cats

Happy 10th Birthday, Jolene!

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Happy 10th Birthday, Jolene! The goddess and queen of our household brings so much joy and life to our home. While physically smaller than the boys, Jolene is in charge of everyone and everything. Even at the vet office, she comes out of the carrier and into the exam room like she owns the practice, and everyone adores her.

Jolene was unexpectedly sick earlier this month and had to have an emergency vet appointment. During her treatment and recovery, there was a noticeable difference in our home. Without Jolene at her best, it felt like the life had gone out of our home. We are so happy she has fully recovered from her illness and is back to her cheerful self. 

Jolene is extremely intelligent. She is one of the most intelligent cats I have ever met. Sometimes she behaves more like a dog. Jolene knows and responds to her name. She comes when called 99% of the time. The only times she does not come when called is when something is wrong – she is physically stuck somewhere, is guarding a mouse in the live trap tube, or is not physically well. 

Jolene gets along well with both of her brothers and with every person she meets. She is curious, loves to explore, and can be quite the diva when she wants attention. She is loving and kind. I really could not ask for anything more. We are so blessed Jolene chose me when I went to the shelter – for a dog, no less! 

It was estimated that Jolene was 5 years old when she was found outside the shelter in a box with her kittens. She watched all her kittens be adopted, then it was her turn. I had gone to the shelter looking for a cat-friendly dog. I wandered into the cat room to help socialize some kittens. I never would have noticed Jolene if she had not made herself known. Jolene was in a cube way at the back, on the bottom. She frantically pawed at the enclosure. The orange movement is what caught my eye. I saw her over in the corner on the bottom and took her out. She hugged me and would not let go. We went into a private “visiting room” at the shelter. 

I had not wanted a third cat, but Jolene picked me out. I am so glad that she did. She has livened up all our lives. In addition to being an older mom, Jolene has a disability. She only has 4 teeth. All her teeth were rotten when she had been dumped at the shelter, so they had to be removed. Despite this, she does not let it hold her back. I thought she would need to be soft food only, since she only had 4 teeth. However, she kept stealing kibble from Jude and Simon, pretty much insisting on eating the same food as the boys. They get soft food for breakfast for liquid and kibble for dinner for their teeth. Jolene eats the same as Jude and Simon. You would never guess she only has 4 teeth.

Spending most of her life prior to adoption outside, Jolene is our Lead Hedgewatch-er. She knows absolutely everything that goes on both inside and outside the house from bugs to mice to birds to squirrels to the outside stray cats. She often runs from room to room to look out various windows to follow someone’s (usually a stray cat’s) progress as they walk about outside. 

Jolene gives so much love to all of us. She has two favorite stuffies that she moves around every single day. She loves a beanie baby that looks like a ghost bear, carrying it around the house like a kitten. She also moves around a giant crinkle carrot toy quite a bit. I often find ghost bear in bed with me, and she also puts it in Jude and Simon’s carriers to show them she loves them too. 

Every year for Jolene’s birthday, I like to remind people to adopt the differently abled pets. Adopt the older ones, the moms, the ones who are shy. Jolene sat in that shelter for a long time. Her kittens were adopted first. She was a 5-year-old mom cat with a disability shoved in the bottom corner at the shelter way at the back of the room. If she hadn’t pawed so frantically for me to see the orange movement, I never would have noticed her. I walked into that room to help socialize kittens. 

Please take the time to visit the shy ones who hide, the older ones, the moms. They all have as much love to give as a cute little kitten. Just because a cat is older does not mean they are “set in their ways.” Jolene adapted to our routine. It just takes time. She brings so much love and joy and life to our home. It seems like things were so gloomy before Jolene entered our home. We were never unhappy, but she just brings that much happiness.

It’s like Jolene lights a fire under Jude and Simon and gets them to play. Jude would not play a lot until Jolene came along. Jolene truly brings out the best in everyone she meets. 

We watched a documentary recently about cats on Nova and learned that orange cats were not common in the wild. Orange was a recessive trait. Orange cats could not camouflage and hide in the wild. Orange cats did not last long in the wild – they could not hide and were prey.

 It was the ancient Egyptians who specifically bred orange cats, to honor their sun god. Mummified cats have even been found with orange fur. They were considered gods/goddesses. Jolene is definitely a goddess. She is queen of our home. 

Adopt don’t shop. Consider the shy, the elderly, and the moms.

Happy 10th Birthday, Jolene! We love you! 

Happy 8th Birthday, Simon!

