Proud Alumni V

 

GUS

Gus arrived from another shelter, too terrified and withdrawn to be adoptable. He cowered in a corner at Katie's Place too for a while but eventually proved to be a loving fellow who found a loving home. The report from his new family is, "Can't tell you how thrilled we are to have Simon (previously Gus) in our home. He is a most delightful cat.still trying to settle in.but just a sweetheart."


A picture is worth a thousand words. On the right Gus huddled miserably in a new-cat cage when he arrived at the shelter.
At right he sprawls joyfully in his own beautiful garden with his new sister walking past behind him.

CHEECH

At 10 years old, Cheech lost his home when his person went permanently into hospital. He found himself at our shelter and he huddled miserably in his basket for a long time. It was a hard adjustment for a 10-yr-old to make, especially a sensitive fellow like Cheech. But eventually he perked up and he was adopted. His new family was patient and understanding. They say, "Perhaps because he's a bit older he took a few months to really warm up and trust us but now he's very friendly and likes to be wherever we are in the house. He enjoys being petted and played with and now accepts being picked up. His specialty is lolling around in cute poses and thumping his tail like a Labrador." He's a lucky fellow.

We received the following update a couple of years later.
    "After almost 3 years he remains a beloved member of our household and since March has been our only cat. He truly is a sweetheart, lovely and gentle with a beautiful plush coat and very clean habits. A restrictive diet has resulted in his slimming down to just over 13 lbs, though he remains rather food obsessed. He keeps himself in shape by climbing up and down the stairs many times a day between the main floor and the upper landing where his food bowl is kept. He also keeps us amused with a game he invented which involves repeatedly leaping in one bound down the four stairs to the lower floor and then racing around. We were less amused when we discovered he was using these strengthened leg muscles to leap onto the kitchen table and counters in search of snacks (preferably any sort of bread, muffin or bagel).
    We are so glad to have been matched up with him and appreciate your efforts to find the right cat for our household. He is in excellent health and our only vet expenses were having his teeth cleaned a couple of years ago. He remains rather timid with strangers at first, but eventually comes around to check them out and is obviously very content and happy. Friends find it almost impossible to believe that he is 13 years old as he seems so youthful and not at all like an 'old fellow'."

It just goes to show, older pets can be as robust and lively as any youngster!
 



Inset on the left is a photo of Cheech at the shelter. At first he wouldn't even lift his head.
Then he sat up but still had a nervous, unhappy look on his face. The larger photo is Cheech at home and happy.

ROSIE

Rosie came to us from another shelter where she'd been unadoptable because she had a hard time dealing with shelter life. When she and the right person met each other it was a great match and lucky Rosie went home. Her person reports that, "She is quite the cuddler. She likes to cuddle up at night on the bed to me or sometimes my husband. It took her a little while to trust my husband, but now when he gets up she will run out and follow him to the kitchen in the mornings." Rosie has clearly found the home that was meant for her and the photos of her at home show a very relaxed, comfortable little cat!


MEEPS and MAYO

Meeps and Mayo went to their new home in 2005. They are living a happily-ever-after life. Their family says they're "fat and happy" and they are "Daddy's Girls". They are adored by the man in the household and they adore him right back.


This is the life -- a nice soft couch and a cushion each upon which to lay their heads!

CLEO

Cleo was another little scaredy cat when she first arrived at the shelter. She sat hunched and wide-eyed, cringing from being touched.
Her mom recently wrote us, "I adopted Cleo about three years ago. She is just the sweetest cat. I feel very blessed to have found her and thank Katie's Place for her." The photo at top left was taken as she arrived at the shelter and was coaxed out of her traveling box into a new-cat cage. The photo at right and at bottom were sent from Cleo's home. It seems that Cleo is happy to sit in a box in her own home. She's not a scaredy cat anymore! She looks relaxed and contented!

ARUBA

In January '03 we adopted out little black Aruba. She took the name "Desiree Basic Black" and went on to a distinguished career. Her person writes that, "She is an ACFA registered Household Pet show cat, who is now a Quadruple Supreme, the equivalent of Quadruple Grand Champion! She has placed in the 50 best International, and in the top 10 Regional Household Pets for the past 3 years. This season she will likely reach the final level of competition, the Supreme Roll of Honour.  She only needs 230 more points to get the required 2000, and we have two more shows coming up.
    She continues to be a lovely confident lady who travels well and behaves beautifully at shows. Usually she is the only all black cat in the class and impresses the judges with her silky, shiny coat and lovely lemon yellow eyes. The visitors to the cat shows always ask me what breed of cat she is, expecting some reply like "Bombay". They are all surprised when I tell them she is a pre-owned cat I adopted from Katie's Place."
    It seems that she enjoys her fame. Her person says this photo was in the ACFA Parade of Royalty.

