Matcha is a domestic longhair cat, coming from a feral background. He was about a month old when he was received by his current owners, and did not have a mother. He had a difficult upbringing and hissed, growled, bit, and scratched any human or cat that came close to him. He was traumatized when he was found on the streets, had a severe concussion, and had an extreme fear of cages. It was probable that he would not survive, but he did. Although his origins aren’t known very well, it is suspected that he was abused by humans for some time and was isolated.

Matcha was born sometime in May 2020, and joined his owners in early April. He was bottle-fed, litter box trained, and taught the “cat” way of life by his older brother Mochi, who was greeted by a nice slap from Matcha.

Although Matcha is much more docile and trusting towards humans and cats, he still faces some challenges with his temper. It takes him a very long time to warm up to new people and cats, and he hates being pet (excluding scratching his ears) and brushed. He loves to sunbathe, eat, drink water, and be around family, and is living a comfortable, extremely lazy lifestyle.

Matcha’s story is a prime example of the trauma that can happen to stray cats, and is a big inspiration for why Whisker Store exists with the purpose it does today. Although he was fortunate to be saved, the same can not happen to all the poor strays, which is why it is important to be educated on how to fix the root cause of strays. Spay, neuter, vaccinate, and keep your pets indoors to reduce the risk of disease, strays, pests, and safety for yourself and your pets.