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Today the baby turns 8! Simon brings so much joy to all our lives. He is our Chief Cuddler and is very loving to everyone. He snuggles and plays with both Jude and Jolene. 

As the youngest, Simon rarely appears for coworker shifts. Usually, if he is in the office, that means it is getting close to mealtime or quitting time. His internal clock also tells him when work is over, and it turns to family time for cuddles. 

Simon tends to be the indicator for when it is time to turn the heat on in the fall. Simon sleeps with me every single night. He is always right next to me, on top of the covers. When Simon is under the covers, it is time to turn on the heat! I made the mistake of turning the heat off this spring when we still had some 40F nights, and he indicated his displeasure by burrowing under the covers with me. I did turn the heat back on. 

Simon rides well in the car and is perfectly behaved at his vet visits. Everyone that meets him loves him. Of the three, Simon is the shyest. He always hides under the kitchen sink if anyone comes in the house. However, the staff at the vet office always comment on how sweet and loving he is, once he comes out of his shell. 

We are all kept young by Simon’s playful antics. He plays equally with both Jolene and Jude. They take turns chasing each other through the house and wrestling. Simon’s favorite toys are small toy mice, that are often found under the refrigerator. Every week I use a yard stick to fish out all the cat toys he has gotten under appliances.

Simon also loves catnip bananas and can often be found “calling his friends” on the nana phone. He is an avid bird watcher and loves doing his Hedgewatch out the kitchen window.

He embodies pure sweetness, kindness, and love. Whenever I get down about what is going on in the world, all I must do is look at Simon to see a beautiful soul. 

We are so blessed to have Simon in our home. A phrase I often say is “Simon is a good baby.” It is true. Simon is the sweetest young man. Happy 8th Birthday, Simon! 

Happy 12th Birthday, Jude!

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Today is Jude’s 12th birthday. It is also his Gotcha Day. Jude has officially been with me for a decade now. Every single day he truly lives up to his name by taking a sad song and making it better. Jude brings so much joy to our home. 

Jude is my lead coworker. He knows when I am working and typically sleeps in the cat bed next to me. The past few months he has even started to sit in my lap. Jude has been having health issues since the fall and has been sitting in my lap since he became unwell. 

The vet office has not yet been able to pinpoint a cause for his issues. He was having trouble eating and stopped eating. I changed his food, which has helped. He has had dental care at the vet office. He is scheduled for another procedure later this month to see if that will help him. To be honest, I kind of think that Jude is older than we all think and that he is showing signs of advancing age.

Jude is the man of the house. He is definitely in-charge. That is, unless something involves Jolene. Jude treats Jolene much the same as he treated Kitty the last few years he was alive. Kitty and Jude were together for 3 years before Kitty passed away from cancer. Jude treated Kitty with respect. He cuddled him, groomed him, and would play with him. Somehow, Jude seemed to know when Kitty had enough playing and would stop.

Jude is quite similar with Jolene. He plays with Jolene, but you can tell when he does that he thinks twice about it. He will play with her a little bit and then stop. Basically if Jolene does something “back” to Jude, he will stop and run away. 

Jude plays more with Simon. Sometimes, I worry that he plays too rough with Simon. However, there are plenty of times I find Jude and Simon cuddling together and grooming each other. The play is two-sided. Simon does batt back at Jude. 

Jude was an only child for 7 months after Kitty passed away. I had not been ready to adopt again, but Jude was acting like he was lonely and needed another friend. I remember when I adopted Simon to be Jude’s friend. I kept Simon separate at first to do the slow introduction I always do with a new cat. However, Simon had only been home for a day when they were already playing “paws” under the door. Jude accepted Simon quite readily into the household. 

I worry about Jude’s health issues. We never know how long we have on this earth. I am so privileged to have had this decade with Jude. He has completely taken a sad song and made it better. I am hoping that Jude is with me for many more years. Of course, he is getting all the vet care he needs. But you never know how things are going to go. 

Based on his attitude, Jude is a fighter. He is not letting his increasing age get him down. He is still very much in charge of our home. As he ages, Jude has become even more loving with me and with his siblings. He has come a long way from the scared cat that was rescued from a hoarding situation that had 30+ cats crammed into a tiny trailer. Jude is now confident, loved and loving. 

I am so grateful to have Jude in my life. Happy Birthday, Jude. I love you. 

Happy Gotcha Day, Simon!

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Happy Gotcha Day, Simon! Simon has been with me for 6 years. He is 7.5 years old. I purposefully waited until November 1 to bring Simon home, despite being approved to adopt him the last week of October. Halloween is a very dangerous time for cats, as evil people often torture them. I decided to bring Simon home on November 1 so that he was safe in the shelter on Halloween. (Many pets go missing on Halloween.)

