KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
Sweet and playful lap cat Sampson may have a heart murmur, but at just three years old, he still has a lot of life to live.
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A handsome Himalayan mix with stunning blue eyes, Sampson is back at the Castaic Animal Care Center for the second time after his previous adopters discovered his condition and returned him.
“(A heart murmur) is not a huge issue for people at the shelter, but obviously it can be a bit scary if you’re looking at adopting a new pet,” said Larissa Barnes, a longtime shelter volunteer. “We just think he’s so special, that he deserves that chance and to find someone who loves him.”
Related: KHTS Adoptable Pet Of The Week: Louie
Sampson isn’t on any medication and recent chest x-rays showed no fluid around his lungs, indicating that the murmur could be a benign condition that is “very, very common” in cats and dogs, according to Barnes.
“He looks like he’s in great shape, he’s in great condition. He’s not showing any signs of being sick, so it could very much just be a benign heart murmur that’s not going to cause him any problems,” she explained. “(But) we can’t say for 100 percent certainty.”
Sampson’s future family can have more tests conducted to find out exactly what’s going on, but Barnes noted that because it’s not having any major impacts on his health, it’s probably not necessary at this point.
A lap cat who loves to cuddle, but also has an energetic side when it’s playtime, Sampson is good with children and other cats, but hasn’t had the chance to meet a dog before.
Related: KHTS Adoptable Pet Of The Week: Sassy
“I’d love to see him in a house with some children who wanted him to sleep on their bed every night, wanted to play with him and give him cuddles and kisses,” Barnes said. “I think that anyone who was just looking for a really fun, happy, cuddly companion kitty would be perfect for Sampson.”
Thanks to a generous grant by the ASPCA, all of the cats at the Castaic Animal Care Center are free to adopt, and Sampson is ready to go home today.
“I would hate to see his heart murmur restrict him from finding that perfect, perfect family to live what could be another 10, 13 years with,” Barnes said. “So it’s really important that someone falls in love with him and looks past that and gives him a very, very special place to call home.”
About the Adoption Process at the Castaic Animal Care Center
Thanks to a generous grant by the ASPCA, all of the cats at the Castaic Animal Care Center are free to adopt, including their spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchipping and deworming.
The adopter only needs to pay for the local license fee, which is usually about $15, according to Barnes.
After coming into the shelter and spending time with the adoptable animals, a shelter volunteer or employee can help you decide if the pet is right for you.
Then it’s just a matter of filling out the adoption application and taking your new best friend home!
To find out more about Sampson or the adoption process at the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control’s Castaic Animal Care Center, call (661) 257-3191, stop by the shelter at 31044 North Charlie Canyon Road in Castaic, or click here.
See the full collection of KHTS Adoptable Pet of the Week video feature series here.
The KHTS Adoptable Pet of the Week is brought to you by:
Dr. Jaimie Ronchetto
23460 Cinema Drive
Valencia, CA 91355
661-253-9300