PARSLEY and SAGE

Parsley and Sage were two plain black little kittens who sat at the back of their crate and looked out at an unfamiliar world with skepticism on their faces. They were two of many kittens from the summer of '06. Their new family reports, "We love them both and think they are happy in their new home. We all live in a downtown Vancouver highrise, where the girls like to swipe at the seagulls and crows that sail by the window. At first they weren't allowed in any of the bedrooms at night because the first night they kept waking us up with all the purring and kneading. But now Emma [5 years old] lets them into her room and they all curl up together. It is very sweet. She calls them her "Keets" and loves them very much. They even let her carry them around like rag dolls, which amazes me. She puts them in boxes, bags, dollhouses (while supervised, of course). But don't worry, she is gentle and they don't seem to mind. We have a firm rule that the cats are allowed to walk away whenever they wish. We all love the cats very much, especially little Emma."

When Parsley and Sage arrived in shelter care, they weren't so sure that was a good thing.
But they're happy in their own home now.

KIANA with SAMMY

Kiana and Sammy amuse themselves by making mischief in their new home -- although their adopter reports that Kiana is the one who is fascinated by water while Sammy likes to watch her get drenched. And we can remember the scruffy little kittens of last summer; some were semi-feral, some had weepy eyes that needed treatment. It's nice to hear how happy they and their new people are now.


STEVIE

Stevie came to us when she was found lying in the bushes by a road. Her pelvis was broken in three places and she'd been crying and crying for help. Somebody finally investigated the cries, found her and called us. Nobody ever stepped forward to claim her. She healed well and she eventually went to a new home. Her family reported, "Stevie has settled in nicely and seems to be happy and contented with her new home. We are certainly very happy to have her - she's a loving, gentle and affectionate pet."

The photo at left was taken at our vet's office where Stevie had just had surgery on her broken pelvis.
The photo at right is of a lucky and happy Stevie in her own new home.

YO YO

Yo Yo was one the kittens from the summer of '06. His family sent us photos recently of the little fellow -- well, big fellow now -- snoozing with his best friend. Their names are Tom and Jerry. Every "Jerry" needs a "Tom". When little guys can grow up together, they are playmates and best pals for each other. They will never be bored or lonely. Nothing is more important for a baby who is leaving his mom and siblings behind than having someone in his new home to take their place in his life.


Inset is Yo Yo when we he was in our care.
Now he's got his best pal and he's a happy guy.

TINKA

Looking at the new cat huddled in a bed and trying to be invisible, nobody would have thought that she could be a happy, loving pet. But Tinka was adopted soon after arriving at Katie's Place. Her people sent us an update saying "She now rules the house and dogs."


The inset photo at the top is of a miserable, frightened Tinka when she was new at the shelter.
Now, in her own home, she doesn't use her bed to hide. Now her bed is the throne from which she rules.

MISTY

Misty came to us when her elderly person passed away. She herself was ten years old and it could have been the end of the road for this poor cat. She did not settle happily at the shelter and didn't like living with a lot of other cats. But she was lucky enough to get a new home. Her people sent us an update: "She fit in from the first day and never a problem. She is so much company. I talk to her all the time and she answers with a meow and rolls on her back."


At the shelter, Misty tried to avoid the other cats and looked sullen all the time (inset photo at top left).
But in her own home, she's clearly as relaxed and happy as a kitten.

ANNA

Anna was homeless and trying to raise her two kittens as winter loomed. It promised to be a very cold winter where she'd been living; she and her babies might not have survived, Anna depleted from nursing and the babies still small and frail. Anna embraced life among people again and was so affectionate that she soon found a new home. Her new family sent us a photo of Anna lounging contentedly on the bed in her very own home. That's the life!


OZZY

Ozzy was so traumatized by losing his home and suddenly being surrounded by strange cats in a strange shelter that he made himself unadoptable in his first shelter. So he came to Katie's Place. With a bit more space and time, Ozzy finally relaxed and proved to be such a great fellow that he found a new home. His family sent us a photo of Ozzy posing proudly beside his own bowl and water dish.


DULCIE and TICKLES

Dulcie and Tickles arrived at the shelter separately. Tickles was a baby and Dulcie was a young cat from a multi-cat home. Both depended on the company of other cats so they were adopted together. They now call themselves Kahlua and Brandy. Their  new family reports, "The girls are a big part of our family, they bring a lot of joy to us. Kahlua used to be very afraid and she is just a beautiful warm loving cat now. Brandy just loves Kahlua and would be absolutely lost without her. She thinks she is her mother. They both have lots of energy and love to play and cuddle."

At top left are photos of Dulcie and Tickles when they were in our care. The other three photos are of the girls in their new home.
They each would have been lonely without another cat in their new home.

LORRAINE

Lorraine came to us in summer '06 as part of a group of about a dozen tiny kittens. She was adopted into a home where she continues to enjoy feline companionship. Her family sent us photos and wrote, "Lorraine loves hanging out in the sink, and she falls asleep with me petting her every night (Maizie gets the morning)." They ended with: "We are a very happy (and more complete) household!"  It's so nice to know that. We are delighted for them.


Here is little gray and white Lorraine with her feline friend, Maizie.






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