However, when he got to the shelter, it became obvious that Theodore had more going on than just that.

As it turns out, Theodore is actually really scared of leaving any space he is comfortable in. Ariana Jenks, the marketing manager at Cat Care Society explained in an interview:

“According to his surrender paperwork, his fear is ‘leaving any space he is comfortable in’.”

Initially, at Cat Care Society, the cats could roam freely, so after Theodore had his medical check-up, he was let out to explore with the other cats. But with so many new sights and sounds, he felt a bit stressed.

Luckily, after some searching, he found a cozy spot to hide: under a big bed. Ariana continued:

“Our animal care supervisor, Michelle, noticed he was under there early the next morning as she was doing her daily cleaning and noticed the bed on the floor was not where she left it. She continued cleaning and realized the bed was migrating everywhere!”

You see, Theodore is one clever cat! He’s been using the bed like a big turtle shell to keep himself safe while he checks out his new surroundings. He probably thought he was invisible, which is something cats often believe.

However, the staff was a bit concerned that someone might not notice he was hiding there, so they decided to put up a sign. As Ariana added:

“Michelle put up the sign as soon as she saw a little orange cat named Teddy lying on top of the bed (we secretly think Teddy knew Theo was under there), and was afraid that he would either be missed by potential adopters and/or sat on.”

Even though Theodore hasn’t been at the shelter for very long, the other cats are already trying to help him feel more comfortable. Right now, he feels safest under his big bed, and that’s what matters most.

And what’s even cuter is all of Theodore’s new friends think that the perfect family for him is out there somewhere. 

They believe he’ll be patiently waiting for them under his big bed until they come to take him home. I believe that too!