Shelter Cat Surrendered Back After Adoption Waves From Window for Attention

Getting noticed in an animal shelter can be hard, but Monique the 4-year-old cat has taken matters into her own paws as she sits in the window and waves at passersby.

In an adorable video posted on Reddit by u/sonia72quebec three days ago, the desperate cat was seen clawing at the glass of the Adoption Chats Sans Abri (ACSA) rescue in Quebec City, Canada, in a bid to get noticed. Maybe just one person who sees her might open up their hearts to the one-eyed kitty and offer her a loving home.

Sonia Loignon, a volunteer, told Newsweek that Monique has a very strong personality that she isn't afraid to show, adding that the cat was originally at the pound but "they didn't have time to deal with her mood." Since joining the ACSA, Monique has captured plenty of attention, but so far nothing has worked out.

"She was adopted recently but the people thought they could change her. That she would become a cuddly loving cat very fast. She didn't, so they took her back. So, Monique is really not happy to be here again," Loignon said.

"We gave her a little time to cool off, and now we are putting her back up for adoption, so we wish her luck," she added.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Société Protectrice des Animaux (SPA) of Quebec has noted a 15 percent increase in animals coming through their doors, whether that's from being found, abandoned, or surrendered. While those are sad circumstances for any animal, there has also been a 19 percent rise in adoptions in Quebec, as more people want to provide a forever home for a shelter animal.

A survey in 2021 highlighted that, out of all the regions in Canada, pet ownership is most popular in Quebec, so hope is not lost for Monique. Statista found that 65 percent respondents in Quebec owned a pet, closely followed by 64 percent in Atlantic, and 56 percent in Ontario. Pet ownership was least popular in Saskatchewan, where just 47 percent of people had a furry friend.

Monique certainly hasn't had an easy ride so far, as she has been taken to the local pound, had a failed adoption, and also had to have one of her eyes removed. Loignon said that Monique had a major eye infection upon arrival; as ointments and medication weren't working, the only way to treat it was with an operation. The cat was suffering a lot, but, since the surgery, she has continued to grow in strength and adapt to her new normal.

Now, Monique is back to her sassy old ways and keeps volunteers at the ACSA laughing every day.

On February 3, the shelter posted the adorable video of Monique waving in the glass window, showing just how much she "really wants to get adopted." The grumpy cat became a viral sensation, with more than 17,100 votes and hundreds of comments already on Reddit.

Loignon said she hopes that, by going viral, the clip will capture the attention of a potential owner for Monique, and the cat can finally leave the shelter for good. For anyone who is concerned about Monique sitting by the glass all day, Loignon said that "she's not stuck in the window display," adding that the cat can move around whenever she wants. Monique just chooses to sit front and center to get as much attention as possible.

Loignon said: "The video has been viewed by more than 2.2 million people on Reddit so far, and it's received lots of comments. Some people have even contacted me to get more information about Monique."

Among the 240 comments on the post so far, there was plenty of support for Monique. One person wrote: "If I walked by and saw that sweet pirate kitty pawing at the window like that. Hope she finds her forever home!"

Another Reddit user commented: "this broke my heart. Poor girl is stuck and deserves so much more."

A third comment reads: "Looks like Monique is a beautiful pirate - who doesn't want to live with a beautiful pirate?"

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