Earlier this year, Diane Sontum had to say goodbye to her beloved cat, Ricki. To help her heal from the loss and as a recent widow, she decided to open her heart and home to a shelter cat. Diane reached out to the Laramie Animal Welfare Society (LAWS) to inquire about cats in need of a foster home, and they introduced her to an orange tabby named Margo.
Margo had recently arrived at the shelter, having been surrounded by a loving family that had to part with her due to a new baby. She’d been at the shelter for about a month, and her transition hadn’t been smooth.
“They told me that she doesn’t want to be petted or touched and that she’s been so stressed out about being surrendered,” Diane said.
When Diane brought Margo home, she was surprised by the cat’s immediate reaction. As soon as she opened Margo’s crate, the cat rushed out and sought affection from Diane.
“They told me she was so shy and that she wouldn’t come to me,” Diane said. “When I opened that crate, that was our first introduction. I think it went pretty well.”
However, a few days later, Diane provided an update on TikTok, revealing that Margo was indeed very shy and wouldn’t allow anyone, including Diane, to touch her.
“She will rub up against my feet, but she does not want me to pet her,” Diane said in the update. “Part of her stress response from her trauma has been that she does not want to be touched. We’re just figuring it out together.”
Diane was determined to give Margo the time and space she needed to adjust to her new surroundings. She knew that healing would take time.
“I’m really happy that she’s here, and I’m willing to be very patient with her as she unwinds from what she’s been through,” Diane said.
As days passed, Margo began to explore her new environment. She showed particular interest in one room, where Diane’s sulcata tortoise, Dean, lived. The cat’s curiosity was piqued by her new sibling.
“Margo has been having a good time exploring the house. But, there is one room she’s not quite sure if she wants to visit yet,” Diane wrote in a TikTok.
Margo’s curiosity extended beyond the house; she wanted to explore the great outdoors. Diane decided to put her on a leash and take her for her first stroll in the backyard.
“This little girl has been begging to go outside, and, you know, I cannot let her out. It’s not safe for her to be out. So, I put her on a little leash, and we go for a walk in the backyard,” Diane said in a TikTok.
Over a month has passed since Diane started fostering Margo, and while there’s still a long healing journey ahead for the cat, her fears are slowly fading.
“Margo is starting to like me to touch her,” Diane wrote in a TikTok caption. “She doesn’t cuddle, but we are getting closer.”
When she’s not seeking affection from Diane or enjoying her outdoor strolls, Margo can be found exploring and lounging in various spots around the house.
“She’s been super busy going into every room in the house exploring, sniffing around, looking. And I thought, ‘What in the world is she looking for?’ And then I got it: horizontal surfaces,” Diane explained on TikTok. “She found a lot of them.”
Margo’s next chapter remains uncertain, but her connection with Diane continues to grow stronger every day. There’s a chance that Margo has already found her forever home.
“She’s kind of taken over,” Diane said on TikTok. “[It’s a] queen of the castle kind of thing.”
Margo’s journey toward healing and finding her forever home is a heartwarming story that continues to unfold.