Simon is the baby of the family and our Chief Cuddler. Everyone loves Simon. Simon sleeps with me every single night, right next to my pillow. Simon is very gentle and shy. He is afraid of fireworks and loud noises. He is a homebody and has never expressed any interest in going outside or leaving the house. 

He hides in the cupboard under the kitchen sink when he gets scared. While he is terrified of the upright vacuum cleaner, he tolerates the robot vacuum. Simon no longer hides when the robot vacuum is working. 

Simon plays with both Jolene and Jude. He tends to play more with Jolene. They chase each other up and down the stairs and wrestle on the floor. Simon cuddles with both Jude and Jolene, which is why he is Chief Cuddler.

Being the baby of the family, Simon does not think he needs to perform coworker duties. Simon very rarely makes appearances in the office as coworker. Typically, when Simon appears in the office, it’s because it is close to a mealtime. At mealtimes, Simon sits and waits patiently for his food to be dished (as opposed to his siblings who prance about). 

Simon loves playing red dot and with small toy mice. He often picks up the toy mice and flings them through the air. He enjoys watching birds play in the bushes outside the window. 

Simon brings so much joy to all our lives. I am so glad he is part of our family. Simon is so sweet, gentle, and loving. We love you, Simon. Happy Gotcha Day! 

Happy 9th Birthday, Jolene!

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Happy 9th Birthday, Jolene! Today, the Queen of our household and our lead Hedgewatch’er turns 9. Jolene is so loved. She brings life and love into our home. 

Jolene was 5 years old when she was adopted, after having watched all her kittens be adopted. Jolene has a genetic disorder that affects her mouth and only has four teeth. She gives so much love. I can’t believe she waited in the shelter for so long watching her kittens be adopted first.

Please remember when adopting that the moms, the older cats, and the cats with special needs all need loving homes too. They have so much love to give. They give as much love and joy as a kitten. 

While Jolene is much smaller than Simon and Jude, she is the queen of our household. She keeps both boys in line. Simon is younger, but bigger than Jolene. She still treats him like a kitten sometimes. The only thing she does not do is carry him around (he is too big for that!), but she certainly tries. Jude is very respectful of Jolene. He knows she is in charge. He does play wih her, but Jude does not play as rough with Jolene as Simon does.

You can tell sometimes by the look on his face that Jude thinks twice before instigating a play session with Jolene. He allows her to be in charge. Simon would be evenly matched with Jolene except that he is a few pounds bigger than her. She gives as good as she gets, though! Simon and Jolene often chase each other up and down the stairs. 

Jolene follows me everywhere and must always supervise me. She is frequently in the same room as me. If she is not in the same room, she knows where I am. She does get upset when I leave the house. I often come home to her favorite stuffies laying near the door. She piles them all there for me for when I return.

Jolene loves her stuffies and transports them all over the house. She has a toy box full of different stuffies. You never know which one she is going to take out or where she will take it. Her favorite stuffies are carrot and ghost bear. Carrot and ghost bear move every single day, even if the other stuffies do not. 

Jolene sleeps with me every night and I often wake up to find she has put her stuffies in bed with us. She loves both her brothers and can often be found playing, cuddling, or grooming them.

Out of all three cats, Jolene is the one who most loves to bird watch and to Hedgewatch. She takes every opportunity she can to supervise bird flight patterns. She loves when the windows are open so she can both see and hear the birds. She judges the squirrels that steal the bird seed out of the feeders and keeps an eye on all the outside cats and neighbors. 

Jolene will be the first to let you know if something is going on! She is well in tune with the entire neighborhood. She will see an outside cat out the window and knows which window to run to next to track their progress across the yard. 

Jolene knows her name and she answers to it. I have never seen a cat answer to their name as well as she does. She is more like a dog. She will always come when you call her. Unlike most cats, she does not ignore her name. If she hears it, she comes to see what is going on or what you need. 

She is the perfect daughter. Jolene is the first girl cat I have ever had. I could not have asked for a more loving child. I am so glad she picked me out at the shelter years ago (I had gone to adopt a dog!). 

Jolene brings so much love and light and life to our home. She loves everyone she meets. She is the friendliest cat. Jolene is very well behaved at the vet office and takes her medication when mixed in with a treat without fuss. She is the most amazing cat. She is my heart, the love of my life, and my hero. 

Happy 9th Birthday, Jolene! 

