I met with Debbie (Tubby & Peanut's Mom) today.

[Uabassoon]

Debbie was in town for an RV convention so we met up at the Hermitage Cat Shelter so she could meet Scooter the cat that she sponsers. I took some pictures, but I was so busy petting the cats that I forgot to have one taken of me!

This is Debbie with a sweet kitty named Homer. He had some neurolgical damage because his mother had distemper.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/lickitung/IMG_3895.jpg

Here is Debbie with Scooter, she was so sweet and would scoot up to me, Alexa and Debbie for attention.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/lickitung/IMG_3896.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/lickitung/IMG_3899.jpg

I don't remember this guys name, but he really loved Alexa. They said that he was almost 100% blind.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/lickitung/IMG_3898.jpg

This is the outdoor area for the special needs cats.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/lickitung/IMG_3901.jpg

This big guy seemed pretty happy!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/lickitung/IMG_3902.jpg

Then we left the area with the special needs cats and went to see those in the adoptable area.

Alexa was quick to make a friend!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/lickitung/IMG_3904.jpg

Does anyone need a black kitty?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/lickitung/IMG_3905.jpg

This girl was so beautiful, but very shy. I wanted to pet her but she didn't want anyone getting too close to her.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/lickitung/IMG_3906.jpg

Out of their 400 cats in the shelter half of them are special needs and will most likely live there for their entire lives. At first I was sad to see all of those with special needs, but then I realized that they were happy and had a place to live where they would be loved and cared for.

[lbaker]

Oh WOW! Beautiful cats and sounds like a beautiful time. So happy to hear you all were able to meet up again! Debbie, I swear you get prettier every day. Special cats and special people :cool:

[Karen]

It looks like a very special place, and such pretty kitties! Hmmmm - did the staff check Alexa's satchel on the way out? That looks big enough to fit at least one stowaway! ;)

[slick]

**waves** Hi Debbie!!!! Hi Alexa!!! Hi Laura!!!
Debbie, I emailed you yesterday. Was worried because you hadn't checked in with PT. Now I see why! How sad to see so many special needs kitties....but it's nice that they have a warm place to live out their lives. Still, wouldn't it be nice if each and every one of them found a loving home of their very own???

Laura, I'd like to know more about this sponsoring thing. How can I get involved?? I'm going to PM you my email address so we can discuss. Is there a website I can check out??

[Uabassoon]

Slick here is their website.

the hermitage cat shelter (http://www.hermitagecatshelter.org/Home.asp)

The cat on the main page right now Thumper was the cutest little thing ever! He had such a great personality, we all fell in love with him.

[slick]

Thanks. :)

[CalliesMom]

I lived in Tucson a couple of years ago (I graduated from UA 2003) and I wanted to volunteer at the Hermitage. They never called me back but I fell in love with the place! Such a wonderful environment for kitties in need. Thanks for the pics!

[jenluckenbach]

It is great that you all got to meet. :D Now when is Debbie driving that motor home THIS way? ;)

That shelter looks so nice. And the kitties!!!! I would not have been able to walk away from them all. :(

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

What a great shelter!!! I love that shy calico girl!! She wouldn't be shy much longer if she would get the chance to join my crew ;)
Thanks for all these pics!!

btw, GREAT legs, Debbie ;) :)

[Barbara]

What a great meeting at a wonderful place!
I fell in love with that little meezer boy who is nearly blind.
I think the picture with the black kitty shelf is very special too :)

[Laura's Babies]

IF I ever win the lottery, I am doing that with the money. Making a shelter for cats. Me and Mike talk about it all the time and he has laid down the law to me on that too. He told me I can only add 4 more to the ones I already have and the rest we have to find homes for... Problem with that is.. would ANY home ever be able to meet MY standards? I wish they had one of those here, that is where I would be every day!

Yea, Debbie, when you coming back down this way? I haven't met CJ yet ya know, and would love to see that lovely Peanut again.

[catmandu]

What a Pleasure to see you Debbie with All These Cats.
I have that excat same Plastic Toer in the Found Cat Hotel.
Was that a Black Angel that I saw over your Shoulder?

[Randi]

A perfect meeting place! :D What a bunch a sweet kitties! It's good to see they have lots of space and are taken such good care of. :) Wish I could work in a place like that! I hope the ones who need a home will find one soon!

Love the pictures - Debbie and Alexa, you haven't changed one bit since I last saw you. What a great day you had! :)

Shame on you for not posing, Laura! ;)

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Great pictures, Laura! I couldn't believe I forgot my camera. :rolleyes:

It really is sad to see so many kitties with various "handicaps" but they really don't seem to notice.

Homer (the kitty in the first pic with me) was such a little love bug! Twice he came over and just crawled right into my lap! :D In the first picture with Scooter, you can see Homer is still in my lap. He was such a small skinny thing that I didn't realize he was a senior until I read his profile.

