Just Be Cos

Hi! My name is Cosmo, but everyone just calls me Cos. I have only lived at Purr-Angels for about eight months now. I was a very little guy when I was first rescued, and I was pretty scared, too! I was only about two months old at the time, and the world was such a big and lonely place for me.

Annie says I have a great purr-sonality. I am a very pretty orange cat and I am quite playful once I get used to my surroundings and I feel safe.

My only problem is, I am a bit shy at first.

A few months after coming here, I was adopted by a really nice family! I liked them very much, but I must admit I was very timid and standoffish. I kept hiding under the bed and I couldn't bring myself to come out. My new family kept asking me "Why won't you come out, Cos?" But I could only mumble under my breath "Just because." I didn't have the words to explain to those nice people just how scared I really was.

A couple of days passed, and the grandchildren came to visit. They were pretty cute, and I was sort of interested in becoming friends with them, but they were awfully rowdy, and they kind of scared me, too. Especially when they crawled under the bed and grabbed me by my fur to get me to come out.

They just wouldn't take no for an answer. They kept insisting that I come out and play, even though I begged them to leave me alone.

"Why are you so scared and unfriendly?" they demanded. I got really tired of telling them over and over so I hissed, "Just because!" I was getting angry now, and more and more frightened, too.

The children ran to my new mommy and told her what I had said. And they told her that I had hissed in a very unfriendly manner, too. Which upset her very much!

Next thing I knew, my mom was peering under the bed, and with a very stern look on her face, she asked, "Why are you behaving this way, Cos?" I backed further into the corner and tried to express my fear and displeasure by hissing once again.

"That did it!" cried my new mom. "I'm calling the shelter and taking you back first thing in the morning!"

"NO! NO!" I cried. "Please just give me a little more time. Tell the children not to be so rough with me!" I pleaded. But my new mom just shook her head and said, "You are not a nice cat. I am taking you back now just because of your bad attitude."

I have been back at Purr-Angels now for several weeks. At first I was pretty sad, but I'm starting to feel a little better about things as time goes by.

It helps that Annie holds me on her lap a lot and tells me that I am NOT a bad cat and that she loves me very, very much. She says that one day I will find someone who will appreciate me for all my special qualities, just like she does. She says they will love me for myself and that they will be patient with me while I adjust to my new life with them.

For now, Annie says all I have to do is just be Cos, and the rest will take care of itself.