Kismet, that magical force that shapes our future, is wonderful, when it lines everything up for us. You bump into your soulmate at a book fair or you scroll a bajillion animals on a shelter website looking for just the right match. They are all adorable and they all need a home. But you are making a 20+ year call here– and kismet is notoriously unreliable. But what if science could give the hand of fate a little help?
Enter the Friendr™ quiz
While browsing our website, Kathryn decided to take the Friendr quiz. She was matched with Truffle not just for his looks, but with questions that detailed his behavior attributes as well. Truffle was found in a backyard alongside his three siblings. While one kitten had natural confidence, Truffle and his two other siblings joined our Fraidy Cat Program, our unique training program for shy cats who need extra time to get comfortable with humans.
Even when Kathryn learned Truffle was part of our Fraidy Cat Program and she’d need to meet him multiple times before taking him home on a sleepover trial, she didn’t hesitate.
“I was searching for cats in Houston. I looked at y’all’s website, and I looked at a couple different others. I liked that y’all had the quiz … it was nice and easy,” Kathryn says.
Jude Miller, one of our behavior techs described Truffle as a little like having kitty ADHD. “He can’t focus on training at all,’”
With guidance from Jude and our behavior lead Melissa Taylor, Kathryn spent time getting to know Truffle on his terms. Jude made sure she understood exactly what she was signing up for.
“He actually did bunt on her several times, but I explained to her at that point, if you want a lap cat, if you want a cat that you can pick up and cuddle, this is not that cat. But she also liked the fact that he likes toys and he liked to play, and so I [said], ‘Well, if you want a cat to play with, this is your guy,.”
Turns out, that’s exactly what Kathryn wanted and the Friendr quiz had correctly matched her.
“Because he’s part of this Fraidy Cat Program, I was worried adjusting might be kind of tough for him, but he has handled it so well,” Kathryn says.
Truffle isn’t exactly a scaredy cat, he just prefers affection on his own terms. However, since bringing him home, Kathryn has been using the training techniques she learned during her in-person meetings at the shelter. Without the distraction of other cats, he’s made incredible progress. While he still isn’t a fan of being petted randomly (who is?), he now allows her to touch him during training sessions! That’s an enormous step forward in just a week!
The best memory so far? Truffle curling up and purring at her feet.
“I really liked him curling up and purring. I’m not even petting him or doing anything. He just curled up at my feet, and I was just so content that he was purring. It was very sweet,” Kathryn says.
Since then, Truffle’s personality has continued to bloom. One of Kathryn’s favorite moments was catching him in an unexpected glamor moment.
“I bought a vanity pretty recently that will light up if you go near it…So he went over and he sat on the chair a little bit, and he propped himself up so his front paws were on the vanity, and he was sitting on the chair and he was looking at himself in the mirror, and it all lit up!” Kathryn says.
Truffle found his match with someone who appreciated him exactly as he is. 💜 Looking for your own perfect pet match? Take our Friendr matchmaking quiz and let Houston’s first and only behavior-based pet matching bring you and your future best friend together.