The best birthday present I ever got was the year I officially adopted Joshie. He had been with us as a foster since January, but when he went to adoptions in the summer, he growled at everyone. They had me take him back home. I talked the shelter into discounting him because it would cost them more to euthanize him than to just let me keep him. They let me have him for the cost of the rabies shot. Best $11 I ever spent.
It was still a long while before he got over his feral-ness and decided he loved me. But when he did, my goodness, did I have a dedicated buddy.