My "boys" got adopted!

Ok, I know some may think this off topic, but a lot of you know visiting the cats at the Humane Society has become somewhat of a tonic for me. Probably some of the best medicine I've had in years!

Several weeks ago I started working with these two young cats who had been abused - someone tried to hang them (a child, sadly), but fortunately they were saved and I stumbled upon them one day in the manager's office. I love orange and white cats and that's what caught my eye, so I started visiting them every week. They were understandably both a bit shy, but Marlo came around rather quickly, and I could hold him (even though he was getting a little pudgey!) and play with him, but his brother, Schmutzie, had been injured more severely, and while I finally got him to eat treats out of my hand, he still generally hid. He tolerated being touched, never hissed or became aggressive, but cowered. They were about a year old and the manager was mandating they be adopted together. I so wanted to take them but with health issues there was no way I could chase after a cat that was going to hide under furniture and such. And until I'm more stable financially, I really can't take on any pet. So I have opted for regular visiting. I buy treats at the dollar store and visit a lot of the cats - especially the older ones who tend to be there for awhile.

Sorry, I'm rambling again! But yesterday I stopped in to do my weekly visit and "my boys", as I had come to call them, had been adopted earlier that day! I wish I could have been there to say good-bye, but I was thrilled because finding someone who would take two special needs cats (emotionally speaking) was a challenge. This woman had evidently worked in a shelter in Texas, so understood animals. So my boys have their home!!! Yea!!!

It's silly, but I just had to share that. There is part of me deep down inside that is angry that my situation - both health and financially - is preventing me from getting an animal. I've always had a pet. But I've always been able to take care of them.

I held a kitten in my hands the other day and it was so tiny, and it reminded me of when I first got my last cat, who lived to be 20. And a kitten just tends to steal your heart. But they get under your feet and run around and it's really easy to trip over them. So I think if I am able to get a cat again, it will be one of the older ones. And you know when I look into their eyes it reminds me of so many of us. We're older and not feeling so hot and can't be with the people and go to the places we used to. There's a sadness to it, but giving them a treat and talking to each one is a treat for me.

Ok, I'll stop! If you're not an animal lover I hope you stopped reading long ago!!

PaLady

Post Edited (PAlady) : 5/21/2009 2:27:07 PM (GMT-6)

PALady,

I'm a cat person too. Our new cat is an orange tabby. Very nice markings. We got him as a kitten just over a year ago. Named him Harley because he purred so loudly it sounded like motorcycle! Harley has been challenge. He is all boy and very active. He loves to hide and attack and it easy to trip over him. We love him and he is a great comfort to me especially on bad pain days. He is a "bed buddy" when I just want to lie down and read or rest. I know, as you do, that once a pet person, always a pet person. I hope you can see your way to one soon. They offer so much love in return for the roof over their head and food in their dish.

Modelmaker

Ok I'm not a cat lover even though I just got my family a kitten. But I am so thrilled someone adopted them together. I know you will miss them but you know they went to a good home. Now you need to find another one or a pair to spend time with. If you think about it PAlady you helped them recover from there emotional scars as much as you could. Now they have a chance to be happy together... I give you paws for that effort.

Laurie

God PA you make me miss my cat! waaaaaaaa (joking but I do miss him). Mighty Mouse passed away 3 years ago. I miss him so much. He was with me for 17 years! Long time for a cat.

I am so glad you got them adopted PA. That is so coooool!!! Hugs girl!

Scarred

Awe, thanks everyone! I love reading your stories. And the names of your pets are so neat - Harley, Mighty Mouse, and Moggieway - the dog who thought he was a cat!

Piercings I loved your story....after you had such tragedy. Animals can bring us so much. I have a hunch somewhere in my future will be one of those older cats. You know, there are a lot of them at the shelter people are having to leave because they can't afford to keep them anymore. Ane of course, the ones who are there because an elderly owner died or went to a nursing home.

Right now, visiting these cats is bringing so much to my life. WhiteBeard if you want to get a smile before you're resettled, go to your local shelter (with some treats, of course) and ask if they'll let you give the cats a treat. I do have to add we have a new Humane Society facility; it's state of the art, so it's fairly pleasant to go to. Their old building was in the way of a road expansion, so they got a good settlement to help build the new place. They have vets there and do the spay/neutering for all animals who are old enough before they are adopted.

I have a hunch one of these days I will fall in love with one of them and just won't be able to keep myself from bringing him or her home. Right now I want to bring them ALL home; now that's a bit of a problem!

BTW Laurie - is this your first cat? Because they have a way of growing on you! I was always a dog person, and I still love dogs, but they're a lot more physical work. But those felines can grow on you!

PaLady

Post Edited (PAlady) : 5/21/2009 6:19:14 PM (GMT-6)

Awe,Skeye, that's so sad. I know you love these creatures, too. But I'll bet you can easily find another "office cat" without having to look very hard!

PaLady

PAlady, I would gladly send you Oscar, he is a white shorthair with orange head and tail, very beautiful but very feral!!! Doesn't want to be touched, suffers me to stroke him sometimes. I got him for the kids to get over their fear of animals and guess what he's increased it!!! The vet said he has a dodgy heart so whether that makes him grumpy I don't know, I love cats but this one really doesn't like people!!! He's hilarious, bites anyone in range! I hear people outside saying what a beautiful cat and feel like yelling out the window DON"T TOUCH HIM! He lives up to his name, Oscar the grouch!

PALady, I think your story was sweet. I am glad your boys got adopted. It sounds like they'll be in a good home and taken care of well. I know that does your heart good to know that. I think it is great that you take treats to the animal shelter for the cats. I know they appreciated it. And it is probably good for you too. It sounds like it is theraputic for you. I think it is great.

