Proud Alumni VII
TIDBIT
Tidbit was the smallest of three orphans who came to us at four weeks of
age in autumn '06. They had never lived with humans before and were wide-eyed
with apprehension at first. But they quickly learned to be house cats and
went on to their own homes. Tidbit was adopted without her brothers but
only because she would have a feline pal in her new home. Her new mom says
"Tidbit and Noah are hilarious to watch together. Tidbit will not go anywhere
without her big brother."
Tidbit and her brother crouch in their foster dad's
lap when they were babies, unfamiliar with humans, in the photo inset at
top.
In her own home, Tidbit is happy and devoted to her
new brother.
CHEETOS
At the age of 14, Cheetos lost the only home she'd ever known. She was
affectionate and cheerful by nature, but she was unhappy at the shelter.
She just wasn't used to living with a lot of other animals and she couldn't
adjust to it. So the luckiest day in her life was when she got a new home.
Now her new family reports, "Everyone at my house loves our new cat Cheetos!
She is Miss Popular. She loves to sit in her "house" (her covered cat climber)
and she is always running out to get pats when she sees people. She loves
canned food and will meow and purr when she gets it. She is not a big fan
of our cats, but she likes to sit on the windowsill seat and watch our
dogs run around in the backyard. Cheetos is a really sweet cat and a terrific
addition to our house!"
At the shelter, Cheetos shrank away from contact with
the other cats, even when she was enjoying her beloved cat treats (photo
inset at top left).
In her own home (photo at bottom) she's relaxed and
happy.
JETTA
Jetta was an exceptionally timid cat and she was terrified to find herself
at the shelter. She cowered silently in a corner for the longest time and
did her best to be invisible. Only a handful of volunteers ever noticed
her and knew that she actually enjoyed a bit of attention. We thought she'd
never get adopted. But a miracle happened for her and someone took the
shy little cat home. She settled happily into her new family almost immediately.
She'll probably never be a gregarious cat, but she showed her pleasure
at having a home and a loving family. Her family sent us a note, saying,
"Just wanted to let you know the little girl is well and seems to be happy
with her new family. She seems to prefer solitary naps in her sanctuary
downstairs. She does, however, enjoy watching movies with us. She tucks
in beside me, and turns on her back, allowing me to give her tummy rubs
(which can go on for some time!!!) If cats are like dogs, I seem to have
gained her trust."
At left is a photo of Jetta doing what she did for
a long time after arriving at the shelter: she cowered in the back of a
hiding place with her face in the corner.
At right is a photo sent by her new family. Jetta
is sitting calmly and confidently in her new nest while her new brother,
a Bouvier, came to say hello.
GULLIVER AND JANELLE
Gulliver was a bashful fellow who never attracted adopters' attention and
who waited at the shelter for a year and a half before someone noticed
him. Janelle was a kitten who was trapped and brought to the shelter when
she was just a bit too old to accept human contact easily. She never did
allow us to get close to her although she was accustomed to our presence.
We didn't even list Janelle for adoption. But one day a couple fell in
love with both Gulliver and Janelle. Having assured ourselves that the
couple understood the high risk for escape with semi-ferals and the need
for time before they show any bonding with their new family, we were happy
to send Janelle with Gulliver to a wonderful new home. Below, in their
new family's own words, is how this little pair of cats settled into their
new home. Janelle now calls herself Ellie.
"Gulliver is a lovely little man - he makes us smile with his gentle
(and timid) nature. He no longer darts away every time he hears a
door close or sound in the hall - we think he's being very brave and has
come a long way! He likes to sleep under the bed a lot but does come
out when we go in the room and call him, then gives us a big stretch and
looks for a pat. He LOVES pats and has very cute meows, and will
sit with us on the couch or floor (even on our laps). We love his
big ears, eyes and nose! He's like the big gentle brother to the
crazy little sister. Ellie is a fun loving little monkey - she makes
us smile with her zippy (but shy of us) nature and her big paws (really
big for her little frame) which she uses all the time to race around.
She is certainly curious of everything and of us, but we've still not truly
patted her yet - she bonks her nose on our toes and fingertips and likes
to be where we are, but if we reach out to her, she zips away. She
has arched her back into my hand, then zipped away as if surprised by herself,
and I've been able to stroke her tail when she's giving Gully a bit of
attention. We also think she loves to dash by us with her little
meow-chirup as if it's a little game of thrill and daring! Ellie
LOVES to play and LOVES to admire and fawn at Gulliver. She uses
her happy meow-chirup when she sees him and when she trots by us too (so
we think we're in her clan)!
They seem pretty comfortable together, and they do eat or drink beside
each other, and that they can share the cat climber. And we are hopeful
that as Gulliver's timidness is reduced, he'll be more comfortable with
the loving Ellie displays to him - more than anything little Gulliver seems
a bit nervous when she gives all her attention to him so he sometimes does
a little bat but he is such a gentle little man that I don't think claws
come out. And, sometimes we've seen him try to give her attention
too which is very cute. She has lots of love-attention for him -
head butts, body drops & rolls, meow-chirps, dashing over to meet him,
and attacking his tail on the climber! We can't help but smile.
