Meet Tennessee — the perfect cat for your cat!
Tennessee is a strikingly beautiful light orange tabby who is just under a year old, with a funny, quirky, and wonderfully contrarian personality. She absolutely loves being part of the family — she just prefers to participate on her own terms.
Tennessee wants to know what her humans are doing at all times. She’ll follow you into the kitchen to supervise her dinner, accompany you to the bathroom, trail you around the house, and even come to bed with you at night, sleeping happily in her own bed next to yours. But reach down to pet her? Tennessee may suddenly remember that humans are terrifying and make a quick exit!
After five months in foster care, Tennessee still isn’t comfortable being petted or picked up regularly. She will happily accept treats, allow an occasional nose boop, and enthusiastically play with you — especially if her beloved wand mouse is involved. She’s becoming more confident every day, although she sometimes gets adorably bashful during playtime and would prefer that you not make too much eye contact while she’s showing off.
Where Tennessee really shines is with other cats. She LOVES her foster family’s resident kitty and follows her around like a little orange shadow. They play together, nap together, eat together, and spend their days keeping each other company. Tennessee is learning to respect her foster sister’s boundaries and would especially thrive with a friendly, playful cat who can keep up with her energy and help show her that the world isn’t such a scary place.
In fact, Tennessee’s dream home might just be with someone whose cat wants to adopt a cat. She would love a younger, active feline companion, plenty of windows for bird watching, lots of playtime, and humans willing to shamelessly bribe her with treats. She may also do well with a cat-friendly dog or respectful children who understand that she prefers playtime over cuddling.
When Tennessee gets nervous, she usually retreats under the couch for a little while, but she always comes back out to rejoin the family. She needs humans who won’t force affection and are willing to let their relationship develop at Tennessee’s pace. Handling can still be stressful for her, and things like vet visits and nail trims may require extra patience or medication prescribed by her veterinarian.
Tennessee is also a great housemate: she’s a good eater, loves her water fountain, and has excellent litter-box habits. And despite her reservations about human hands, she genuinely enjoys human company. She wants to be near you. She wants to play with you. She wants to know what you’re doing. She just isn’t ready for the cuddling part — and she may never be a traditional lap cat.
Tennessee isn’t looking for someone who needs their cat to adore them. She’s looking for someone whose cat needs a best friend.
For the right home, this beautiful, hilarious little orange girl could be exactly that. 🧡
To learn more and adopt Tennessee, contact her foster mom, Nikki msnikkiwood@gmail.com
