Say hello to the impossibly gorgeous, Ash. This gorgeous gal came to us after she was left abandoned, and brought to us by a kind firefighter who wanted to help this little lass find a loving forever home. Sweet Ash has an estimated birthdate of 2/8/19, making her about 7 years old, but to meet her you would never guess that, as she acts so much younger. We don't know much about Ash's past, but based on her initial extreme fear of people, it's safe to say that this good girl hasn't always been treated kindly by people. She would wince and sometimes swat when we went to pet her for the first few weeks that we had her at the shelter. Despite this, this wonderful girl has been rebuilding her trust every single day, and no longer winces when hands come near, but instead she waits for nice head and back pets! Since the shelter is an extremely stressful environment, Ash was lucky enough to move into a foster home, and that's where she currently resides. Since moving into his foster home she has learned how kitties should be treated and loved, and she's soaking up every minute! She loves to be with people, and loves men and women, but does seem to be partial to her foster dad. She comes RUNNING to the door when her people arrive home, and shows genuine love and excitement! She gives head boops, leg rubs and is always on the lookout for a nice, warm lap in which she can lay. Since she IS a cat, and she's still learning the ropes, love and affection are on her terms. This is most cats anyway, but something we want to mention. Ash is a lovable gal, and that will likely only increase once she lands her permanent, loving home, but she is a rather aloof girl as well. She definitely appreciates human companionship and your presence, but sometimes that is all she wants. She is not a kitty who likes to be picked up, but to be fair, most cats don't like that. She wants to know you're there and to be able to see you, but she may not want anything more than that at times. What she does want is for you to play with her with a feather wand toy. This girl goes BANANAS over feather wands toys, and she is accustomed to getting 2-3 play sessions a day. This has helped her immensely when it comes to blowing off a little steam, and for her to trust people and look at them as fun companions, and not someone who may harm her. Her foster parents told us that they will send a supply of wands and feathers home with her She is also a laser pointer champion and has an absolute blast with that. Since she is still learning how to "cat nicely", every now and then she will swat or hiss if she isn't a fan of something, but it's not a daily thing. This gorgeous gal wasn't spayed when she first came to us, AND she had four bad teeth, which had to be removed. These things, combined with past treatment easily explain some of her initial sass as well. Her foster mom says that she is a wonderful girl with a fun personality, who just needs to be in a home where she's given love, patience, space when she wants it, and lots of enrichment. Ash can be a busy girl and want to be involved in whatever her people are doing, or she may want a break from the humans, and retreat to the top of her cat tree for a nap in the sun. Ash is a HUGE fan of cat trees and climbing towers, and she is wonderful about using her carpeted and cardboard scratchers as well. She's also a champion litterbox user and hasn't had one single out of box incident. Since coming to us, Ash has met other kitties and she's super interested in them and WANTS to like them, but she's still a little unsure about that. She will play with her foster brothers and sisters under her bedroom door, but when they come in her room and meet face to face, she still doesn't know what to think. She does get a bit hissy, but doesn't retreat and still is interested in playing with her feather wands, but keeps an eye on them. She MAY be okay in a home with other kitties, but it will definitely take slow and proper introductions. She would be an ideal only kitty, we know that for certain. It's also possible that she may do well with a kitten brought in, after she is settled in her forever home. We honestly don't know since she has been through so much in such a short amount of time, and we're getting to know her ourselves. She hasn't met dogs since coming to us, but her foster mom thinks that she would be fine as long as the dog gives her space and is generally cat-friendly. Ash has met older kids since coming to us, and she's been great with them, and loves playing with them as long as they are willing. She wouldn't be a good fit for small children since they are so fast moving and unpredictable, and that could really stress her out. Ash has done so well, and come so far since moving into her foster home, and her mom thinks that she will continue to blossom, and will absolutely flourish in her forever home. Since Ash is still in decompression mode and has been through so many changes over the last few months, her foster mom would like potential adopters come to her home to meet Ash. The shelter is a super scary place for kitties as it is, and she thinks that bringing her to the shelter for a meet and greet, would terrify her, and wouldn't allow the adopter to see her in a home environment and see what a sweet girl that she is. Her foster mom only lives 3 minutes from the shelter, so if you meet her and love her, you can complete your adoption paperwork with her and then take that lovely girl home with you. Would you like to meet the wonderful Ash and give her the loving forever home that she so deserves? If so, please complete an application and we will call you to schedule a meet and greet once you're approved! West Jefferson, Ohio #hsmcohio A Petfinder inquiry is not a substitute for an application. For detailed information about our adoption process, including fees, please visit our website www.hsmcohio.org Our adoption fee is $100.00 for kittens up to 6 months of age and $80 for cats 7 months and older. It includes: a microchip, spay or neuter, set of shots, de-worming, and a 1-year rabies vaccine (if old enough). Fees can be made by cash or credit card. Please go to our website, www.hsmcohio.org to fill out an application.