Foster Spotlight: Pumpkin

You know that really beautiful girl who is a little mean to other girls, but you know it's just because she is so insecure herself and she just needs that one person to give her unconditional love to help her learn how amazing she really is?

That's my Pumpkin. Only Pumpkin doesn't quite fit her personality here, so we call her Punky.

I brought Punky home to foster over a year ago and she was terrified upon arriving in the chaos that is my home. She was so terrified that she hid in the basement for over a month refusing to come upstairs with the rest of us. When she did finally venture upstairs, she made sure to immediately establish her dominance over every other animal in the house. This was easy enough for her since none of my animals have any desire to hold any type of leadership position. They, like me, prefer to just do what they are told and avoid any kind of drama.

Unfortunately for Punky, however, I foster quite a bit. So, new cats and dogs, kittens and puppies, come in and out of my home regularly. And not all of them are willing to acknowledge her superiority to them. I recently toyed with the idea of just adopting Punky, knowing that she struggles with change and a new home would be a big change. My eldest son, wise beyond his years, pointed out that I was being selfish. "Punky cannot be happy here, mom. She wants to be an only child and she can't ever be that here. Wouldn't it be better for her to deal with the change of going to a new home one more time than to keep going through the changes of new fosters here every other month?"

Yes, the young man is much smarter than his momma.

So, I am reluctantly renewing my push for Punky to find her forever home. It will have to be the perfect home for her if I am to continue sleeping at night. Here's what you need to know about my Punky Brewster.

She doesn't care for other animals. She will tolerate them if they will allow her to control the relationship. She may even play with them every now and then. But I suspect she would be happiest as an "only child."

She really seems to love people, especially men. She is the one cat in my home that will not run and hide when company comes over. In fact, when potential adopters come to meet one of my other fosters, Punky will rub up against them trying to convince them that she is the best choice, not that little dog thing they are considering.

She hates the vet. She will start out cowering and crying a bit, but as soon as the vaccinations come out, she turns into a rabid lion and you might make it out alive if you take care to shield your face. After the visit, however, she will return to her sweet little self.

She doesn't like to be picked up (unless you are my youngest son who can pick her up whenever he wants with little complaint from her). But you can pet her anytime you want.

She is very concerned that her breakfast be served on time. She will sit by your head in the morning staring at you until you wake up and go make her breakfast.

And it may take her a year or so, but one day, when you least expect it, she will walk quietly to your room, tentatively crawl under the blanket, and curl up next to you to drift off to sleep. When she does, let her know that she is safe and you will love her forever. She deserves that.

If you are intersted in my beautiful Punky Brewster, download an adoption application from our website (www.bhsva.org) and submit it to sunshine@bhsva.org. If you are the perfect home for my Punky, please understand that when you take her home, I will break down sobbing like a small child. Not to worry. I've got plenty of tissues to wipe away my tears.