When Cinnamon’s owners passed away, she was abused and tormented by the remaining family members, before finally being abandoned. At 17 years old, Cinnamon was left homeless until a rescue society saved her life. Betrayed by people, Cinnamon’s trust was shattered – this is her amazing and touching story.
For most pets, they will live out their lives with their families until they pass. Yet, for one 17-year-old cat, Cinnamon, her owners sadly died and left the senior cat without a home.
Relatives took her in, only to abuse and frighten Cinnamon by chasing her around with sticks.
“At 17, she was no longer welcomed in her own home,” said Valia Orfanidou, who runs a blog The Orphan Pet, and documented Cinnamon’s harrowing story. “She had no where else to go but foster care, so we took her in. I’d never seen an angrier cat in my life. She was furious, confused and so lonely.“
After being rescued by SCARS, Second Chance Animal Rescue Society, a foster facility run solely by volunteers, Cinnamon was left feeling betrayed and scarred by people. Volunteers took turns trying to coax Cinnamon into letting them pet her, but every chance of interaction was shut down by the senior cat.
As if things couldn’t get worse, Cinnamon was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, giving her only months left to live.
With Cinnamon showing no signs of improving, volunteers could only do their best to give her the space that she needed. Only one woman, Katie, the oldest volunteer at the shelter, could get just close enough to feed Cinnamon, likely due to her resemblance to the cat’s deceased owners. However, Valia Orfanidou refused to give up on Cinnamon and persistently would sit next to her, hoping to slowly gain the cat’s trust. She said this about Cinnamon’s loneliness:
“She would spend hours sitting in front of the window, letting the warm sun soothe her hairless suffering body. She would close her eyes and enjoy it so much, as if the warmth of the sun was a gentle kind hand petting her sadness away.”
Finally, after weeks of patiently sitting beside Cinnamon, Valia achieved the impossible – she was able to gently pet Cinnamon.
“For months I had believed that she was always a grumpy, lonely cat, even as a pet – but she wasn’t,” said Valia. “She had her whole life turned around at an age where all she needed was stability. The only way she knew how to face all that was by closing into herself.”
Valia was “awed” by Cinnamon’s extension of trust, and it seemed that even Cinnamon was amazed at her own newfound ability to believe in people. Valia said to have spent an hour that day, just petting and comforting Cinnamon until her legs fell asleep from sitting on the floor. After a month, Cinnamon was finally able to relax and allow other volunteers to pet her.
She even had begun playing with toys again!
Now, Cinnamon enjoys a life full of joy and love thanks to the dedicated volunteers, like Valia Orfanidou who refused to give up.
Cinnamon persevered against all odds and will live out the rest of her golden years peacefully and surrounded by people who love her.
If you would like to support SCARS, please click here. Be sure to check out the whole inspiring story in the video down below.
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