I am personally a dog lover. I have a mixed medium size dog. I've had her for about 7 years. My best friend found her, when she was a puppy, hopping down the sidewalk. She was so little. She wasn't running. She literally hopped. Anyway her husband wouldn't let her have the puppy, so I got her. My son was about 4 at the time. I let him name her. And he named her "Catie". He had a little girlfriend at daycare and that was her name. I thought is was cute, but told him when Catie wasn't his girlfriend, he couldn't change the dogs name. My sons' name is Connor so I put the C on Catie too. Her name is Catie Belle, and we call her just Catie. She is white with a black brindle spot over her eye. and she has a few other spots on her. She is a really good dog. I know that since my surgery, she has been right beside me. If I am in the bed, she is there. If I am in my recliner, she is right there. Same with the kitchen or even bathroom. She knows I don't feel good, somehow she senses it. She is a sweet,gentle, loving dog. And she is part of the family.

It's easy to get attached to animals. They are so loving. Maybe you'll be able to get you a cat one day. I know it would be company to you. Keep on going to the shelter with the treats until you get on of your own. I think that is super sweet.
Anice

Palady,

That story really made me feel so much better today...I was a "Dog Person" for most of my life....about 8 years ago I found a cat outside of my apt. in the rain and cold and took her in...Then another one showed up...I took her in...I had already had one Giant Black male cat that I adopted from the Dumpster in Knoxville so I had a house full....One of the new ones got out for only one hour....ended up preggers.  She had 4 kittens.  I lived in a 2 BR apt. with my son so we were already tight....But I tell you what...those kittens and the older cats made me laugh and cry....They were wonderful.

Well, we had to find homes for the kittens and that was rough...But I still have the older 3...The male had cancer 2 years ago, but with surgery he did fine...cancer free!!!!  The other ones have been fixed and declawed and are pretty good...I love them so much.

It hurts me to go to a shelter, but I am glad that you find the time to do it.  More power to ya girl....

There will be a special place in Heaven for You......with a bunch of cats..

Me.

I am just loving all your stories!! Thank each one of you for adding!!

And Me, I really like the idea of being in heaven with a bunch of cats - and well, I have a few dogs roaming around up there, too!

I love how so many of you have taken in strays and, well, I'm sort of tearing up right now!

Thank you all!!

PaLady
p.s. Me I had to add how just reading these stories made you feel better. And how true that is for many of us, right? When I was holding that kitten I was laughing and giggling like I was a child. Maybe animals, for some of us, should be on our list of therapies for CP?

Post Edited (PAlady) : 5/22/2009 11:34:46 AM (GMT-6)

Wow, Jen! There must have been something very special about that cat to make you drive 800 miles! I love looking on petfinder - is that how you found her?

PaLady

Just to add to the rescue stories: One of my two cats, "Sammy" is a rescue. He is one of the most gorgeous cats I've ever seen! He has long black fur with white paws and a whit spot on his chin. He is just the sweetest thing! I've only ever heard him growl or hiss a few times (he is 11 yrs old this year, and we have had him since he was a kitten). He just purrs and purrs and purrs. It is so loud that you can hear him in the next room! I often try to get him to sleep on my bed at night because his purring is so comforting (although he tends to wake me up quite often throughout the night - when I am actually asleep! - to be petted, although often what is really wants is to charm me so that I will get up and let him outside). We got him from a shelter after my first cat, a 6 month old kitten, "Chloe" went missing for two weeks. I guess someone had found a litter of kittens in a bag thrown next to the dumpster behind a restaurant. He was the teeniest scraggly little thing. It took him a year or so to learn how to use his claws (since he didn't have a mother to teach him - the kittens were very young when they were abandoned). He could get the claw out okay, but he didn't know how to retract it, so he would get stuck on things, often with his arm dangling from some piece of cloth! We would have to unhook his claws for him. Nowadays he is a fabulous hunter, but he still tends to get his claws stuck in my shirt when I hold him. The funny thing is that the day after we brought Sammy home, we found Chloe hiding in the pricker bushes in a nearby nature preserve! We brought her home & she was exhausted and hungry, as she probably hadn't eaten in days. She slept for several days, but when she awoke & saw Sammy she went ballistic! We refer to the resulting several months as "World War III." We really thought she was going to kill him! Even to this day Chloe picks on him (although she also intimidates all the dogs, as well as visiting dogs -- they are all terrified of her, & with good reason).

Skeye

That reminds me....My multi-colored female rescue cat was a ***** on wheels from day one...She would attack me in the middle of the night!! We were both sleeping and all of a sudden she would wake up and BAM, slash me in the face!! Me and my son would have to cover ourselves up when she went on a rampage....she would come after us...It was to the point that I was going to take her to a shelter...Seriously!!! I couldn't protect my other 2 cats, and they would all be squared off... in a triangle....growling....furr all puffed up....and hissing...  We would laugh and then RUN for cover!!!  Never could figure out what the deal was... My male black cat was fixed, but the other 2 females weren't...I couldn't afford it.  And the TOMS that would stalk around the apt.  Oh My Goodness!!! That was an ordeal..

In the morning we would wake up to fur all over the carpet in clumps....and the cats all hiding in different parts of the apt.  Then we found out that we were moving into our new house with my mom.  She didn't know about the cats and I was so scared.... Eventually it was ok.  We ended up living across the street from a Vetrenarian and she found out about my male having cancer...I mean she diagnosed it.  She did surgery, removed the bottom front part of his jaw, and he is purrrrfect today....but his tounge hangs out all the time like he's a little "retarted". And she declawed and fixed the 2 females for a very nominal amount of money.... She is great.  Her name is Jane and I give her props...

anyway, that is my continued story...

Me.