Esteban the cat was fostered by SLO County jail inmates. Now he’s ready for a fresh start

Not everyone is lucky enough to start off life in a safe and loving home.

Some have rough starts but in the right environment, with grace from others and a willingness to change and grow, they can earn a second chance at life.

Esteban is such a cat, and he is seeking a safe and loving home.

This 2-year-old, neutered boy is kind and readily purrs when gently petted.

When he first arrived at the San Luis Obispo County Animal Services shelter, he was quite timid and anxious.

Fortunately, Esteban was fostered by a group of women, Honor Farm inmates, who gave him consistent warmth and nurturing.

Although Esteban may appear slightly nervous in his cage upon first meeting, he actually rolls on his back once he knows someone and welcomes belly rubs. He snuggles in and can be very affectionate.

He is one of the first several cats who have benefitted from a cooperative relationship between the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office and Animal Services to allow female Honor Farm inmates to foster cats. The women have received training to bottle-feed young orphaned kittens, administer medication when needed and socialize timid adult cats, such as they did with Esteban.

We don’t know why Esteban was nervous before. Perhaps his mother was feral, or a previous owner was harsh with him.

But after being fostered at the Honor Farm, he’s ready for a fresh start and hoping someone will give him the second chance he deserves. Is it you?

For more information about Esteban (ID No. 240602), call the volunteer line at the San Luis Obispo County Animal Services shelter at 805-781-4400 or visit www.slocounty.ca.gov/aserv. The shelter is located at 885 Oklahoma Ave., off Highway 1, in San Luis Obispo.

The full-price adoption fee is $81 for cats and $115 for dogs, plus a $28 county license fee for dogs, if the adopters are San Luis Obispo County residents.

The adoption fee includes a new collar, a spay or neuter operation, basic vaccinations, a microchip and eligibility for a free veterinary check within San Luis Obispo County. Cats also are tested for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and adopters receive a carrier.