Basil was found wandering in the Bronx. We were told that he was roaming the streets and when returned to his owners, they did not want him back. He smelled rancid and his skin was red and scaly. After changing his diet, his coat slowly became shiny and plush.
The emotional scars from his abuse took longer to heal --when we first brought him to our house, he was extremely aggressive (especially towards men) and did not hesitate to bite if he felt threatened. After a few months his aggressive behaviour started to diminish and he started exhibiting affection by staying close to us, resting his head on our lap and even giving us licks on the face.
He still growls and can show "cranky" behaviour, but his loving side shows much more than his aggressive side.
Fast forward three years later and Basil is a strong part of our family (our son).
