A big cat with a curious personality, Mike captured the hearts of the staff at New Hanover Humane Society (NHHS) shortly after arriving.
“He is a really nice huge cat,” Shelter Manager Jamie Kilgore said, observing that Mike weighs in at a solid 12 lbs. “He’s not fat, he’s big. He gets along well with the other cats in the room.”
Surrendered by Power of Attorney after his owner was moved to an elderly care facility, Mike’s luck ran out when the family that had previously adopted him discovered that they were allergic. With a heart murmur diagnosed as a kitten, Kilgore observed that Mike may be passed over due to health-related concerns.
“Any time you’ve got anyone with a medical problem, it makes no one want them,” Kilgore said. “They don’t want the responsibility of medical issues.”
With no apparent signs of discomfort, however, Mike appears to be adjusting well to his new surroundings.
“On March 19th, he had a physical,” Kilgore said. “We have not given medication and he has not acted as though he needed anything.”
Declawed by his previous owners, Mike enjoys chasing toys and playing with other animals- even the disgruntled ones.
“He’s very interested in things, he’s an inquisitive cat. He’s even friends with Baby — but that’s a whole other story,” Kilgore said. “Baby is temperamental, he’s a true cat.”
Friendly towards both adults and children, Mike is well socialized and affectionate towards shelter staff.
“He did pretty well with the group of visiting 5th graders,” shelter associate Lisa Wolak said. “He loves string toys and he gave me a nose kiss for playing with him.”
Prospective families who are interested in adopting Mike may meet him in person at the NHHS facility. NHHS is located at 2405 N. 23rd St. in Wilmington. The shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Monday to Saturday.
Samira Davis is a contributing writer for Port City Daily, focusing on animal issues.
