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Adoption Spotlight: Jackson

Posted on Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Jackson, formerly known as Game Boy, was transferred into our care on May 3, 2021 from Hanover County Animal Control. This outgoing and opinionated tabby is FIV+ and required a cat-savvy home that would give him the space and time he needed to acclimate. After spending two months in our care, Jackson had a visitor from a long-time admirer: Kristen. Kristen had been admiring Jackson on our website, but she was unable to adopt due to her summer travel plans. Upon her return home, she visited our humane center July 27 to adopt Jackson. Kristen sent us an update about the ins and outs of Jackson’s day in his forever home.


Dear Richmond SPCA,

I just wanted to check in to let you know how Game Boy (formerly known as Jackson) is doing! He needed no time at all acclimating to our house. It’s like he was meant to be here with us all along! He has free range of the house and sleeps with mom and dad at night. He’s a sweet cuddler!

Jackson, a tabby cat with dark stripes on light tan fur, lays on a blue bedspread. Another quilt hangs on the wall behind him.

Around 6 a.m., he starts to purr and nudge me, but patiently and quietly waits for me to get up to feed him without becoming demanding or vocal. (He’s an outstanding sprinter, though, as we head up the hallway toward his food bowl!) 

After breakfast, he likes to spend his mornings sitting on my desk or windowsill looking out the window at the hummingbirds, cardinals and squirrels running around in the front yard.

Jackson stands at a large window pane looking out on a green lawn. A humingbird feeder is positioned in the flowerbed just outside the window.

Once he’s finished watching the birds, he likes to expend some energy by playing with his human sister, Reiley. Even though she was emotional the day we adopted Jackson because she missed our other cat, Cody (who passed in January), it only took her one day to recover. She has enjoyed purchasing all kinds of new and fun toys for her new friend. The best thing is hearing Reiley laugh again like she used to when playing with Cody. It’s a beautiful sound. Then again, Jackson gets us all laughing and smiling! (We have at times considered renaming him Michael Jordan because of how high he can jump when in a playful mood! )

Jackson is perched on a cardboard cat scratcher beneath a window with cat toys all around him.

Best of all, he does not get skittish or alarmed when his other sister, Kaitlin, experiences a seizure, and he’s not afraid of her wheelchair. During a seizure, he stares at her with, as strange as this may sound, compassion or worry in his eyes. If she’s in her bed when the seizure occurs, he watches her from the ground, and then he likes to climb up on her bed and rest against her legs, almost like he’s comforting her. He’s so tender and sweet around her!

Closeup of cat showing Jackson's facial expression. His ears are perked forward and his eyes are soft.

After Jackson has worn himself out, his favorite place to nap is in the garage on the lawn mower.  

A riding lawnmower is parked inside a garage. It is red with a grey cushioned seat. In the seat, the cat Jackson is curled up with his striped tail wrapped around him.

Jackson is such a beautiful, fun and perfect pet for our family. He immediately settled into a nice routine. He’s not demanding or assertive (meaning, he doesn’t meow a lot or try to get to the milk in our cereal or eat our food when we sit down for dinner ?, and he doesn’t throw litter out of his litter box (YEAH!!!!)). We all are quite amazed at how well he’s doing and how comfortable and happy he seems. He’s such a joy, and I’m so glad I was able to talk to you all, meet with Jackson (Game Boy) and bring him home so we could love on him and make him a part of our family. 

He has been such a blessing and joy to have in this family! We had corresponded with several other adoption agencies before adopting “Game Boy”, and my entire family agrees that the Richmond SPCA far surpassed our expectations as well as set the bar very high for all other organizations. We are grateful to have had such a positive experience.

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