(PetSmart.com)

This is Bernie. My husband Lorin met him at PetSmart in Paramus, NJ last night when he was harness shopping for our cat Sylvester (below).

Bernie is a large, gentle five-year-old who was surrendered by his owners. Lorin thinks he saw his prior owners at the store, and said that Bernie looked very sad. He didn’t know why they were giving him up.

Lorin spoke to the adoption ladies at PetSmart, and they said they were hoping to either find foster parents for him or a forever home. They said they wanted to find someone who would be willing to put him on a diet–he weighs about 40 pounds.

After Lorin told me about Bernie, I had to search for him online.  As he bears the same first name as my favorite presidential candidate, I needed to see him in the fur. No information was available in his profile. It merely said “Bernie’s Story” with nothing beneath the photos.

Lorin and I discussed the possibility of fostering him and putting him on a diet until we could find him a forever home. He suggested we go to PetSmart on Saturday to see him. I said that would be fine.

We already have four cats, so taking on a fifth would be a bit much (even for us), but I would like to help him.

Why would anyone abandon a healthy, sweet five-year-old cat? Perhaps they are broke, their house is in foreclosure or they are leaving town. Nevertheless, it seems cruel. Who am I to judge? I don’t know what his prior owners are going through or what events have befallen them to arrive at this decision. All that matters is that this sweet boy finds a home with someone who will love him.