All I can ask is that you take the time to see me. No, really see me.  My name is Horsepower. I’m three years old. And I need a hero.  I’m used to people passing me by. Most people don’t even know I’m there, much less take the time to stop in and get to know me. I’m very overwhelmed in the shelter and, during the day, I stay safely tucked away in my cat tree.  You would assume that means I don’t want to be touched or be around people, but the opposite is true! I love people. I love one-on-one attention. When you reach into my cat tree, I will sometimes give a halfhearted hiss at first, but I quickly catch on and realize you’re not a threat and switch to enthusiastic headbutts and cheek rubs. Those are really my happiest moments: when someone comes to sit with me and give me love.  No, I don’t want to come out of my cat tree yet. Not even when I have a visitor, although I’m getting closer and closer. I’m a homebody, you know? And the shelter is like a Walmart on Black Friday: noisy, chaotic, and just… a lot. It’s safe and quiet in here.  That’s why I need your help to get out of here. I want to keep that sense of quiet and safety, but be able to see the world outside my cat tree, and that means finding a home! I know I don’t show very well here and there are things that are hard to know about me. Like, since I don’t come out while the people are around, they don’t know what I think of other cats or of dogs. I did have a home for most of my life (no other pets there) and they said I was a happy boy who loves sunbathing and playing with q-tips. I would hide when there was company or lots of activity, but enjoyed being in my person’s lap in quiet moments.  My ideal situation would, of course, be a permanent home, where I could stay for the rest of my life. But, if that’s not in the cards for me right now, I would benefit from a “vacation foster” home. That means I would come and stay with you for a while and take a break from the shelter. Your job would be to let me decompress, learn about my habits, and help me find a home. The shelter will provide all the supplies, food, and vet care. Then, I can come back to the shelter with more information (and maybe some really nice photos and videos), stay with you until I get adopted, or you can decide to keep me!  I’d love to get to know you! If you’d like to meet me and see if we could be friends, please come to the shelter during open hours (10-4, seven days a week). And if you’d like more information about fostering, please e-mail Amanda at cats@odas.org .