Please take time to look at and adopt the older cats, the moms, and those with special needs. Jolene was all of those when I adopted this mama at 5 years old with a genetic disorder. I could not have asked for a more perfect daughter. She is truly an angel from Heaven. 

Last Stray Surviving – Flower’s Story

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This spring, the dog fighting ring amped up their pursuit of Kenny. They came at night quite a few times yelling, “here kitty kitty.” As soon as I turned on lights and went outside, they ran off. Kenny was on a schedule. Since being thrown from a truck last year, Kenny has lived in my garage.

I would see Kenny every morning and night. I would see Kenny playing in the yard during the day. Kenny slept in the insulated cat shelters in my garage at night. Kenny is super friendly and I was certain that when the shelter had space to take one of the strays from me in January, that Kenny would go.

In January, I trapped Tom instead of Kenny. That’s ok. Tom has since been adopted into a loving forever home. He is known as the “King of South Main” as he loves to look out the windows of his home and watch people go by.

Kenny is the friendliest stray that has ever been around here. The shelter has been inundated with kitten season and had no space for Kenny. While waiting for space, I decided to put the extra cat carrier in the garage for Kenny to explore so that when it came time to trap Kenny to take to the shelter, things would go smoothly.

Putting the cat carrier in the garage was a brilliant idea. I was able to just put Kenny in the cat carrier without even using the humane trap. Through the power of Cats of Twitter, I was able to get Kenny to a foster family who is caring for Kenny until adopted into a loving forever home.

Surprise! Kenny is a girl and has been spayed. I thought Kenny was a boy, as there have been no kittens. I was wrong. Kenny is a girl, and they are keeping her name. Kenny is safe in foster awaiting to be adopted. She is safe from the dog fighting ring. Kenny is now the fourth cat I have saved from the dog fighting ring.

That means that the last stray surviving is Flower. Flower is one of my originals that has been here since I bought the house almost five years ago. As soon as the shelter has space, I hope to trap Flower to get her off the streets and away from the dog fighting ring. 

This is Flower’s story. I have pieced it together by talking to neighbors. I always talk to neighbors when I see cats outside to try to ascertain whether they have homes or are truly homeless. 

Flower used to live in the house next to me. She is a spayed female. She has a docked tail. She was named “Mr. Pickle Bottom.” Flower was kicked out of the house next door permanently for “scratching the baby.” For the record, those children probably tortured poor Flower. These are the children who took a screwdriver to my other neighbors steps, causing the neighbor to fall and become injured, spending several months in a physical rehab facility. These are the children who took a baseball bat to the side of my house. I’m sure Flower did not just randomly scratch the baby.

The family that kicked Flower out of the house has since moved. That house is now occupied by the only nice neighbors on the street. 

So, Flower has been on the streets for at least the past 5 years fending for herself. 

Two years ago in the winter, Flower had a broken front arm. Even with a broken arm, I could not catch Flower. The arm healed. Flower still walks and runs with a limp. Flower comes to my garage for food and to sleep in the sun.

Flower is very scared of humans. As soon as I open my door to go outside, Flower runs away. If Flower is in the garage when I take food out, she hides under my car until I leave. The only thing Flower has known from humans is cruelty.

Unlike the four other cats I have caught and gotten to the shelter, Flower is not on a schedule. Sometimes I go two or three days without seeing Flower. She obviously has someplace safe to stay without needing to live in my garage like the other strays have done. 

However, Flower does know my garage is a safe place. She comes for food and water. Sometimes she comes for shelter. Flower does use the insulated cat shelters in the garage. One time when I took food out to the garage, I saw Flower dart out of a cat shelter and hide under my car. 

Many times in the afternoon on my work breaks, I look out the kitchen window and see Flower sunning herself in front of the car just at the garage door. She knows it is a safe place to be where no one will bother her.

There is a neighbor cat, Milo who lives two houses down. Milo is a jerk. I’m pretty sure that Milo is difficult because he has a bad home life. The house where he lives has problems. Milo is an indoor / outdoor cat. He stays in his house in winter and is mostly outside during the summer.

The problem is that Milo bullies Flower. She is terrified of him. If Milo is around, Flower will not come here. 

The cat dynamics were completely different when Tom was here. Tom defended his territory and kept everyone in line. Milo would not come around when Tom was here. Tom got along with Flower and Kenny.  He was protective of them. With Tom gone, there is no one to protect Flower from Milo. If Milo is here, Flower will not come near. She hides in the bushes in front of the house and will not approach the house. 