Her latest trick is to race around dragging a 3 foot long soft toy, stick
handle included (like a cat's tail in size) behind her - and Gulliver seems
to love to chase after her - of course we wonder if it's another 'luring
Gulliver' trick she's found. She loves to attack small hard balls,
soft cloth ones (she carries in her mouth), soft mice. They both scratch
on the cardboard alpine scratcher and the cat climber which is fab!
Gulliver has little spurts of racing around or playing but is pretty mellow
- she plays enough for them both."
Gulliver is on the top perch and Janelle, now Ellie,
is on the lower one.
Inset at bottom right is a photo of Janelle when she
arrived at the shelter. She had never lived among humans and was a nervous
baby.
From a June 26, 07 update:
"Gulliver spends pretty much all of his time in
proximity to us (instead of under the bed) and he no longer bolts for the
safety of the bedroom when he hears sounds outside.
Ellie is always where we are - and at times she's
like a shadow, following us around. She still loves to play and is
full of beans, but, what we've noticed more and more is that she loves
attention from us too (and Gulliver of course). We can now pat her and
sometimes she flops on the ground for more pats.
Gulliver is also letting Ellie curl up beside him
more and more, it's kind of like little sister pestering big brother -
sometimes it works, sometimes not - too cute!"
LITTLE OWL
Little Owl was a feisty little diva who had nothing
nice to say about her feline roommates. But she loved people. However,
her behaviour around the other cats was a bit intimidating to visitors.
Then a lady came along who was willing to give this sensitive little prima
donna a chance. We heard back within a day that Little Owl had assumed
a new name, Maggie, and was settling in quite nicely. Now we've received
another update:
"I've had her for almost two months now and she's been a real treat.
She's becoming more "sweetie" than "diva" but that little bit of attitude
is still there and I love it. We just got back from a trip to Alberta and
she traveled so well. I think the time together helped us to bond and has
given her more assurance that she's with me and this is her home. Thanks
again for all your help choosing her. We're both quite happy. :)" The left
photo came with that update.
We are delighted to hear it!
A year after Little Owl was adopted, we got a short
update: "She's really settled in and become quite the character; I love
her to pieces." The right photo came with this update.
LISA MARIE
We received an update on Lisa Marie who was adopted almost two years ago.
Her name is Lillooet now and her family says, "She is a healthy, happy
girl, very patient, very quiet, very gentle. She sleeps curled up with
me every night. It took her about a year to be completely assertive as
to her wants, she had to be coaxed for a long time. But she is completely
at ease now. She has settled in quite nicely with my other cat, Major.
She is his minion, his confidant, and his playmate. They get along so well.
They scamper and play daily, racing around the apartment, and leaping and
jumping over and around each other. And she loves to just curl up on my
lap and snooze and be petted."
Lisa Marie is at the bottom.
MYNTA
Mynta was one of our 2007 kittens and he hadn't been
at his new home for too long before we got a happy update. His new name
is Rhys and he's proven to be a lively little guy (a typical youngster)
who is delighted with his new feline friend. His family said, "So, yes,
Rhys has settled in quite nicely, and Missy seems to have adopted him as
her little brother and is having a great time playing with and yelling
at him all the time, and he's always frolicking around after her." The
left photo below came with that update.
Several months later, we got this update when he
had grown much more: He got so big that Missy (our other cat who, at 10
years old, is really a small petite girl) was having trouble handling him
when he wanted her attention to play. We came across a beautiful young
cat at the SPCA so now Rhys has a brother named Valentino, and Missy has
a little bit more space as the boys play together and she can do what she
likes best and just watch. She still has to put up with Rhys’ enthusiastic
greetings when we let her in from outside, so she even gets something to
complain about which undoubtedly makes her happy ;) Our newest cat, Valentino
is just about the same age as Rhys and they get along very well, after
a few days of hissing and yelling from Rhys, which Val took very well with
his easy-going demeanor. It was really amusing to see just how much of
a cue Rhys takes from his older sister, as when we let Val out of the carrier
that first day, Rhys wasn’t sure what to do until Missy came up to Val,
sniffed, and hissed to let him know his place, and then the gloves were
off and Rhys decided to try to be menacing for a few days. Now they are
best friends, and Val puts up with Rhys licking him with far more grace
than Missy did, and that’s all good. The right photo below shows how much
bigger he is than poor Missy now.
At left, Mynta is sharing a meal with his new best
friend. At right, he certainly grew larger than she is.
TATUM
Tatum is a lucky little youngster who was rescued by a number of private
rescue groups working together to get cats out of a remote community where
they were homeless and reproducing. Tatum came to Katie's Place and this
winsome little soul was soon adopted. Her new family sent us her photo
and a note. Her new name is Boots and she's making friends with everyone
in the family, two-legged and four-legged.
How lucky to go from being homeless and exposed to
all kinds of dangers
to snoozing safely in one's very own home! Judging
from this photo, Tatum hasn't got a worry in the world.
CANDY
Candy is a little character who came to us from another shelter when time
passed and she got cranky waiting to be adopted. She was the lucky one
chosen by adopters in mid-October '07. A week later, we got a report that
Candy was settling in and "...that Candy is very happy at her new home.
