The family abandoned the cat at the shelter gate
A 4-year-old cat discovered abandoned outside a California animal shelter is struggling to adjust to life in the shelter after seemingly living with a family for years.
The cat, named Shaun Paw, was first spotted sitting outside the gates of the Valley Animal Center in Fresno back in February. Though he was not surrendered by an owner and had no visible identification like a microchip or collar, shelter staff believe he likely had a home before ending up at their facility.
“It’s suspected that he may have been dumped as he warmed up to our staff extremely fast and never showed any signs of aggression toward humans as unsocialized cats normally would,” said Minah Camacho, a cat care associate at the shelter.
The cat’s giant body and difficult-to-integrate personality encountered many difficulties at the shelter
When Shaun first arrived, he was visibly upset and confused by his new surroundings. “At first, he was very scared and confused and would cry a lot. He genuinely just wanted someone to be by his side constantly to reassure him and give him pets,” Camacho recalled.
Shaun has struggled to adapt to the busy shelter environment, especially being around so many other cats. “Once he got out to our adoption floor, it was pretty clear that he had never been around this many other cats as we have all of our cats coexist in connected rooms,” Camacho said.
While Shaun has become more confident indoors, he much prefers spending time in the shelter’s outdoor “Catio” area. However, he becomes upset if that space is closed off during the hot summer months.
Sadly, Shaun’s size and difficulty warming up to other felines may make it challenging for him to find a new home. Camacho noted that adult cats generally have a harder time getting adopted compared to kittens.
“He is quite the large boy, which makes sense because he went the first four years of his life without being neutered,” she said. “This can intimidate some adopters due to them either having small children or other small animals, but he is a very gentle giant.”
Hope to bring a warm family to the cat
Shaun’s tendency to be “a bit growly” around other cats may also deter potential adopters. However, the shelter staff are confident the perfect family is out there for this affectionate, food-motivated cat who just needs time and patience to adjust to a new home environment. 
“He is a very shy boy in new environments, so he will need someone who will understand that he may have never really had a household environment before; they may be his first experience in one, so his adjustment process will need a lot of patience,” Camacho added.
