After being abandoned by her previous owners, and struggling with a painful health condition, this cat might never have expected to find another loving home. She had been taken in by a shelter, and may have thought that was all she’d ever know.
Thankfully for Elsie, 3, her story touched many hearts in 2021, including that of Sam Doyle, who didn’t think twice about adopting her. Since then, Elsie has discovered the love of a happy home, as Doyle told Newsweek: “It always warms my heart how loving and trusting she is with us, even though she was abandoned.”
Doyle admits that, although her three cats spend most of their time inside her home in South Yorkshire, U.K, occasionally she has to go outside to check on them as they can be very mischievous at times. Even when she just steps into the yard momentarily to see where the cats are, Elsie doesn’t hesitate to show her affection for Doyle.
“My cats are all indoor with access to a catproof garden, so I’d let them out and was just checking on them all to see what they were up to. I thought Elsie had escaped as I couldn’t find her, but she was hiding at the side of the conservatory,” Doyle continued.
@ragdollcrazy / TikTok
“She’s the cheeky one out of our three cats and seems to think she can escape a lot of the time.”
Now that she’s found her feet in her forever home, Elsie is always so glad for every minute she gets to spend with her new family, even if it’s when Doyle is checking she’s not misbehaving.
According to data from the UK-based Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), more than 22,000 cats were rescued throughout the year 2018, with more than 150,000 calls to its helpline.
It says that the UK is facing a cat overpopulation crisis because there are so may felines in need of a home, but there simply aren’t enough people to take them on.
When Doyle rescued Elsie in December 2021, she was told that the previous owners “left her behind when they moved away.” The shelter that took her in discovered that she had a condition called intussusception, which is when part of the intestine folds over itself or moves out of place, according to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
After having surgery to correct the obstruction, Elsie is now thriving, and Doyle loves sharing videos of her on social media. On November 9, she posted a video showing Elsie’s “little face” when she sees her owner, and she instantly walks towards her.
The video showing Elsie’s adoration for her owner has melted many hearts online, with more than 3,700 views and 230 likes already.
“I’ve had messages saying how cute she is, and people wanting to know what breed of cat she is,” Doyle continued. “She is a ragdoll cat, so she is very laid back and loving, but does have a mischievous side. She loves to play with her toys, but also loves to snuggle under the duvet when it’s cold.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
