Harpo
Spayed Female
DLH Black & White
Est DOB:
June 23, 2020
Available
Adoption Fee: $
165
Does there need to be another friendly cat in the home?
No
Good with Other Cats?
No
Good with Dogs?
No
Good With Children?
No
Uses Litter Box?
Yes
Affectionate?
Yes on her own terms
Playful?
Yes with time
Gentle?
Not always
Independent?
Yes
Will the cat hide in a new environment?
Yes
Special Needs
Yes, Urinary diet
Special Diet:
Cat Whisperer Needed
Harpo is a beautiful and special feline needing a special human. She has had a lot of upheaval in her life, and we are hoping to find her a forever home that will be just that, forever. Here is a bit of her background: Harpo was born in foster care in 2020 and adopted as a kitten. She was returned to our care 5 years later due to erratic aggressive behaviour. On return to foster care we observed that these behaviours were potentially fear or anxiety based. She would suddenly hiss, swat and scratch , we could not always determine what scared her though. We did observe that sudden movements, loud noises, loud voices & other animals would set her off. With time and anti-anxiety medication (fluoxetine) she settled fairly well in to her foster home and was calm for the most part, but then we discovered another issue. She seemed unhappy with the presence of men and would display sudden aggressive behaviour towards them (scratching and swatting). Moving to an all female household reduced this behaviour significantly She is not a fan of other animals, and even though she is the newest visitor to her foster home, she sees the other cats as interlopers and lets them know she does not appreciate their presence. She may give the impression that she is queen of her domain, but it is a bit of an act. Harpo needed 2-3 weeks in each of her foster homes to settle in and feel safe and secure. She needed a room to herself for this, where her bedding, food, water, litter and toys were available to her. She often hissed every time her foster parent entered the room, this we believe to be a fear response. After a couple of weeks she was quite happy to see her foster parent. Most of the time now she is a sweet, affectionate feline enjoying her foster parent's company and attention. On the occasion she seems out of sorts, so her foster parent leaves her alone in her safe room to settle.
About Me:
Harpo had surgery in late October 2025 to remove some bladder stones. The stone analysis was 100% struvite, and she will need to be on a Veterinary Prescription Urinary diet for life to prevent reoccurrence. What we believe she needs for future success: - a quiet, calm household with minimal change and activity - we recommend a female only household - being the only pet in the home would be best. -a home with enough space for her to have a room dedicated just for her, both to start out in for her first few weeks, and to retreat to when feeling overwhelmed (so larger than a one bedroom apartment) -an adopter who will be able to afford her anti-anxiety medication and the prescription Urinary food -an adopter who has experience and confidence with cats that can be difficult and aggressive, so they can read her signs, react in a positive manner and know that she will eventually show her loving self. Harpo is a beautiful lady who now seeks out attention, likes to sit on her foster parent's lap, is affectionate and enjoys pets and brushing. Harpo has come so far since being back in foster care, and coping with change. She is looking for someone to love and claim as her own, could that be you?
Notes:
The adoption fee includes a health check, first vaccination in a series and any that become due while in care, first anti-parasite treatments needed in care, spay or neuter and microchip at our Veterinary partner. There is a 10% discount when you adopt 2 cats/kittens. The adopter will be responsible for any vaccine or boosters, anti-parasite treatments that are needed after adoption. Kittens usually need 3 vaccines, one month apart starting at age 7 weeks. Juveniles and Adult cats usually require 2 vaccines one month apart in the first year, then annual vaccines. Deworming is recommended at the time of each vaccine appointment. If you are intending to adopt, please be aware that your Veterinary clinic may be experiencing backlogs in scheduling appointments, so do not delay calling your clinic to book your new cat's needed booster appointment(s). Please note that cats are not tested for FIV/FeLV nor can FIP be predicted. We will share any medical information gathered during our health checks and observations revealed during their time in care. But it is important to know that some illnesses can have an incubation period of 10 days, which means that a cat can leave in good health but get sick a few days post adoption. In addition, the stress of a new environment can affect a cats’ immune system.
APPLICATION NOTE: The application for this cat/kitten may close quickly depending on the number of applications received. As our goal is to find the best match based on the cat(s) needs, only those chosen for a meet-and-greet will be contacted via email. If you are interested in meeting one of our fosters, please visit our website www.helpcats.ca and complete the Adoption Interest form: Once your completed application is received and reviewed, our Adoption Coordinator will be in contact within 24-48hrs. If you have not heard from us in this time period please check your SPAM folder. Sometimes our emails end up there.