GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Melissa Vroman has always had room in her heart for cats, having brought in strays and rescues for years. When she discovered and rescued a Tuxedo Kitten she was ready to provide him a forever home.
"I sat down on the floor of the shelter, and he jumped down and got on my lap, he was so affectionate, I fell in love with him," she said. She took him home and bonded with the family quickly until she started to develop allergies. "I have respiratory issues, so I was sneezing and I was coughing and my nose was running constantly and I thought it was him."
Faced with her worsening allergies she was left with no choice but to return him to the shelter. "I was devastated," Vroman said.
But, when she realized her symptoms were not caused by allergies, and instead was a treatable medical condition, she went back online to try and find him.
"He was gone," Vroman said about the rescued Tuxedo Kitten "I was so worried about where he might end up."
It's a small world. Here is where the story takes a twist. As a reporter, we are taught to never be a part of the story, in this case however it couldn't be helped. Some may know the story of my Cocker Spaniel, Joey. I rescued him as a pup at five months old when I lived and worked in Denver, Colorado.
When he crossed the rainbow bridge in January of 2020, I was devastated. I mourned for months. That's when a co-worker suggested I love another rescue but I knew with my schedule that a puppy was out of the question. "How about a cat?" my co-worker asked and I said sure.
Her very first search brought up an adorable gray and white Tuxedo Cat ironically named "Denver" - What are the odds? I knew it was meant to be and he has been bringing me joy for a year now.
When I casually mentioned him recently during a newscast, Melissa's ears perked up. HER cat had been named Denver. She reached out to me and sure enough, it was the same one. - Kirk
"I'm so relieved he found a loving home I was so worried about him," Vroman said.
Her current situation doesn't work with her having another rescue at the moment, but she is thrilled "Denver" has found a loving home.
Two of many great local rescues that are always looking for people to adopt a furry friend are Michele's Rescue and the Humane Society of West Michigan.
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