Rescue Tails / Petra “The Walkabout Queen”

A “walkabout” has been defined as an informal stroll among a crowd conducted by an important visitor or royalty. Our Petra was the Walkabout Queen!

Petra’s history before coming to us is not well known. She was surrendered as a senior in 2019 because of her behavior, but we were not able to get any details. We soon learned that she was a biter, which explained why we got her. Judging from her obesity and the arthritis that was most likely caused by her extreme weight, we weren’t surprised she was a biter. Problem behavior in animals often can have an underlying, undiagnosed pain component.

We put Petra in our “fat cat room” so she could begin a weight loss program along with our other overweight cats. She quickly learned that an open door meant freedom, so she would lie in wait until some unsuspecting person opened the door. Out she’d go! She’d then casually stroll through the hallways, passing by visitors, and exploring any and every room she could. In the early days of these walkabouts, getting her back was not easy. She was feisty; only the bravest among us would attempt to pick her up. She was a tough gal with a mind of her own, and we all respected her authority. Not the most adoptable cat on the planet!

As challenging as she could be, it was Petra’s feisty attitude that gained her plenty of fans. She became a staff and volunteer favorite, and her walkabouts became a regular routine. She would dart out the door, a staff member would alert others, “Petra’s on a walkabout!” Then, Petra would make the rounds until she was ready to return to her room. This actually worked out well because her daily walks helped her begin to shed the pounds. One day while she was walking the hallways, someone opened the door to another colony room and Petra slipped in. This room featured a large, sunny window. This was very much to Petra’s liking, so she decided to move into a new “neighborhood” where she was much happier. As she lost weight, both her health and her personality improved. Yet, she still went more than three years before finding a home.

She remained with us until January 2022. That’s when Orel came to our recent Adoptathon. We were immediately taken with his warmth and kindness as he spent time visiting cats. You can imagine how overjoyed we were when he chose Petra to adopt. Judging from the update and wonderful pictures we received, it appears that Petra’s walkabouts have taken her to the place she loves the most, which is with Orel. Congratulations to both of them!