09/06/2025
The average length of stay for a companion at Bide Awhile is around 30 days - Keche [Ke-tch] was well beyond average.
Back in January, we brought in two cats from the same home - Asha & Keche. Sadly, their owner had passed away and the son who was caring for them had to move out of country. When they arrived at the shelter, one thing was certain, they were loved by everyone who ever had the chance to meet them.
Coming from the same home, you would think that they would share a similar body shape, but it was quite the opposite. Asha was a very round girl with some extra padding, our vet immediately developed a long-term weight loss plan to help her age. Keche, while appearing to be quite round himself, was actually just made up of an exorbitant amount of fluffy fur. Upon further testing, Keche was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism that caused his thyroid to work overtime and made it extremely hard for him to gain weight.
This diagnosis is quite common in older cats and a bi-daily medication can help manage his thyroid levels. After starting the medication, Keche began to regain some weight and was soon cleared for adoption... but no one applied to adopt him.
The idea of a bi-daily medication for the rest of his life was intimidating and many people didn't have a lifestyle that could work with it. To top it off, Keche decided that he would much rather have a home to himself and became spicy towards other cats.
It took a long time and a few moves at the shelter between our main room, an individual suite, and eventually - the main office, before Keche was allowing his true charming personality to shine. Finally, after 200+ days, a couple walked in looking to meet him and Keche quickly won over their hearts.
While Keche stayed with us longer than the average companion, it was through support like yours that we were able to continue caring for him until he found his people. From Keche, and all the companions waiting to find a home - thank you! ❤️