My name is Gilligan!

"GILLIGAN!" Available for Adoption through Fur the Love of PAWS Rescue!

HERE'S THE SCOOP!
Gilligan arrived at the North Platte Animal Shelter in Mid-January. He came in as a stray and wasn't claimed. Gilligan was awesome for his entire stay at the shelter. He was outgoing and friendly, calm and polite. As time went on and adopters continued to over look him, he began to get sad. As a volunteer for the shelter, we keep our eye on the pets. We take their pictures and make ID tags for the kennel, we network them and try to be their voice - but our most important job is to watch them over time to make sure they are staying alert, happy and not 'giving up.' Spending day after day in a kennel, with people saying HI and then BYE, it takes a toll on an animal. They eventually stop getting up to greet you, because they are conditioned to you leaving and they aren't going to bother with it any longer. This was starting to happen with Gilligan. His greets to me began to get shorter and shorter until he finally just lay there and didn't greet me at all.
We knew Gilligan would be a great candidate for the FURcility because he would get tons of human interaction, love, playtime and a large Suite to call his own while he waited for a forever home... this would be sure to boost his spirits. They aren't just animals to us at Fur the Love of PAWS, they are family.
Gilligan has been with the rescue since January 23rd. In that time, we've learned a lot about him and was able to identify an underlying condition and get it under control... something that wasn't showing at the shelter.
We knew Gilligan was an older gentleman so upon his rescue, we did our normal vetting but also opted for bloodwork. Bloodwork reads into their insides and can tell us if they have any medical issues, any organ issues, things like that. Guess what? G-Unit was 100% healthy. That was so great to hear!
Over time we noticed that some days Gilligan was more mellow than others... not wanting to get out of bed, not being his normal self. He began to pull out tufts of hair around his lower back and his back legs were often very wobbly. We knew he must have some arthritis so we took him to our vet to get another examination and some xrays, so we could find out just what exactly was going on...
Silly Gilly's xrays showed good news and not so good news. Gilligan has no arthritis in his joints - yay! but he did have significant inflammation in his sacrum, the bone connecting the hips and the pelvis - boo. :( Gilligan is 10+ years old, we don't know his exact age, and it's a little difficult because he has some of the nicest teeth! His teeth say he's like 4, but his eyes, face and his bones say "Hey, I'm a sweet 'ol man!"
Wrapping up this part of the story, Gilligan got a simple and quick injection of steroid, Depo-Medrol, to help with the inflammation and pain. He is also on Dasequin which is a joint supplement you sprinkle on their food. These two inexpensive items have changed Gilli's life. He is SO happy and SO affectionate now. He is no longer pulling out his hair. He is chatty and jumps up and down (as much as a sweet 'ol cat can). He has played with toys for the first time since we've had him. We loved the old laid back Gilligan, but we can truly tell he just feels better and we LOVE this dude so much.
His continuing care plan is daily Dasquin and a Depo-Medrol injection every 6 weeks or so. That's it. That's all this purrfect gentleman needs to live a happy, pain free life. Both items are inexpensive and easy and will help Gilligan focus on loving his new family and becoming part of their life.

FAMILY GOALS!
Gilligan is looking for a forever family, a nice retirement home. If you would consider rehoming a pet due to moving, allergies or family conflict, he asks that you do not adopt him - he'd like her next home to be his last.
Gilligan doesn't ask for much! Gilli is litter trained and likes his big litter box - he likes to have room to do his kitty business. He's 11lbs now, he was 10lbs when we came to us, and he can still stand to put on some weight. He has a bigger stature and is still working on putting some more meat on his bones. Gilligan LOVES his canned food. He will eat hard food but we want his new home to be able to provide him with his favorites - so please keep that in mind... dude likes his canned food. :) He gets so excited when he hears the can open and will immediately chirp and chat at you to "hurry along, I'm hungry!" LOL! It's honestly one of my favorite parts of the day, feeding Sir Gilligan. He asks for so little and it makes him SO happy.
Gilligan recently started playing and it is a hoot! He loves toys on strings, chasing a ball down the hall, battery operated butterflys and more. He plays with you and not so much alone. 5-10 minutes of play is about all he needs. Gilligan loves his comfy warm bed and loves to be loved on. He is a purrer, a biscuit maker and a head bumper - All Love All The Time.
One reason GIlligan is still with us, is because he would do best as the sole pet in a home. He isn't aggressive with other animals, but they stress him out. We aren't sure what happened to him in his past, but he just doesn't care for other cats or dogs. He hangs out with my dog occasionally (a 12 year old, laid back 10lb Chi Blend) and he does ok at time and others if my dog gets close - he'll give him a little pop. For the best forever fit for Gilligan, it needs to be a home with only humans. Maybe a retired human or older couple, something like that. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body, he knows no human stranger and loves to explore.
Gee, what else. He thinks mops are monsters. I like to be honest here and tell the good and bad. I'll break it down for ya... Gilligan is fantastic. He's an older gentleman without a mean bone in his body. He loves people and warms up to them quickly. He's laid back, lazy and sweet as the day is long. He's looking for a relaxed, chill home where he can just be pampered and spend his day watching birds, napping and eating his goodies with his new human companion. He doesn't care to be held, but he will lay by your side and in your presence with a happy purr and content sigh. This sweet Senior is a gem. We want only the best for him... if you can give that to him, then let us know. Thanks for reading.

HEALTH STATS!
10+ years old
Neutered Male
Fully Vaccinated
On Flea/Tick/Heartworm Prevention
Tested Negative for FIV/FeLV
Has been Dewormed
Micro Chipped
Clean Bill of Health Via Veterinary Bloodwork
Xrays for Arthritis

HOW DO I MAKE GILLIGAN A PERMANENT FAMILY MEMBER?
-Message the page for our adoption application. This will help us determine if your home is the home of Gilligan's dreams! A purrfect fit is important to us. Upon that determination, we will have you stop in to meet Gilligan at the FURcility!
-We allow for a 2 week trial run to make sure a proper placement for all involved.
-An adoption agreement is then completed.
-GIlligan's adoption fee is $100.

Like all our rescues, Gilligan is very important to us. We are excited to help him find his Purrfect Family. If you can't adopt, please share. Thanks!