Rescue Tail / Bender 

It’s not often we have the opportunity to meet someone as rare, and unique as Bender. Last year alone we took in 749 cats between our Key West and Marathon Campus. Of those, a significant portion are the common Domestic Shorthair, Domestic Mediumhair or Domestic Longhair. These are your typical cats you see on the streets, and in people’s homes as pets. Rarely we receive other breeds such as Persians, and even the occasional Devon Rex or naked cat. Out of all 749 cats that came to us in 2023, Bender was the only Korean Bobtail.

Korean Bobtail cats, also known as Korean Street Cats, have a distinct tail. Resulting from a naturally occurring genetic mutation, these cats don’t have the long, expressive tail of most domesticated cats. Instead, they have a tail that’s about one-third the length of a normal cat’s tail. What little tails they do have may be straight, kinked, bent, or extra fluffy. Besides the tail, these cat breeds range in appearance, size, and personality. If it wasn’t for Bender’s short, kinked tail, and the fact that he came from Korea, we may never have known what a rare, and unique cat he truly was!

Bender’s family got him as a kitten while living in Korea. Six years later they traveled back to the United States, and brought Bender with them! It was back in the States that he was surrendered to our Marathon Campus due to allergies in the family. From the day we met Bender, we knew how special he really was.

In addition to his physical attributes, and rare breed, he was full of personality. Bender quickly decided he was not up to life in the “Catio” and moved himself in as our office cat. Bender was happiest when he was not around other cats, although he tolerated, and maybe even enjoyed raising kittens. His favorite spot in the shelter was atop the dryer, where he earned his own place with his own bed. In no time, the staff and volunteers revolved around Bender’s needs.

Time and time again we shared Benders stories and adorable photos. Often of him lying on his back. His bright green eyes stood out against his soft white fur, with that short kinked tail always in a sort of question mark shape. We told the story of his travels from Korea, and shared what a cool, and unique breed he was. There wouldn’t be many opportunities for someone to adopt a Korean Bobtail again! Yet, the months passed with zero interested adopters.

Thankfully, Delaina was watching Bender on our website and social media, mulling over the idea of adopting a cat. She wanted to be sure, and she wanted to be ready. The more she thought about Bender, the more she knew he was meant to be hers. So, two weeks shy of his one year anniversary at our Marathon Campus, Bender was finally adopted. Now he gets to be the only cat, and has a dryer all to himself. We couldn’t be happier for Bender and his new mom, who luckily adopted one cool cat.

Bender was just one of the 130 cats and kittens currently available for adoption at our Key West and Marathon Campuses. You can view all of our adoptable kitties on our website at https://fkspca.org/adopt/adopt-a-cat/.