‘Heartbroken’ family forced to surrender ‘loving’ cats after Helene. They need a home
A "heartbroken" family was forced to surrender their "loving" cats after Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina.
Now, an animal shelter hopes the trio of cats won't be separated.
"Let's give these three beautiful souls a chance to stay together and be loved for the rest of their lives," the Humane Society of Catawba County wrote Oct. 16 in a Facebook post.
The cats' journey to the shelter started in late September, when Hurricane Helene hit the North Carolina mountains. The deadly storm ravaged the area with wind damage and catastrophic flooding, leaving the cats' owners with a difficult decision to make.
"Their home was damaged, and after exhausting efforts to find a shelter that could take all three, they were heartbroken to surrender them to the shelter," the humane society wrote. "These boys have been together since they were kittens, and breaking their bond was unimaginable."
The 3-year-old cats — named Big O, AKU and Courage — are described as "sweet" and "affectionate." While they have a close relationship, AKU has shown more independence and nervousness.
"They do love being around each other and AKU/Courage depend on other cats to be confident," Kaitlyn Ewing, the shelter's director of intake, rescue and foster coordination, told McClatchy News in an email. "Big O is the most outgoing."
The cats aren't required to go into the same home, but the humane society would prefer they stick together.
As of Oct. 18, the shelter's website listed all three cats as available for adoption at its facility in Hickory, a roughly 50-mile drive northwest from Charlotte. Details about the animal organization's adoption process can be found at catawbahumane.org .
"Big O, AKU, and Courage are the sweetest, most loving cats — because we all know orange kitties are AMAZING," the shelter wrote. "What would be even more amazing is finding a forever home where these boys can continue their lives together, just as they've always been."