As soon as the shelter has space, I am hoping to catch Flower to take her in. The challenge is that I have been trapping these cats for five years now, and I have not been able to trap Flower yet. Even when her arm was broken two years ago, I was not able to trap her to get her medical care.

It is easier to trap in winter. Milo stays in his house. The outside strays are more likely to hang around my garage and are easier to trap. I am really hoping to be able to catch Flower sometime this fall or winter. I am really hoping the shelter has space to take her. No cat should have to endure what Flower is living through.

Flower is the last stray surviving in this horrid neighborhood with an active dog fighting ring. The neighbors here are so bad, I must do a bad neighbor disclosure if I sell my house. This is the worst street to live on in our county of 40,000 people. 

My garage is a refuge for Flower and any other cat that needs it. There is fresh food and water daily. There are multiple insulated cat shelters that can be used. The outside cats have been able to survive winter temperatures of -30F by using my shelters. 

I hope I can catch Flower this year and get her into shelter. She deserves to have a human be nice to her at least once in her life. Every cat deserves a loving forever home. 

Happy 7th Birthday, Simon!

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Happy Birthday, Simon! Today the baby turns 7. Simon is the youngest of the three cats. He is the middle child in order of adoption, but is the youngest in chronological age. Simon was adopted at age 1 1/2 and has been with Jude and I for 5 1/2 years. 

Simon is the most shy of the three cats. He hides if anyone comes to the house to visit. He is terrified of vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers and thunderstorms (basically all loud noises). Simon will hide in a kitchen cupboard or in my office upstairs when he is scared. 

Simon is our Chief Cuddler and the glue that holds our family together. Everyone loves Simon. He is often found cuddling with Jolene and Jude. Simon also has his moments where he enjoys his alone time. He can be found on the cat tree or in his favorite chair near the bedroom window.

He sleeps with me every night, right in the bed. Simon sleeps in the space right next to the pillow. Sometimes he does like to be under the covers as well. He is the one that wakes me up every morning to feed everyone breakfast.

Simon’s favorite toys are small toy mice and catnip bananas. He can often be found on his “nana phone” talking to all his Twitter friends. Simon is the king of random zoomies. He will make a noise and then take off to some other location within the house. He loves sun puddles and rolling around holding and licking his own tail.

He can often be found playing with Jolene. They chase each other up and down the stairs. He also enjoys wrestling matches with his sister. Simon plays with Jude as well. They like to play hide and seek over / under the Kuranda bed. Sometimes Jude plays too rough with Simon and they need to be separated, but at the end of the day, they cuddle and groom each other. 

Simon was adopted as a companion for Jude. When Kitty passed away, I had told Jude he was going to be an only child. That lasted for about 7 months. I was playing with Jude frequently, but he wanted to play non-stop and seemed to really need a companion. Enter Simon. 

With Simon, I started to do the slow introduction process I have always done with the cats to ensure a smooth transition and lasting bonds. However, Simon and Jude had another agenda. They both worked together from different sides of the door to meet long before I had wanted them to. Simon had only been with us for a few days when they wanted to meet each other. They have been deeply bonded from the first week Simon arrived.

Simon is the sweetest, gentlest cat and so loving. We are so privileged to have him as a family member. He brings us such love and joy every single day.

Even though he is turning 7, Simon will always be my baby. He is the youngest. Jolene was adopted after Simon, but she is older. After these three pass away, I will not adopt again. I will be a foster mom instead. So Simon is my baby because he is the youngest of the cats I will ever adopt. 

We cannot imagine what life would be like without Simon. You often hear of bonded duos. Bonded trios are rare. I truly think that Jude, Simon and Jolene are a bonded trio. They all get along so well. Simon is the glue that holds us all together. He is completely full of love, more than any other cat I have ever known.

Happy Birthday, Simon. We love you. 

Kenny’s Story

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It was winter 2022, either January or February. I don’t remember which. I work from home, and I sit near a window, so I can see out during the workday. A pickup truck came up the street, stopped, and a few colored items flew out the window. The truck sped off. The colored items that flew out were two kittens who were thrown out of the truck.

From their size, I estimated the kittens were somewhere between 6 months and 1 year old. There was Reba, a pregnant calico. I was able to catch her and get her to the animal shelter. They confirmed she was pregnant at under a year old. The other cat, Kenny, a black and white tuxie, was more elusive. I saw him at a distance, but he would not come close. 

Eventually, Kenny found refuge in my garage. I would see him outside interacting with longtime stray, Tom. Kenny pretty much lives in my garage. He uses the insulated cat shelters. He eats the food I set out. I see him every morning when I set out food and every evening when I bring food inside.

