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He arrived in the neighborhood because the neighbor's cat was in heat. Six months later, he was still here, despite the fact I was not feeding him and was actively discouraging him from staying. The final straw was when he was on my feet in the morning, having figured out how to work the kitty door.

"To animal control with you," I firmly told myself, and easily captured him in my trap.

CAT. PHOTO: PIXABAY/KTPHOTOGRAPHY

I sent him off with a check toward adoption fees and his history. I gave him the name of William because he was so sweet. I felt crappy doing it; there were already more furry denizens than humans, and I was becoming a crazy cat lady.

Ten days later, I received a telephone call from our local animal rescue that interfaces with animal control. They know who I am because I had donated items to their annual fundraisers in the past. The rescuer told me that the cat I had sent had been deemed a feral, had bitten someone, and was going to be put down.

It turned out in the ten days he was in a kennel, he would only hiss at everyone who attempted to interact with him and was deemed non-adoptable. The situation was grim.

The woman from the rescue society offered to have him fixed and asked if I would foster him until he found a home. A few days later, a neutered, ear-mite treated, flea-treated, rabies-vaccinated William returned and was released in my back yard.

I didn't see him for a few days, and when I finally did, it was on the roof of my flat-top shed. I had to put his food up there. He didn't really trust me right then. When he did, I brought him in to work on his manners, and found perfect potty box attendance, no food aggression, and no paw-eye coordination.

PHOTO: J.S. FROM EUREKA, CALIFORNIA

Shortly thereafter, the rescuer called again; she had placement for him as a barn cat. Given he couldn't track a TOY mouse, I knew that was doomed.

I found he is a Siberian, and renamed him Willie-Bear. "Bear" is 24 inches, 16 pounds of headbutts and goofy love.

Story submitted by J.S. from Eureka, California.

Willie-Bear’s story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!