She likes to sleep on our bed at night or in the chair beside us. She is
social and enjoys following us around the house."
TEGA
Tega waited for a home for a long time. She is a sweet cat, she was just
inconspicuous. Then her luck changed and she sent us a letter from her
new home...
"Mom loves the fact that I am a lap cat. I purr constantly and
if she stops petting me I reach out with my left paw and touch her arm
or face. This gets her every time and she starts the full body massage
all over again. They think it's pretty cute when I roll over and ask for
my belly rubs. My feet keep kneading the air even when they stop petting
me. I have been spending my time snoozing, watching T.V., playing with
anything that resembles a string, sitting up on my hind legs for treats,
snooping, watching the neighborhood go by and lying on an available lap
or belly. I found a fresh coin roll wrappy thingy and had quite the game
of pounce and chase with it. Someone told my mom that I was adopted from
Katie's Place once before and brought back because I wasn't friendly enough…
or was it affectionate enough? Well I made sure that my mom and dad know
I am both and more."
Tega is enjoying home life!
JACK
Jack came to us with a troublesome eye. A specialist donated his services
and was finally able to tell us that he was simply born with one eye smaller
than the other and that it would always look funny. He was such a lovable
character that he found a home. His family told us, "We could not have
adopted a better, more wonderful cat." The said, "We were worried about
how he would adjust to the dogs, but now he plays with them and rubs in
between their legs. He is so unbelievably cuddly that you just look at
him and he starts purring. No matter where he is in the house, the moment
you pick up the Temptations bag, Jack comes running. My princess Eek and
Jack have become both friends and rivals. Just wanted to let you know that
he is super happy and well adjusted. He was the perfect cat for us; he
is adored."
Jack's eye concerned us when he was at the shelter
(left photo) and we tried treating it. But he was just born that way and
it doesn't bother him.
Now he's enjoying life in his new home with his new
friends (middle and right photos).
PUMA
Puma was dubious of his new circumstances when he first came into shelter
care. He didn't want to make any new friends. At Katie's Place he mellowed
out with time and finally made friends with someone who came looking for
a new cat. His new person sent us this note: "He was a little shy at first
and not too sure what to do with all the space he now had. He stuck close
by to us and didn't want to go very far even to explore. But, after a few
days he started to settle in and found his favourite spots. He's all comfortable
and happy now and has revealed his quirky personality. He's quite chatty
and always makes sure we know exactly what he thinks we should be doing!
Despite all the fancy cat toys, his favourite is an old shoe lace which
he'll drag over to our feet to let us know he wants us play."
Inset, Puma's face was skeptical as he surveyed the
new environment of a shelter where he suddenly found himself.
The photo of Puma lying proudly beside his own huge
new scratching post was sent to us by his new family.
FLUFFY
Fluffy came to us as an eight-year-old with rough, bumpy skin. Her skin
condition was due to a bad, untreated flea infestation. So that was easily
remedied. But she was still a plain black eight-year-old and so was not
the most adoptable cat in the shelter. However, her loving, gentle nature
won her a home where she is very loved and very happy. She calls herself
Shadow now and sent us a Christmas card with this photo on the front...
TREVOR
Trevor's story is bitter-sweet. Trevor first came into shelter care in
June 2005. His family said he was good with dogs and older kids. But that
wasn't enough to save his place in his home. He was an independent fellow
who liked attention but would let you know when he'd had enough. He ran
out of time in his first shelter and came to Katie's Place where visitors
never paid attention to the plain black cat and he never paid attention
to him. Then in October 2007 one of our volunteers took pity on the little
gent and gave him a real home. Only then did a vet check reveal that Trevor
has leukemia -- not the viral leukemia that is FeLV,
the other kind. There was no sign of it when we had a dental done on him
in August. But he has it now and so he will not have a long life in his
own new home. The volunteer says he's very affectionate and loving and
is adjusting very well to her home. He will enjoy the love of a caring
family and the comfort of a real home for the rest of his life, however
short it may be now.
Trevor lives in the here-and-now, serenely enjoying
the good life in a loving home.
Dec 7/07
The vet went to Trevor's home last night and helped him pass. His family
let us know that, "He had a good last day full of love, affection and lots
of purrs. We were saying that it was hard to get to know the real Trev
in the short time he was with us but we realized we did get to know a lot
about him. He liked fishy food and treats, snuggling under the covers,
he liked to knead my arm and pat my face with those large fluffy paws,
he loved his face to be petted, liked sleeping on my lap and liked chasing
string. He was a really sweet handsome fella."
Trevor was loved. That was a blessing.
LEXIE
Lexie was an 8-yr-old with diabetes so we wondered what her chances were
of ever finding a home of her own again. But luck was on her side. Somebody
saw the sweet, loving soul in this little cat and took her home. That was
in mid-November '07. In December we received a Christmas card that featured
Lexie on the front wearing her new Christmas finery. Inside, her family
wrote, "Thank you so much for our wonderful Lexie". Now THAT'S a happy
Christmas!
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