A woman living in New York City found a friendly, black and white tuxedo stray in a dumpster. Being so young and so kind, she knew he didn’t deserve a life on the streets. She was able to capture him and bring him to the vet where her sister was a receptionist. He coined the name “Garbagio” given his previous life living in garbage, but called him Gary for short! One of the vet techs at the clinic fell in love with him and couldn’t resist bringing Gary home.
At the time, Gary was around a year old and was acclimating to his new home and new furry siblings. His canine friend at the time was just a puppy and they grew a wonderful relationship full of play time and chasing each other! The dog eventually grew to about 90lbs, but that didn’t stop Gary and him from having a blast! Gary also had three feline friends in the home, but as time went on, it was clear they were having some issues getting along. Given this conflict, Gary started to exhibit some behavioral issues and peeing accidents. With her expertise, the vet tech worked diligently to try and mend the conflict. She first ruled out any medical problems with bloodwork and a urinalysis, which all came back normal. She went through several introductions, separating Gary from the senior cats, added more litter boxes, changed the litter, rearranged her home, and even tried medications. Gary continued to target items in her home and the only situation that stopped the peeing accidents was removing him from the rest of the pets. After three years of trying to have a harmonious home, the vet tech ultimately made the difficult decision to rehome Gary and reached out to Our Companions for help.
When on his own, Gary’s personality truly shined! He was sweet, affectionate, goofy, and loved being the center of attention! He even had a little bit of mischief to him, like stealing butter from countertops or breaking into trash cans- truly living up to his name! During his adoption search, the vet tech eventually brought Gary to stay at the vet office where he was the perfect candidate for vet tech students to practice since he just loved all the attention and didn’t mind being touched anywhere!
He wasn’t up for adoption for too long until an engaged couple submitted an application looking to adopt a cat. They have had cats with their families, but this would be their first pet together. The woman worked from home and was looking for a playful cat that would keep her company and she could devote her time and attention to. They both missed having a furry companion and, now being established in their careers and having a place of their own, they wanted to find their perfect feline match! They trusted in Our Companions, our match-making process, and it truly seemed that Gary was the perfect fit! After meeting the couple and them meeting Gary, it seemed like a match made in heaven!
Now being the king of the castle, Gary acclimated to his new home in no time! He loved helping with opening packages that came in the mail or helping with laundry by laying in all the clothes, or being the greatest alarm clock by booping their noses in the morning! He loves sniffing slippers and unveiling his mischievous side by opening cabinets and closets! He also made sure to let his family know he never wants to go outside ever again after they brought some snow inside for him to check out! His face says it all!
The couple are so incredibly happy they adopted Gary and to have him home with them. We checked in with Gary and his family when it was his one year adoptiversary to find out that his mom and dad got married! Since they were unable to bring Gary to the ceremony, they decided to have a cardboard cutout of Gary at the wedding! The love they have for Gary is so heartwarming! We are incredibly happy for this lovely family and wish them many more life-long memories together!