Last fall, about 6 months after being thrown from a truck, Kenny started to come closer to me. He has gotten to the point where he loves to be pet. He rubs up against me and purrs. He loves attention and loves to play.

In January 2023, the shelter had an opening to take another one of the strays I have been helping. I was confident that Kenny would be trapped and go to the shelter to be adopted. Kenny is very friendly and would be a great house cat. He has so much love to give and truly needs a home.

However, Tom was in the trap in January 2023. Tom went to the shelter and has since been adopted into a loving forever home. I am so happy for Tom. He is older, at least 10, with health issues. He was a favorite of shelter staff, as they said he is one of the most gentle strays they have ever taken in to be adopted. He is so happy and loved in his forever home.

Kenny is still here.

I cannot take in a fourth house cat either physically or legally. There is a three pet per house law here. Also, I can say that having three house cats is a definite stretch for me with resources. I do handle it, and I do not regret Jude, Simon or Jolene at all, but I know that I cannot handle a fourth cat. Kenny desperately needs a home, but it cannot be mine.

Kenny has gotten so friendly that he has tried to come into the house. However, I have to close the door instead of letting him in because the inside cats start to chase him, and I cannot have my inside cats escaping outside. Not only would I lose one of my beloved inside cats, but they would chase away Kenny too. Of course, if Kenny came inside, I would not put him out. I would take him to the shelter and insist they take him because he came inside.

The shelter knows that Kenny is here. However, they are too full of kittens right now to take another stray cat from me. Kenny is one of two outside cats that are left I am caring for.

The other outside cat I am still caring for is Flower. I have been caring for Flower for 5 years. Flower used to live in the house next door, until they kicked her out and moved. I want to trap Flower to get her to the shelter too.

Kenny and Flower are the last two outside strays I am helping. As soon as the shelter has space, I will trap one to take for medical care and adoption. Since I have bought this house, I have gotten three outside cats to the shelter for adoption: Reba (thrown from the truck), Tom (one of the original strays with Flower), and Clare (one of the original strays with Flower and Tom). 

There is a sense of urgency in trapping the strays and getting them to the shelter to be adopted. There is a dog fighting ring in the area. They spray paint the stray cats and use them as bait. The SPCA know the dog fighting ring is here, but refuses to do anything about it due to how much money it brings in. Incidentally, the SPCA also just lost their contract to provide services here.

The rescue I work with when I trap the strays and take them to shelter is NOT the SPCA. There is a different, non-profit 100% volunteer run shelter I am working with to find the strays forever homes and rescue them from the dog fighting ring.

I truly worry for Kenny, as he is so friendly. I am hoping to find him a home soon so that he can be out of this area with the dog fighting ring. Not to mention, he is the friendliest of the strays. It is very obvious he had a home once, and wants and needs one again. I am confident that if it were not for my inside cats chasing him away, he would probably come right into my house if I left the door open and let him inside. 

I am really hoping that the shelter will have space to take Kenny this fall. In addition to the dog fighting ring, I am worried about Kenny being abused due to his coloring. Kenny is the sweetest cat and so trusting. He truly deserves a forever home. 

This is Kenny’s story so far. I’m really hoping I can find him a forever home soon. 

Furever Home

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Happy 11th Birthday, Jude! Valentine’s Day 2023 is Jude’s 11th birthday. It is also his Gotcha Day. He has been with me for 9 years. Jude was adopted at age 2. He had been taken by the Humane Society from a hoarding situation that had over 30 cats crammed into a tiny trailer. 

Jude was very shy in the shelter. He did not want to come out of his cage. The shelter workers said he got along with all of the other cats and played gently with them, keeping his claws in. Jude was the perfect companion for Kitty, who was 15 when Jude entered our home. Kitty was heartbroken over the loss of his lifelong companion, Kip. When Jude arrived, he truly did take a sad song and make it better.

Jude played gently with Kitty and was with him through his final years and battle with cancer. When Kitty passed away, I told Jude he was going to be an only child. That lasted about 7 months before Jude started driving me nuts and obviously needed a feline companion. 

Jude is now the eldest brother to younger siblings Simon and Jolene. Jude took to Simon right away. They are best friends and often cuddle and groom each other. Jude is the same. With Jolene. Sometimes, I think Jude plays rough with Simon. However, it could just be the contrast with how gentle he was with Kitty.

The funny thing is, Jude treats Jolene much the same as he treated Kitty. Jude will play with Jolene, but very gently, and not for long. Jolene often chases Jude. He does nothing to retaliate. You can tell Jolene is in charge. 

