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Shelter life isn’t easy. Shelter employees are basically angels, but even the kindest shelter employee in the world can’t change that fact: shelter life, for most animals, is hard. In some cases, it’s even traumatic.

For one black cat, shelter life proved to be nothing short of awful. That’s why he was so excited to go off to his forever home… And when they returned him, he was crushed. He’s only just starting to get his sparkle back:

The Fuzzy Feral Friends house has turned out to be exactly the kind of place Cedar the cat needs to be in. His mom has had him for years at this point, but he’s still not all the way healed. He’s:

• Apprehensive about being pet.

According to Cedar’s mom, his previous family wasn’t unkind to him; they returned him to the shelter because they had to move. They couldn’t bring him, and it absolutely crushed him.

Related: German Shepherd Finds Her Way Back to the Woman Who Rescued Her in Total Miracle Moment

More About Cedar the Cat

Cedar has been in his forever home (for real this time) for a few years now, and he’s definitely been having his issues, but he’s also making a ton of progress. He lives inside full-time, though he does get to have some outside time. He has 6 other cat siblings.

Cedar likes to be comfy: he makes himself at home in mom’s bed, on some blankets he finds on the ground, wherever he can. He’s not aggressive, but he is a little skittish. When he’s lounging, though, he looks like a true king:

It took Cedar years to be comfortable co-existing in the same space as his mom, whom he sees every day. This just goes to show that good things are worth the wait!

Shelter Cats Need Time

Cedar is just one example of what happens to thousands of shelter cats. Unfortunately, Cedar got very lucky: many cats who end up in his position wait months, or sometimes longer, to be adopted. Feral cats or skittish cats in general are not “desirable.”

If you’re adopting a feral cat, or you’re adopting a cat who’s been at the shelter for a while, you really need to manage your expectations. They may fold into your home immediately, but odds are, that simply won’t be the case.

Some cats never fully warm up to people, and that’s something you have to be okay with when you’re adopting them. There are some ways to gain their trust, though, even if it looks a little different:

• Never push them to be closer than they’re ready for.

• Stay consistent with feedings and routine.

• Continue to offer them chances to interact with you.

Scared, formerly feral cats are some of the best cats ever. They’re just not traditional!

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This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Mar 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.