The orangie in the picture where I'm giving Scooter skritchies is Festus. If you go here http://www.charityadvantage.com/hermitagecatshelterorg/SanctuaryCats.asp and scroll down, you can see him. The lady said he was born with a curved spine, so I don't think it's that his back legs didn't work, it's just that his spine curled them under in an odd way. He actually was able to jump up on a small ledge to get to a big food bowl that was there. :D

Scooter was a little sweetie, but she sure didn't mind letting you know when she had enough! The good news is she just nipped, not clamped down. ;)

The almost blind meezer is Antwon. Stuart reminded me of Slick's Max. He was fast asleep and didn't even wake up when I petted him. Harley has an absolutely adorable face. He had to come see what was going on, but he kept his distance and even went zooming away when I reached out to pet him. There were so many that these are the only ones I really remember of the disabled kitties, except for Thumper who is featured on the shelter's home page. Thumper is an absolute DOLL! I think they said he was about 7 months old and he was in a very playful mood! He was chasing a ball around and playing in a little tent thingy they had. He had no tail and it's as if his hips don't swivel. He could use his back legs, they just didn't move much and it really did look like he was hopping around like a bunny, but he was just too adorable!

I don't remember who it was, but as soon as I sat down somebody climbed up my back and wanted to sit on my shoulders. I was perfectly fine with that, but the shelter lady took him down. :(

I really didn't want to leave, and it's a good thing I didn't go there to actually adopt a cat because there is NO way I could have picked just one to bring home. But at least I got to meet my little feisty Scooter girl.....but now I want to foster Homer.....and Antwon.....and....well.....ALL of them! ;)

Slick, I did get your email, but I won't have a chance to check it out until I get home tomorrow. These rallies are really work! Up at the crack of dawn and going like gang busters until we collapse in bed at night, just to get up the next morning and do it all over again! We're have a great time though, and I really dread going home tomorrow, but soon.....soon.....

[Edwina's Secretary]

So that is where you have been!

[Cinder & Smoke]

These rallies are really work!

I really dread going home tomorrow, but soon.....soon.....

So ... WHERE are the FurKids????

And when is Final Move OUT day?

[QueenScoopalot]

OMG!!! I'd feel right at home there! :D I love the name "Special Ed"...and fell in love with so many of the special kitties there, but then again my M*A*S*H Unit is quite full. :rolleyes: *Sigh* if I wasn't so far away..... :( Looks like one terrific shelter and looks like you all had a fun visit there. :)

[zippy-kat]

Awwww I really enjoyed these pictures! That calico is soooo pretty and when I went to the home page, look what I found: Baby calico (http://www.charityadvantage.com/hermitagecatshelterorg/images/PA150029.JPG) Wonder if it's the same girl?

Scooter sure looks like a charmer. How cool that Debbie got to meet her foster! :cool:


I absolutely love this picture - so much going on! LOL
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/lickitung/IMG_3901.jpg
Of course what made me immediately notice it was the Kissiekat look alike. ;) (I guess that one's Flannigan?) Love the headless-belly shot and the "tail puller" and the ball chaser and the one "in the corner" (ok, just facing the wall).

Looks like you guys had a wonderful visit!

[Uabassoon]

Of course what made me immediately notice it was the Kissiekat look alike.

When we walked into the room one of the first things Debbie noticed was that kitty and how it looked like your Kissiekat!

[Catsnclay]

OMG Debbie!

I didn't realize that you were in Tucson! PLEASE, please come up to Phoenix and visit K&L and me!! ........PLEASE..... :eek:

You are soooooooooo close!!!!

Lisa, Kevin, Tim, I and ALL the kitties would live to meet you and Terry!

[orangemm]

What a wonderful experience for both of you! Those kitties look happy and content there.

I was taken with the blackies...............

[rg_girlca]

Wow, that is one fabulous shelter. I have never seen one like that before. It's like kitty heaven for all the homeless kitties.

I'm glad you got to finally meet your Scooter. She is absolutely beautiful. :)

[shais_mom]

GORGEOUS KITTIES!
I'm in love with the feisty calico -
the big orangie reminded me of Noah! :)
so glad you got to hook up Debbie, Alexa, and Laura! :)

[RICHARD]

Did I miss the address so I could send a donation?

HINT HINT?

[ramanth]

How neat!! Great photos. :D

I just want to love on that orange fluffy belly. :D

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Did I miss the address so I could send a donation?

HINT HINT?
Richard, here is the link to the page of their web site where they give you many options on how to support them. Support the Hermitage Shelter (http://www.hermitagecatshelter.org/SupportUs.asp) If you don't want to do the Paypal thing, click on Contact Us on the left and that will give their mailing address.

I've decided I'm going to sponsor Homer too. I just can't get his adorable little determined self out of my mind. :D

[Russian Blue]

What a great place and it must have been great to meet everyone! Now I just need to win the lottery to establish my own shelter... ;)

[jazzcat]

How great that you guys got to meet up and at such a wonderful place.

Oh Debbie, I just was that you are going to sponsor Homer too! :D :D That is great!

Loved the pictures. I'd have had a hard time leaving there.

[lvpets2002]

:) Hello all & what a great shelter this looks to be.. The babies are all so adorable..

[Killearn Kitties]

That is so nice that you got to meet Scooter! Lucky Homer benefitted too!
What a great trip you had - met lots of cats and had a PT meeting! What could be better?

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

HOW :cool: that you guys got to meet!! Im sooo jealous!!! :D

Looks like you guys had a fun time. That looks like a WONDERFUL shelter... the special needs kitties look so content laying around in the sun. It make me want to cry lookin at them... and that they have somewhere they can live with food, water and love! :)

[catfamily]

I'm so overwhelmed.These cats are VERY healthy happy and are taken care of.If I were a cat,I would love to be there.I'd scoop up a couple if you lived near me :eek: :D