Gus & Priscilla

Personal turmoil always leaves me feeling introspective about the past. I was sitting here tonight thinking about my most memorable foster cats that I personally fostered. Without a doubt, it would have to be "Gus" and "Priscilla". Gus and Priscilla had to be the most unadoptable pair we had ever rescued. They had been dumped brought into the shelter together because the family was moving. They only had each other and were huddled in a dog kennel because they were too big to fit in a cat cage. Gus had one eye and Priscilla was not the most personable cat in the world.

I figured I'd end up fostering them forever. I was wrong.

Two months after their rescue, a newlywed couple in downtown Toronto called me and wanted to adopt Gus & Priscilla. They didn't drive - could I deliver them? You betcha!

It was my first Toronto winter storm on the evening I was to drive downtown. I asked my husband David to drive and we loaded up Gus and Priscilla and headed down the highway. I think we were driving about 20 kms - complete whiteout conditions. For a Southern California girl like me, it was terrifying. How could it get any worse? It did.

The smell from the backseat hit us like a ton of bricks. Gus had pooped in his crate and Priscilla was vomiting in hers. Happy Travelers, they were not. David and I quickly opened our windows - snow was blowing in and our heads were hanging out. Seriously - I've never smelled anything like that in my life. We knew we couldn't deliver them to their new home in that condition, so we found a convenience store. David was grinning from ear to ear when he brought out baby wipes! He's a freakin' genius!

We pulled over to the side of the road (it's still snowing like crazy). I climbed into the backseat and proceeded to take Gus out of his crate to clean him up. It wasn't just "poop". The stuff was nuclear, I swear to God. He had rolled in it and now it was on me, on the car seat, in my hair. Priscilla wasn't any easier, but at least she didn't smell.

We arrived at the VERY excited Newlywed's apartment. I felt like the stork, delivering their bundles of stinky joy. Gus came running out of the crate - poopy feet galloping proudly over their white carpet. Priscilla slithered under their couch and threw up again. I grabbed Gus and ran to their washroom...putting a crying, wiggly 22 lb cat's feet in warm running water, all the while I'm trying to make small talk with these people. "Sooooo....you have a lovely apartment here!" David looked pale. Watery poop was flying up on their mirror.

It was only after I left their apartment I noticed my appearance. I can't describe it without a surge of humiliation - no wonder these people gave me an extra $20.00 donation.
But Gus and Priscilla had a home. This "unadoptable pair" had a home - forever. They set the bar for all other cats that seemed unadoptable. "If Gus and Priscilla could get adopted....."