Jelly and Custard were bred as part of the designer cat craze and sold to their first family for an exorbitant amount of money. The siblings are sphynx and American curl cross cats and are highly sought after. Unfortunately, their family didn’t understand
the level of care they would need, and they quickly gave them up.
During the first two years of their life, the cats were passed around to seven different homes. One family only kept them for 24 hours before deciding to give them up. Finally, they ended up at RSPCA Canterbury Branch, desperate for a fresh start.
“Before they came to us, these poor cats were being passed around like unwanted handbags — but they aren’t fashion accessories, they’re sentient beings who feel fear and pain, joy and happiness,” Natalie Archer, manager of RSPCA Canterbury Branch, said in a press release. “They didn’t deserve this start in life — but sadly, cats like these are trendy and fashionable, and they’re the tip of the iceberg of a breeding crisis.”
Hairless cats require a lot of specialized care, including regular bathing and cleaning of their eyes and ears, protection from the sun, and plenty of warmth. They can also experience health issues such as heart diseases, requiring their families to stay on top of their health. When a family takes in a hairless cat without being prepared, it can lead to the cat ending up homeless.
The shelter posted about Jelly and Custard when they arrived — and people were so smitten with the way they looked that the shelter’s website crashed with an influx of people trying to adopt them. Of course, the shelter staff knew they had to find an experienced adopter to take in Jelly and Custard, someone who wouldn't abandon them just because they need a little extra care.
Luckily, Heather Morris and her family applied to adopt the pair. She had experience with their breeds and was more than willing to take on the responsibility of caring for them. She, her husband and her kids fell in love with the cats instantly. Now the pair are thriving in their forever home.
“They really are such characters, almost like dogs in cats’ bodies — they take over the whole house and it’s chaos, but we love it.” Morris said in a press release.
Morris hates knowing that her sweet babies had such a rough start to life, and wants people to know what they’re getting themselves into when they adopt a hairless cat.
“Too many people think, ‘Oh, they look quirky, let’s get one of those’ — but there’s so much more to them than their appearance and they need a lot of care,” Morris said. “People think they just look pretty, but they are a huge commitment.”
Jelly and Custard found their happily-ever-after, but so many other cats like them are misunderstood and end up abandoned. If you’re looking to welcome a pet into your home, always adopt rather than shop. You truly will change an animal’s life.
