We are excited to have Finnegan as part of our family. We have been wanting to add a new cat to the family since Morgan passed. Otis, our dog, and Rainy, our cat, are great companions, but when we take Otis with us, Rainy is very lonely. So I have been browsing for a new cat. My only criteria is that it must be an orange cat, because everyone knows that, next to black cats, orange cats are the friendliest.
Mr Finnegan has quite the story. He was a stray cat that was turned in to a shelter. From there, he went to Carver Scott Humane Society. Once he arrived, he was taken to the vet to be neutered and to get all his vaccinations. After his recovery, he was sent to prison! Yes, that is right, he went into the Oak Parks Correctional Facility, Whiskers of Hope program. Below is a description of the program from Caver Scott Humane Society:
Whiskers of Hope: Fostering Cats in Correctional Facilities, in partnership with Oak Park Correctional Facility.
This innovative program is designed to do two incredible things at once:
Give cats a calm, consistent environment to decompress and receive one-on-one care.
Provide incarcerated individuals with emotional support, a sense of purpose, and the opportunity to give back by fostering animals in need.
Each participating individual lives in the mental health unit and has earned the opportunity to be part of this program through positive behavior, leadership, and responsibility. Cats live with their assigned caregiver in a private room, with access to shared enrichment spaces and regular oversight from both facility staff and our team. Our first cohort features calm, social cats-each receiving daily enrichment, love and individualized care. In turn, the program offers therapeutic benefits to the people involved and helps prepare each cat for a successful adoption. This is a pilot program with big hopes for the future. If successful, we'd love to expand it and give even more animals and people a second chance.
Together, we're creating a more compassionate world, one paw and one person at a time.
It is an amazing program!
Once Finnegan was paroled from Prison, he was taken to Chuck & Don's in Savage, MN, and put up for adoption. This is where Cassie comes into Finnegan's story. She went to Chuck & Don's for her pet supplies and saw Finnegan. She tells me she immediately knew he was the cat for me. I was running, and my phone started exploding with messages from her. I received photos, videos, and links to apply to adopt him. Once I was able to look at everything and show him to Rick, we both agreed that he sounded like a great cat. But we were leaving for vacation the very next day. I told Cassie that we would think about it, and when we got back, if he was still available, I would put in an application for him.
Of course, Cassie went back to visit him with Larina and Nash. I got more pictures and videos, and was told they all loved him, and I must get him. On Sunday, I got another message-they'd received an adoption application for Finnegan. Cassie was insistent that I still apply for him. So while still on vacation, I put in an application.
Carver Scott Human Society has a first-come, first-served policy. So I got an email telling me that I was second in line if the first family did not work out. I figured I was too late, and it was not meant to be. Cassie was devastated. She said she knew in her soul that he was the cat for me.
Three days later, I got another email telling me that the other family did not work out, and if I was still interested in Finnegan, we could start the process of adopting him. The cat universe had spoken; it was time to add Finnegan to our family.
After a screening phone call, we were invited to meet him. We went up to Savage on Friday and fell in love. Cassie was right, he is the perfect cat for us.
He is the most gentle, friendly, and just chill cat. He is a big boy, weighing 10 pounds. They estimate him to be about 2 years old.
