From Shelter to Superstar An Adoption Success Story!

This is the story of Maestro and his owner. It’s a love story of sorts. Maestro’s life did not start out well. Found with multiple injuries including missing teeth and a broken nose it was determined that Maestro had been abused most likely by his previous owner. When Helen saw him languishing in a Barrie,Ontario, Canada shelter both their lives changed forever. It took many months of patience and consistent loving care but Maestro finally healed physically and mentally. As Helen says he has grown into a handsome gentleman. Now Maestro and Helen are a bonded pair. Nothing will separate them and all the past abuse is a faded memory.

Most of us are aware of such prestigious shows such as The Westminster Dog Show, but did you know there is an entire world of Cat Shows that are just as prestigious? That’s right, in Canada, The United States and Worldwide. These are run by responsible breeders who show their cats to increase awareness of their breed. These cats are well loved and the shows are very professionally run. Judges must train tirelessly to be able to judge each breed of cat. In most cases a judge is compensated only for expenses, travel, lunch etc… Most judges go out of their way to keep expenses down, it is not a career it is a labour of love.

Did you also know that in most shows any cat may enter? I must admit a fact I was not aware of until a few weeks ago. There are a few simple rules that must be followed. Easy things like your cat must be bathed and not de-clawed. Helen put Maestro in a few local shows. Suddenly Maestro started getting noticed. Here he is being shown in a ring surrounded by cats that have been showered with love, fed, groomed and adored their entire lives.Then here comes the shelter cat to dust things up a little bit.  Look closely at Maestro and you will see a few remaining scars around his face of his previous nightmare of a life.

Today Maestro has many wins and ribbons to his name. He is a well respected cat in the Cat Show community. He has competed in Canada, The United States and Internationally and won! At almost 7 years old he deserves all the love and attention he get’s. I have had the pleasure of attending a few of these Cat Shows. At first I must admit, I was a little wary. Is this like Toddlers and Tiara’s? What am I getting myself into? What I came to appreciate was a tight knit group of cat lovers who love and respect their cats and their competitors. When I go to these shows I see only a genuine love for their Cat and healthy positive respect for the other competitors.

This cat lover, nay, animal lover thinks the story of Maestro is proof that any cat no matter how badly their lives started is a champion. All cats are beautiful and their is a little Maestro in all of them. Maestro is modelling a Blue Necklace with Swarovski Drop Pendant. I was there at the show participating as a vendor and had the pleasure of watching him model each colour. He loved the attention and I have to admit I fell in love with this white four pawed success story.