This is in contrast to when Simon and Jolene play together. They both give and take quite equally. 

As Jude is celebrating 9 years with me, he has now officially been living in the house longer than we were in the apartment. This house is truly his furever home. You can tell he is much happier in the house than he was in the apartment. I do not think he was unhappy in the apartment. He just seems happier in the house.

In the house, there is more room to run and play. Jude plays more in the house. He is comfortable here. He often rolls around on the floor, which is his indication he wants attention, pets, and play.

All three cats have now officially lived in this house longer than they have lived any place else in their lives. This is home for them. Personally, I will have to be in this house another decade before it surpasses the time I lived in the apartment. 

For the cats, this is home. It’s the home they have known. This is where we will be living for the rest of our lives. 

I did not intend to adopt Jude on Valentine’s Day. We had a snowstorm that year and the schools all closed. The roads were bad, but not that bad. Since I unexpectedly had the day off, I decided to go meet Jude early. I had been planning on meeting him the following week. I honestly did not know if he would be the right cat to be a companion for Kitty or if we would get along or not. As soon as I met him, I knew he was the right one. 

He refused to come out of his cage, but he was fine with me opening the cage, petting him, and interacting with him. Jude has so much love to give.

In the past 9 years, he has come so far. He has gone from sitting next to me on the couch to actually sitting on my lap at times. He does love pets and play, but definitely on his own terms. He hates to be picked up.

Jude is very loving with his siblings and is the perfect older brother. Jude will always be my Valentine. I am so glad I took a chance on this shy cat that everyone else had overlooked. He has the sweetest personality, if you have the patience to work with him and allow him to come out on his own terms.

Jude loves being on the bed during the day when I am no longer in it. Sometimes he does sleep in the bed with me at night, but always near my feet. That’s ok. It’s on his terms. I love it when all three cats are in the bed with me at night.

Jude loves laying on the couch with me when reading or watching the DVD player. Since being in the house, he is much more playful. He enjoys his toys and his cactus scratching posts. 

This house is the furever home for all three cats now. We will be here until they have all passed. Jude seems to love the space in the house much more than the apartment. There is also lots of entertainment outside the windows with birds, squirrels and neighbors.

Happy Birthday, Jude. Happy Gotcha Day, Jude. We are in our furever home. Thank you so much for taking a sad song and making it better. 

The Tale of Tom Part 2

/ rachelgoes262 / Leave a comment

To read the first installment of the Tale of Tom, please click here.

The first fall I was in the house, I noticed muddy paw prints on my car in the garage. I bought the house at the end of August. It did not take long for me to realize that there were stray cats using my garage as a place of refuge. 

That winter, I noticed that the strays were still outside, even in temperatures below zero. It was obvious the cats were homeless! Who in their right mind would let or leave their pet outside in temperatures below freezing? I quickly purchased a bin from the store and made the outside cats a shelter, complete with insulation. 

Fast forward to current times. We have been in this house for almost four and a half years. There are now a total of four insulated outside cat shelters and two feeding stations. There were three strays that I call my originals – those were the ones that I saw that first fall and winter of being in the house. 

Then, last January, two kittens were thrown out of a truck. I am a permanent remote worker, so I saw the whole thing happen while working. No, I do not spend my entire work day looking out the window. However, when an unknown vehicle drives erratically into the area and does something as outrageous as throwing not one, but two helpless animals out of a moving vehicle, you kind of take notice. 

That means that as of January 2022, there were 5 outside cats under my care. There were the three originals and the two kittens thrown from a truck. 

On top of all this, there is a dog fighting ring in the area that is using the outside stray cats as bait. They are often spray-painted various colors. The SPCA refuses to shut down the dog fighting ring. They said that it brings in too much money. When I asked “what about the cats being used as bait?” Their exact response was, and I quote, “they will adapt.”

They won’t adapt. They will/are being maimed and murdered. 

I reached out to a different non-profit animal rescue in our area that is run 100% by volunteers and donations. With their help, I was able to trap two cats last winter and get them into shelter. They have both already been adopted into loving homes. One of the kittens and one of my “originals” that had been spray painted a very bright green by the dog fighting ring.

That means that as of March 2022, I was left caring for three outside cats – one of the kittens thrown from a truck and two of my “originals.” The rescue knows that I am working with these cats. I am providing them with food, water, insulated shelters, and a safe place of refuge. They know there is a dog fighting ring in the area and that I am trying to trap the cats and get them into the rescue to be adopted.

