Grumpy Gizmo’s (road)trip to happiness

Some love change. Others shudder at the thought. Gizmo was the latter. His reaction to moving home; increase the grumpiness. 

The joy his new family felt when welcoming him to their home was not recipricated. Gizmo turned into a full-on sourpuss, overwhelmed by lifes changes. From new humans to a new environment, new smells to a new haircut. His already grumpy attitude, maximised. It was Gizmo against the world.

Adopters Jenn and Maurie felt they were out of their depth with Gizmo's emotions and behaviour. To top it off, he also started to have accidents around the house. It was all a bit too much for everyone. Devastated and stressed, they assumed Gizmo didn't like them. Their initial thought - they weren't meant to be Gizzy's new family.

Jenn shed many tears during sleepless nights, questioning the situation. Why did Gizmo not like them? They showered him with love, warmth and comfort. Why could they not fulfil his needs?

“I haven't stopped crying all night, and I can't sleep. We have rescued many animals in the past and have always had hurdles with them adjusting, this is normal given the circumstances they are thrown into but Gizmo just isn't happy. I honestly don't know why as he is in a warm large home, plenty of love and attention but won't let any of us near him long enough to shower him any attention.” - Jenn to Home2Home at 1am.

Sharing these concerns with the Home2Home team was exactly what Jenn and Maurie needed to do. Their love for Gizmo was clear, and the team wanted to support them as best as they could.

Speaking in depth with Jenn, Merel (from Home2Home) shared the hurdles with the wider team. Discussions and brainstorming proceeded - everyone determined to help. Home2Home's resident behaviourist shared the one-basement approach from Jackson Galaxy, and Jenn and Maurie were ready to learn. They wanted to do whatever they could. And we couldn’t be more proud of them (and Gizzy, of course)!

“Soooo it seems Gizzy is settling in at Maurie's now with no major problems. He is still grumpy 😠 😂 with Maurie to some degree but Maurie has learned Gizzy wears the pants 👖 now so when he sees the signs he backs off and just lets Gizzy win!! Gizzy has DEFINITELY calmed down 100%, so I hate to say it Merel, but he's here to stay with us now permanently!!” - Jenn

Think it couldn’t get any better? Think again. Jenn and Maurie kept implementing the advice, and the cherry on top was this wonderful update a few weeks later.

“We've packed up for the week and are heading to Mildura in our caravan! And of course Gizzy is along for the road trip with us…. He is soooo good!! Just sits on the console in the middle of us in the front seat of Maurie's Ranger. No meowing or jumping around, just sits there falling asleep. - Jenn

Communication, a supportive ear and tangible solutions can mean those adoptions that start a little rocky can be a success! Although Gizmo's frown is still slightly upside down, we call this a win. Understanding, patience, and a road trip were all he needed!

Read more about the essentials for bringing a rescue cat home here.

Home2Home, PetRescue’s rehoming and owner assistance service, helps pet owners in need find creative solutions to keep their pets safe and out of the pound system, where their future may be uncertain. Backed by an experienced team, Home2Home has helped hundreds of pet owners rehome their pets and, in some cases, provide advice that can allow them to find ways to be able to keep their pets.

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