“What happened to him? Is he actually pink?”
Last week, a cat named Casper arrived at Great Plains SPCA after his family could no longer care for him. While he was still inside his crate, shelter staff noticed something unusual right away.
Casper appeared to have pink fur.
At first, the staff weren’t sure if their eyes were playing tricks on them. They looked closer and realized that the cat really did have a rosy tint. Confused, they asked his former family what had happened.
Casper’s previous owners explained that the color was accidental. Their daughter had been dyeing her hair when Casper jumped into the sink and rolled in some of the dye. The result was a temporary bubblegum-pink cat.
Even though his unusual look was cute, the shelter wanted to make sure he was safe. They took Casper to a veterinarian to confirm that the dye would not harm him. Thankfully, the vet said the color would not make him sick, even if he groomed himself, and that it would fade naturally over time.
The shelter decided not to try removing the dye because it would eventually grow out on its own.
Still, the staff reminded people that pets should never be intentionally dyed with human hair dye. The chemicals can irritate an animal’s skin and eyes and may cause breathing problems. Animals are already adorable without needing artificial color.
Since no one at the shelter had ever met a pink cat before, the team had a little fun with Casper’s temporary look. They gave him playful nicknames, including “Casper the Pink Cat.”
Casper didn’t seem bothered by his bright fur at all. In fact, staff joked that he might have enjoyed all the extra attention. But while his color made him stand out, it wasn’t what made him truly special.
Casper was friendly, sweet and affectionate with everyone he met. His gentle personality quickly won over the shelter team.
It didn’t take long for adopters to notice him, too. Within about a week, Casper found a loving forever home.
Now, the pink color will slowly fade, but Casper’s new family will get to enjoy what really matters most — his loving nature and sweet personality.