.
He has not however touched his food at all. I have some dry and wet food and water sitting out since last night but he hasn't touched it. Perhaps he's just a bit nervous still?
He's been pretty glued to the front porch windows too so maybe he's just very excited about that.
He's been coming up to greet me periodically so I think he's doing well overall. A bit of hiding in the closet here and there but he's been exploring!”
“He came into my room a couple times last night. Jumped up on my bed, loudly made his presence known, then went back to exploring haha.
We'll get there eventually I think once he's comfortable. He's been affectionate whenever I'm downstairs.”
August 13:
“It's going great! He's eating his food, has been social and has been enjoying playing.
Ping pong ball was a huge hit, as well as this fishing pole cat toy I got. I attached a couple photos.”
August 21:
“I've been incrementally transitioning him to the food I had bought at pet supply to test his reaction.
He seems to enjoy it, and has not had any vomiting or runny stool issues since I started. I will discuss it with the vet of course but I think you guys may have been right about the stomach issues being a result of anxiety at the shelter.
He is now probably the most playful cat I've ever had! He likes to play all the time. I ordered more toys for him to use autonomously to help tire him out more lol.”
Wow. What an incredible journey, what an incredible story….from the jungle of Roatan….to the sweet rolling hills of Vermont. Rowan is one lucky boy with one incredible story.
“I've been incrementally transitioning him to the food I had bought at pet supply to test his reaction.
He seems to enjoy it, and has not had any vomiting or runny stool issues since I started. I will discuss it with the vet of course but I think you guys may have been right about the stomach issues being a result of anxiety at the shelter.
He is now probably the most playful cat I've ever had! He likes to play all the time. I ordered more toys for him to use autonomously to help tire him out more lol.”
Wow. What an incredible journey, what an incredible story….from the jungle of Roatan….to the sweet rolling hills of Vermont. Rowan is one lucky boy with one incredible story.