The rescues have been full. Americans are cruelly dumping their pets for no legitimate reason. Every few months, I reach out to see if there is space to take one of the cats. All through the spring, summer, and fall they have said they are full.

Last week, there was a space available. I had reached out because it looked like one of the outside cats (Tom) had an injury and needed medical care. I asked the rescue if they could take one in, as he looked in need of help. They said yes.

Tom was my third cat trapped and taken to shelter. He was the most difficult. With the first two cats, I was able to get them transported to the rescue within a few hours of being trapped. The rescue just came and got the trap with the cat in it and away they went to safety.

Tom was trapped on Thursday afternoon. The rescue said they would not have space to take him until Friday morning. They had some adoptions on Thursday that would clear up space, plus they wanted to prepare. 

I could not leave Tom in the trap for 18 hours outside when it was supposed to get below freezing that night. That would be dangerous and cruel.

I brought Tom inside into my basement. I had to keep him separate from my inside house cats so he would not spread any diseases. Tom was one of my originals I had been caring for 4.5 years. He was an intact male. Who knows what fleas/ticks/diseases he had.

So I brought the cat trap into the basement where he would be heated and not freeze in the trap overnight. I felt bad about him being in a little trap for so long, so I transferred him to a dog cage complete with blankets, cat pan, food and water. I thought he would be more comfortable that way for the 18 hour wait until the rescue was able to take him in.

The rescue saga completely fell apart Friday morning when I was unable to transfer Tom from the dog cage to a cat carrier. He escaped me.

To make a long story short, he spent the entire day (over 12 hours) in my basement hiding. I had to reset the trap to trap him again in the basement. I honestly did not think I would be able to trap him a second time. Tom is smart and Tom is hardy to have survived life outside for as long as he did through many winters of below zero weather. 

Surprisingly, I did trap Tom a second time. I was not stupid enough to try any more transfers. I left him in the trap. He was in the trap for over 12 hours before he was taken into rescue. That is the exact situation I was trying to avoid from the beginning, but I learned the hard way, that situation was unavoidable.

The rescue worker came to help me get him out of the basement, as he was too strong for me. We almost lost him a second time trying to get him into the car to take to rescue.

I am happy to report that Tom is at the rescue. He has heat, food, water, love and medical care for the rest of his life. He has been seen by the veterinarian. They estimate he is over 10 years old (a senior). He has dental issues and is indeed an intact male. He has injuries which are most likely from the dog fighting ring. 

Whether he is adopted into a living home or not, the rescue has assured me that he has a space there as one of their “forever residents” if need be. Never again will Tom be outside when it is 30 degrees below zero outside. He will get the medical and dental care he needs. He will be neutered.

Rescuing Tom was heartbreaking as he was one of my “originals.” I had provided care for him as a stray for 4.5 years. But honestly, what Tom needs is a loving home. I am so glad he was taken into rescue where he will receive the care he so desperately needs and deserves.

This means that right now I am left caring for two outside cats.

There is Kenny, who I am guessing to be about 1-2 years old. Kenny is one of the kittens that was thrown out of a truck last winter. Kenny pretty much lives in my garage. He sleeps in one of the insulated shelters. I have a snuggle safe heat disc I use to help him through the winter. I see him every morning when I take food outside. He then goes about his day. I see him every night when I bring the food dishes inside and reheat his heat disc. He sleeps in the insulated shelter.

I can tell Kenny misses Tom. They would both be there for breakfast in the morning. I would see Kenny and Tom playing together and grooming each other. It was almost as if “grandpa” Tom had taken kitten Kenny under his wing.

The second outdoor cat still left is one of my originals. Flower is very elusive. She was thrown out of the house next door. The people in that house have since moved and new people live there. Flower is the cat I saw last winter with a broken leg. She is the first one I tried to trap to be able to get her to medical care. I was not able to trap her. I have a feeling that Flower may be the last cat trapped. She is the most skittish of all the outside cats. 

Even Tom was able to get on a feeding schedule after about four years. Flower truly comes and goes as she pleases. She is scared of other cats and all humans. I sometimes go days without seeing Flower. 

My goal is to get Kenny and Flower into the shelter also. It’s hard because the shelters are so full. I’m really hoping I can get them both into the shelter for medical care and adoption within the next two years. We will see. It all depends on when the rescue has room to take more.

For now, the Tale of Tom has a happy ending. Tom is right where he needs to be. He is receiving medical care, food, water, heat and love from all of the dedicated volunteers who take care of the cats twice daily.

Good luck on this next part of your journey, Tom. I love you and I miss you.