Featured Pets: Dylan and Jett

Dylan and Jett’s story first began when they were baby kittens born outside. Their mother was being fed by a community cat caretaker and continued to feed the trio outside until the kittens were old enough to separate from their mother. The pair of kittens were vetted and fostered in a home in hopes to provide them a greater chance of socializing with people and adapting to an indoor lifestyle. The foster had two cats of her own, but unfortunately, the foster was not able to keep all four cats. Having the kittens, now named Dylan and Jett, was a temporary situation and the foster found herself needing assistance with finding  them a home. Our Companions was then contacted and we were happy to help these two cuties start the next chapter of their lives!

The first few weeks, and even months, of a kitten’s life is very crucial to their development and socialization. When Dylan, the gray boy, and Jett, the female tuxedo, were brought indoors, they were understandably very shy and nervous. We provided their foster advice and information to help them learn how to trust and bond with people. This world was very new to them, but thankfully their foster was very patient, compassionate, and provided positive human experiences to Dylan and Jett.

We first welcomed Dylan and Jett into our Rehoming Program, a program where the pet stays in their current home situation while we market and promote them to find a more suitable home. Though they were getting more relaxed and comfortable with their foster, we knew they would still be shy in a new home with new people. We wanted to make sure we found them a quiet home where they can continue flourishing at their own pace. We also knew that the pair would love being in a home together. Having the companionship of each other helped them gain more confidence when navigating their environment and interacting with people.

As time went on, we were so surprised this adorable pair hadn’t been adopted yet! We ultimately made the decision that their journey needed to continue at our Sanctuary. Once we had space for the duo, we welcomed Dylan and Jett to our Sanctuary in November of 2022. They shared their room with another adult cat, Lucky, and as expected, it was a slow transition process. Jett was the more confident cat of the two and soon fell in love with Lucky, though Lucky didn’t necessarily reciprocate the love! Eventually Lucky was adopted to a home, which left Dylan and Jett to themselves. We can imagine they could get along with other cats in a home, especially cats that love to play!

One major difference between our Sanctuary and their previous home was that we had several different people coming to interact and socialize with the pair. Dylan and Jett only ever interacted with a couple of people in their previous home, whereas our Sanctuary provided many new friends, including staff and volunteers, for them to get to know. Though they both are initially nervous around new people, their curiosity always seemed to get the better of them! They wanted to observe, explore, and slowly approach their soon-to-be friends, showing signs of feeling relaxed and safe. Dylan and Jett learned how to make new friends quicker than before, opening up their comfort zone and helping them get more confident each day.

One activity that really helped them flourish was playtime! Playing and having fun with their toys providing a positive experience with their humans! Whether its crinkly toys, balls with bells, feather wands, Dylan and Jett enjoyed them all! As they became more comfortable with their environment and gained confidence within themselves, Dylan and Jett began to approach people asking for pets by rubbing on their legs or head-butting their hands! Jett loves joining her friends on the couch, happily make biscuits next to you! Though shyer than Jett, Dylan has a big goofy side to him, especially when playing! He’ll flop over on the couch, pawing at toys in the air with his belly up! Not only are these two playful and very affectionate, they’re also very smart! Our amazing Cat Team has been working on paw training with the two and teaching them to give high-fives! They’re also learning how to ring a bell, jump through hoops, and riding in a stroller- very impressive! Dylan and Jett love to learn, are very food motivated and pick up their training instantly!

Now almost 3 years old, Dylan and Jett have grown into who they are- sweet, fun-loving, and ready to bond with a family! They have learned all the tools to acclimate to a new environment at our Sanctuary and look forward to applying those skills to a home of their very own! They would appreciate a quiet adult or older teen home with no dogs, but could possibly get along with other feline friends! They are in great health, have great appetites, and have many ways to make you smile! If you’re curious to see if this pair are the ones for you, please contact our Helpline at 860-242-9999 or email [email protected]!