Imagine you woke up tomorrow and, with no warning at all, you had been dropped into the middle of Shanghai. You don’t speak Mandarin or know much at all about Chinese customs, culture, geography, or anything, and practically every single person you encounter has been in China all their lives, so all this seems completely obvious to them.

I’m Master Chief and that’s essentially what happened to me. I spent the first two years of my life in a hoarding situation and then, eleven months ago, most of my feline family members and I were rounded up and brought here! They’ve all been adopted, but I’m still waiting.

So, just like it would be if you were dropped into the middle of China, it was really scary at first. Not because it’s a scary place- just because it’s big and different from anything you’ve ever known. I had no way of knowing who I could trust or what was happening to me. It took me a while to even get to the point where I could start picking up some of the stuff the other cats had known since birth. Eleven months in, I’m still not entirely fluent, but I’m definitely making progress!

What I want is for people to see how far I’ve come instead of how far I still have to go. I also wish people understood that I’m doing this all on my own, you know? There’s a big difference between being dropped in the middle of something and having to just pick things up where you can and, say, moving in with a nice family who spends time with you one-on-one, patiently teaching you the language and customs. And THAT’S what I really need.

So let’s put the analogies away and just be straight: I’m a shy guy who probably will not approach you right away. My caretakers and some volunteers and friends can pet me, though. In fact, when things are quiet, I’ll walk right up to people I trust and beg for attention. I LOVE other cats and would like to have a cat friend in my home. I like treats (maybe a little low-lactose cheese?) and will come check you out if you’ve got some on offer.

I’ve come a LONG way here in the shelter, but I need to get out of here if I’m really going to blossom, you know? I know it’s a tough sell: “hey, you can’t touch me, but why not commit to loving me for the rest of my life?” But I think it’s still worth a shot! And you don’t have to commit to loving me for life. Maybe just commit to fostering me. Having someone take me home and teach me to be a beloved pet could make all the difference in my life. Having an advocate who wants to give me the best chance at a life? That would be everything.

So give me a chance, whether forever or for now. If you’d like to learn more about fostering, e-mail Amanda at cats@odas.org.