I'm on a mission...

[moosmom]

A friend of mine from work is looking for a kitty companion for his Grandma's (deceased) 12 year old cat. I've been searching high and low and stopped by the Humane Society this morning to just "look" (yeah right )

To say there are MANY kittens is an understatement. They have older cats with "free to good home" on their paperwork. While my friend Kitty, the director of adoptions at the HS, said that she would waive the $90 fee in a heartbeat, she told me she'd get called on the carpet for it. I found the most adorable white and orange male that looks like he's got oriental in him. He's a real spitfire!! Above him was an 8 month old Maine Coon mix with one eye (from a birth defect) that is the sweetest thing.

I cannot get this girl out of my mind. I've got a call into Kitty to see about her. If not, I'll have to keep looking.

What is wrong with people??? One "excuse" was that the cat kept wanting to sleep with the baby. DUH!!! Does the baby's room have a...
DOOR?? Ever heard of a...

BABYGATE?????

UGH!!!!

I had to leave. It was far too depressing. Besides, in my financial state right now, I can't afford anymore than I already have, and I don't think Mark would be happy.

I can dream, can't I???

[momcat]

Hi Moosmom! How do we convince people that cats are not a danger to babies? I think it's good for a child to grow up with a pet as long as the child is taught care and respect for the pet right from jump street. Sure kittens are cute and lots of fun to have around. But senior cats are just as much fun and they're affectionate beyond belief. With lots of love and proper care an older cat is something special. When the time comes, I won't hesitate to go for an adult kitty in need of a safe home, care, and a healthy dose of spoiling. Good luck on your mission! I often tell folks in search of a kitty not to overlook the older ones, they're extra special!

[CalliesMom]

People come up with the lamest excuses to get rid of their animals. Believe me, I've heard every single one when it comes to family members. I refuse to take on any animal unless it is for the rest of the animal's life. I love my kitties like they are children; one can see that just by walking into the house and seeing the pictures of my cats, their toys, and cat trees.

I know it is hard to not take home every beautiful cat at the shelters. I torture myself by searching Pet Finder but I realize I have more than enough animals at this point. 3 is enough for me!

[CultureJunky]

It is very annoying when you see situations like that, when I got Jack & SUnny from Cat's protection, there were loads of cats that said 'my mum couldn't look after me and the new baby' and i was like, yeah cause cats are just soooooooo hard to look after aren't they. it's quite obvious for these kinds of people that once they have a human baby the cat loses it's appeal.
It's just so cruel on the cats , grrrrrrr it makes me so angry.

[catmandu]

And the thing is that once these Babies start walking, and being independent, that they are not as loved and cared for either.
There are so many children in this area, who are sent out to play, while the parents drink beer or watch TV.
Careless Pet and Children Guardians dont care for anyone but themselves.

[Sonia59]

I understand what you mean. Each time a new cat arrives to the shelter where I help, I ask where the kitty comes from and why he is here...each time I get angry! The reasons are always so stupid!

On the other hand I also see nice "fairy tales" and well ending stories. For example last week, a 8-year old kitty who had a hard life so far (she was very skinny, full of parasites, pregnant as every year, and belonged to a guy that could not take care of her) was adopted by a woman. I always thought it would be hard to find her a home because people are usually not interested in adult cats, so when I new that I was so happy! And the nice thing is that this woman adopted the cat for her mother who is 93 years old and has to go living in a house for old people. She was allowed to bring an animal if she already had it before she arrives, but unfortunately her 13-year old cat unexpectedly died! So the daughter tried to find very quickly a new cat so that nobody notices it's not the same cat ! And Minnie was adopted! She loves napping on people's lap, so I guess she will now be a lap cat for an old lady, being loved, fed and pet all day long. What a dream for Minnie! And the daughter said that we should not worry if her mother deceases, she will continue taking care of Minnie, as she would have done for the 13-year old cat! Happy end!

It's a pity we live far from each other because Minnie has a daughter (4-years old) who was rescued in the same time. She is very sweet and would also have a perfect life with an old person

[moosmom]

I talked to Levar last night at work. I told him that if he was off on Saturday, I'd take him up to the Newington Humane Society OR the Meriden Humane Society to get a kitten. I told him that while the adoption fee at Newington HS is $90, it would cost him MUCH more just to have the kitten fixed (if we got a free one), tested, vaccinated and de-wormed. He totally agreed with me. He's a VERY mature, well rounded 18 year old who is a hard worker too. I've got alot of respect for him.

I haven't been able to get that one-eyed Maine Coon mix off my mind since my visit on Sunday. *sigh* I'm sure Kitty (director of adoptions) will call me should any of the kittens be at risk for euthansia, which is highly unlikely. There's also another cat, a long haired tortie who was playing with me through the glass, that's also been on my mind alot lately.

In the meantime, the search is on!!!!

[carole]

Good luck with your search Donna, and Donna two words, RESIST , RESIST, coming from me that is rich, since my household has bumped up from two to five, and yep i was always saying i could not afford anymore, well hubby did get a new job and wage rise, guess where it is all going now lol. so i will never have money, or fancy stuff, but i am rich in many other ways.

[Lizzie]

On one of my visits to the shelter, about a month ago, I saw a brown tabby female that immediately started talking, or rather yelling, at me. The shelter vet said she'd just come in, had a cold, and wasn't eating. Rachel, the shelter staff I've worked with so much on adopting my FIV+ boys said the cat was about 15 and had been dropped off by her owner because "she couldn't care for her anymore". I wanted to take her right then, even though I'd just adopted 2 more cats, but I couldn't because she was going through the admissions process. On my next visit to the shelter, two weeks later, I asked about her and found out that she'd been euthanized because she was in later stage renal failure and they couldn't get her to eat. So I guess her owner simply used the shelter as a cheap way of getting someone to take care of her cat's last stage of life. I was so angry, I'm still angry, and I wish so very, very much that I'd persuaded them to let me take her with the promise to take her right to my vet. Even if the forced feedings and twice-daily sub-q fluids hadn't worked, she would have been in a home environment at the end. Is this the way people want to be treated at the end of their lives?!

My life has been greatly enriched recently by my adoption of several cats that are in their teens. There is nothing to compare with seeing Dagda, who had been in a shelter for more than 5 years, slowly come out of his very tight shell so that he now romps around with a catnip mouse and can't wait to lean against me every night. Or seeing Dude, who looked as though he would be grateful for death because his bloody mouth pained him so much and he was so tired of many years in a shelter, now toothless but racing around the house with friends, lolling in the sun on the deck, and gazing into my face in welcome each morning. How can these people give up so much joy and love.

Donna - don't you have an extra space for a cat now that you won't be getting Pumpkin?