Terry, a retired Spanish teacher from Wisconsin, has been the proverbial patron saint of all cats. He brushes and cuddles with cats at The Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary. As a volunteer, he doesn’t get paid or anything, but that’s okay because he could literally do this job in his sleep. In fact, he does. Having him as a volunteer is amazing, but the question remains, what has Terry done that sets him apart from other volunteers? It’s the fact that he loves taking naps with the cats after he’s done brushing them. Now he’s an internet sensation, and everyone wants to have someone like Terry looking after their pets.The retired teacher is absolutely golden, and they don’t mind that he sleeps on the job. In fact, it’s the whole reason why the man has gone viral. Aside from being super cat-friendly, he’s also a serial cuddle buddy to the kitties.
He asked the staff to allow him to brush the kitties on a daily basis. It was a simple request, and they were happy to oblige. Soon, Terry would pop in for about three hours a day to spend time chillaxing with the cats.
One day, someone at the sanctuary decided to snap some photos of Terry taking a nap with the cats. But when they posted the photos on Facebook, everyone fell head over heels in love with Terry, and he became a social media sensation.
They set up a fundraiser for the shelter itself, but opened it in Terry’s name. In just 2 days, 267 people collectively donated $4,975, which was remarkable. The sanctuary’s goal was only a $1,000, so this was a blessing, to say the least.
According to the shelter’s founder and president, Elizabeth Feldhausen, the sanctuary is particularly important because it’s a home to cats with special needs and disabilities such as diabetes, thyroid disease, paralysis, or anxiety.
In most cases, the owners of these cats with special needs give their pets up because of the costly medical care. At least the sanctuary gives them an alternative to euthanasia, and it allows the felines to get some serious TLC from someone like Terry.
In fact, the shelter offers a cage-free environment that feels more like a home, complete with bedrooms and a living room. This allows the cats to feel comfortable and safe so they can socialize with awesome human beings like Terry.
He has also volunteered at other shelters, but this was by far the only one he’d seen that offered an extra friendly environment for felines. So, he brings his “magic brush” to groom the cats, and he’s tickled pink that he’s such a hit on social media.
**Terry found a great way to enjoy his retirement. He lounges on a couch, pets a different cat every day, grooms them, and then naps with them. He’s like the grandfather of all cats and everyone loves him.**