As a renowned animal rescue charity, Battersea has always believed that every animal is wonderfully unique. However sometimes a dog or cat comes along that is more unusual than most. Meet Chickadee, the blind rescue cat with only one eye and a huge zest for life.
Three-year-old Chickadee arrived at Battersea’s London centre in March when a change in circumstances meant her previous owner could no longer care for her. The sweet ginger cat had been born with feline herpes and lost her sight and one of her eyes at a very young age but quickly adapted to her blindness.
Battersea’s Cattery Team Leader, Bonita Brincat said: “Chickadee is such a remarkable cat. She isn’t the least bit fazed by her blindness and enjoys doing everything that other cats do, from curling up in laps to chasing toys and exploring her mini kingdom. When she first arrived at the cattery, we noticed her walking round in circles a lot which can often be a sign of stress. I took her home with me to see how she would cope in a home environment and as hoped, she quickly relaxed and her incredibly affectionate and playful nature shone through.”
After several weeks in the charity’s care, Chickadee was ready to find a new home. It wasn’t long before a couple in Horsham, Sussex were matched with her and they immediately knew she was the right cat for them. The pair of animal lovers had recently lost their blind rescue cat Reggie and had also previously owned a Staffie from Battersea.
Chickadee’s new owner Nikki Soane said: “Chickadee is amazing and already part of the family – she is absolutely loving life and you would think she’d always been here. After losing Reggie, it was really hard on us and the house just felt empty. Our home is now full of love and happiness again because Chickadee is in our lives – it’s amazing how much love an animal can give. We’ve always had rescue pets, it’s so rewarding to offer a rescue animal a chance to have a loving forever home. Regardless of disability all animals deserve to feel loved and wanted.”
Bonita added: “I’m so happy that Chickadee has found such a wonderful new home where I know she will thrive, but I’m certainly going to miss her – even her fondness for waking me up by dribbling on my face or nibbling my ears. She is such a fantastic example of why rescue animals make such great pets – though she might not look like your average cat, her resilience, affection and high spirits will melt the heart of anyone who crosses her path.”
To find out why rescue animals make the best pets, visit the Battersea website, or join the rescue movement by using #RescueIsMyFavouriteBreed.