BENNY

Benny isn't looking for an adopter. He's looking for something just as special - a permanent foster family. A permanent foster arrangement means his new family can give him the thing that matters most - a stable home of his own while PAW Society remains involved in supporting his medical needs. For this reason, we're looking for a permanent foster home within close travelling distance of Bexhill, allowing Benny to remain under the care of the veterinary team who already know his history and ongoing needs.

Behind his history is a wonderfully uncomplicated boy. Benny is naturally shy and independent and enjoys having plenty of time and space to himself. He isn't the sort of cat who wants to spend every waking moment attached to his human, but he is affectionate and enjoys a fuss when he chooses to come for one. He appears more naturally comfortable around women and can be wary of men, so any men in his new home would need to be patient and allow Benny to decide when he's ready to build that relationship.

Benny's ideal day isn't particularly demanding. He enjoys sleeping (a lot!) but still has playful moments and enjoys his toys. Food is another major passion, and this otherwise fairly quiet boy can suddenly discover his voice when he knows a meal is due! His foster describes him simply as an "absolute pleasure to care for."

He has also shown that he can share his home with other cats. Initially, Benny growled and hissed at his foster family's two resident cats, but this settled with time. He doesn't seek out their company or interact with them and instead prefers to coexist by largely ignoring them. He could therefore live with calm, respectful cats who aren't going to demand friendship and will allow him to maintain his personal space. He has also had positive experiences around children, including a ten-year-old girl in his current foster home and children in previous foster placements. We'd be looking for calm, respectful older children rather than toddlers - children who can understand that Benny sometimes needs to be left alone and that affection happens on his terms.

Benny actively dislikes being outside and must remain as a strictly indoor cat. With appropriate enrichment, comfortable places to sleep, and toys for those moments when he feels playful, indoor life suits him beautifully. He's also comfortable spending time alone and can cope with his humans being away for a working day.

Benny does come with some additional needs, and we want his permanent foster family to understand them fully. Following his accident, Benny remains wobbly on his back legs, and this is likely to be permanent. Importantly, however, he is independently mobile. His walk might look a little different, but Benny can get himself around well and continue enjoying his everyday life.

He has also been diagnosed with congestive heart disease and requires lifelong medication to manage this. His permanent foster family will need to be comfortable administering his medication and ensuring he attends the veterinary appointments recommended for him. PAW Society will cover the cost of his ongoing heart medication leaving his permanent foster to focus on his day-to-day costs.

There is also a visible flickering movement in one of Benny's eyes. His vet believes this may either relate to his accident or have a genetic cause associated with his breed. Crucially, it does not affect Benny's vision, and no intervention is currently required. It simply needs to be monitored during his routine health checks so that his veterinary team can keep an eye on any changes.

We're very aware that words like congestive heart disease, lifelong medication, and permanent mobility issues can make people scroll past an animal. But those things aren't Benny's personality. Day to day, he's a sleepy, food-loving, occasionally playful, independent boy who asks for relatively little. He doesn't need someone to feel sorry for him; he needs someone comfortable with the realities of his care who can then simply allow him to get on with being Benny. For the right person, Benny doesn't need to be a difficult cat to care for. He just needs to be given the chance to finally know that he's safe and loved.