KHTS Adoptable Pet Of The Week: Stella (VIDEO)

Posted by: Melissa Lampert-Abramovitch in KHTS Adopt A Pet, Santa Clarita Latest News February 8, 2017 - 1:00 pm 0 954 Views

After months of suffering from an undiagnosed bladder stone while she was in and out of the Castaic Animal Shelter, sweet and playful tabby cat Stella is finally feeling better and ready for her forever home.

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Shelter volunteers believe Stella was with her original owners for about seven years before they noticed she was urinating outside of the litter box. Instead of ruling out a medical issue, they surrendered her to the shelter, where she was adopted and returned two more times.

“It would have hurt every time she wanted to go to the bathroom, and she probably didn’t have much control of her bladder, so she would have been suffering for quite a long time,” said Larissa Barnes, a shelter volunteer and Stella’s foster mom. “Even when she was obviously sick, she was still such a sweetheart.”

Now that the stone has been removed, Stella is on the road to recovery in her foster home with Barnes, and her sweet and playful personality is continuing to shine with every day.

“Even at the very beginning when she was surrendered to the shelter, she was super friendly,” Barnes recalled. “You’d walk past her cage and she’d give you a little meow just to let you know that she was there if anyone wanted to give her a cuddle. And it’s that same personality I see here, where she just really likes people.”

Related: KHTS Adoptable Pet Of The Week: Odin (VIDEO)

When Barnes first met Stella, she never would have guessed the playful and active tabby was seven years old — even with her unknown ailment at the time.

“I thought she was only about a year old — she was so playful,” Barnes said. “She chases toys and things everywhere around the house. Even after surgery, she had toys and was up on my cat scratcher playing.”

Stella shouldn’t need any further treatment for her recently removed bladder stone, and Barnes noted the shelter will provide “a big bundle” of a special kind of food designed to prevent future stones from forming.

“She’s going to be just fine,” Barnes said. “As long as (her adopters) stick to this diet, she shouldn’t have a problem whatsoever.”

While Stella will ideally stay in foster care for about one more week, Barnes noted she would be happy to have potential adopters either contact the shelter or call her directly at (661) 993-1029 to arrange a meeting.

“I really just want to see her in another forever home — I don’t want to see her in and out of the shelter,” Barnes said. “I’m looking for someone who is going to love her and adore her and really make it up to her about what she’s been through over the last couple of months, and put her first. I think she deserves it.”

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 Stella, or the adoption process at the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control’s Castaic Animal Care Center, call Barnes directly at (661) 993-1029, call the shelter at (661) 257-3191, stop by the shelter at 31044 North Charlie Canyon Road in Castaic, or click here.