Bouncy is Bouncing Back in Her New Home

Deborah Heusser believes in destiny.

And that adopting was her destiny.

Heusser, of Westlake, had been toying with the idea of adopting another cat after Lucy, one of her two cats, died in July. Her surviving cat, Sam, needed a companion, she felt. But she hadn't yet found the right cat.

Heusser doesn't remember how she found the video on Patch last week featuring Bouncy, a seven-year-old brown tabby whose owner died a few months ago.

In the Love-A-Stray shelter, Bouncy's grief and loneliness had deepened. Volunteers worried that Bouncy would grieve herself to death. Love-A-Stray's Marge Spaeth called me from the shelter and asked if I would feature Bouncy in a video, hoping for even someone who could foster Bouncy temporarily if not adopt her outright to reach out.

The next day, the video was online and later shared with Westlake Patch. After seeing the video, Heusser couldn't get Bouncy out of her mind. She was in PetSmart in North Olmsted a few days later and recognized Spaeth.

"I was, like, 'Oh my God, you're the lady in the Bouncy video! I want her!'" Heusser said. Before she knew it, it seemed, Heusser was at the shelter, tears in her eyes, cradling Bouncy.

"I saw that video for a reason, I ran into (Spaeth) for a reason," she said. "I was meant to be with Bouncy."

Saturday, she brought Bouncy home. Sam sniffed Bouncy a bit before Heusser put Bouncy in the den with her own bed, some food and water, and some toys. Within an hour, Bouncy had explored her room and was devouring her food.

Since then, Heusser has left the den door open when she is home, and Bouncy is making herself at home. Bouncy sits on the couch with her while Heusser watches TV, and also likes to hang out under the Christmas tree. She has started purring again. So far, Bouncy and Sam are getting along.

"She's adorable, I just love her," Heusser said.

As Bouncy acclimates to her new home, Heusser's next goal is to put some weight on her. At her check-up the other day, Bouncy's weight was a dainty 6 pounds, 8 ounces. Other than that, Bouncy is healthy.

"I was so impressed with the people at Love-A-Stray," she said. " is so passionate and the volunteers are wonderful. They're so good with the cats. And they've made me so happy with Bouncy."