Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Tabbies and Tales

I'm really hoping that the big Petsmart adoption weekend proves to be a good one. Kittens and Moms with kittens seem to be rolling in way too fast. It feels like June at the shelter instead of late April. My usual summer angry rants are starting far too early.

Fortunately, I'm back at the shelter tomorrow to rescue what I thought would be 7 little tabbies:


The SPCA came in and took 3 of the kittens and left the remaining 4 to either be rescued or die. Looks like it's going to be "rescue" for these guys. I wish it could be that way for all of them.

My latest project cat is "Magoo":

Magoo was found by the police department after a call was placed about a deceased man in an apartment. Magoo was found perched on his dead owner's chest - holding vigil - for at least THREE days. Magoo has been held-in-trust at the shelter for 10 days in the event a family member wants to claim him. Surprise. Surprise. Nobody has stepped forward. Magoo has lost everything in his life. He's not a young cat - probably 10-12 years old, but Oh. My. Gosh - he's SWEET.

Not too much to report on tonight. I've been enjoying little Howard enormously:

How cute is this little varmint?

I'm hoping for some happy stories at the shelter tomorrow. I don't want to come home and post anything that's going to hurt. I'm really going to dig for some good stuff and look for something positive.

It's just too damn early to feel so overwhelmed.

7 comments:

Deb said...

Oh, you have covered so much in this one post that wears on me. Too many kittens and yes, way too early for this. Old cats being ignored by family members. I just finished cat-sitting for a woman who was in hospital with cancer. I looked after her two cats for 20 days when she died. No one in the family would take them so now they are homeless and the house is being emptied by the family. So, after much stress, a couple who knew the woman for years stepped up and said they would be happy to take the cats as their cat had died recently. Wonderful! but I am still pissed off at the family. They didn't care one bit for the cats, just the STUFF. They sure are the under-dogs aren't they. Hugs, Deb

House of the Discarded said...

Deb: I can't imagine that if something happened to me that my family wouldn't take on my beloved cats. Thank goodness that your story had a happy ending, Deb!

I'm with you - this kind of stuff drives me crazy.

siouxee said...

It is sad indeed when pets become dispossable. I am very glad my entire family is nothing but animal lovers. I know that if something were to happen to me, my pets will be alright. Same goes for them. I would take them all in instantly.

I hope Magoo finds a loving owner. I can't imagine how it is for a pet to hang on to their beloved owner even when dead. That's loyalty.

EV said...

Poor Magoo. He looks so, so sad. It's tough to imagine people not WANTING to take care of a living creature that was obviously a loving companion to their family member and has lost everything. Or at least to help find an interim solution? *Heavy sigh*

On a happy front, Muffin is doing better and is such a happy cat with bucketloads of personality. I swear he understands everything we say. Whoever adopts him will be in true LOVE.

Shannon said...

I'm going to play devils advocate here for a minute and say that I don't think it's enough to assume that our beloved cats (or dogs or birds or whatever) will be taken care of if something happens to you. I'm single and my cats are wholly dependent on me. I think the situation is a little different where the cats are 'family' pets as in Beth's situation. But me, the 'what if' discussion is one that I had before I considered adopting any of my three and than again as I thought about adding to my fur family.

This is the third case of cats being deserted after their owners died (Baby, the two seniors and now Magoo). Whats to say these owners didn't think that their beloveds would have been taken care of. It's an uncomfortable chat to have but we owe it to our pets to do so.

*stepping off soapbox now*

oowowaee said...

I just wanted to say...I know first hand how cruel and unforgiving cat rescue cat be; just in terms of how much love you can give to a situation for only devestation. Thank god there are people as strong as you are, who never give up...and have this beautiful calling in their hearts. Without you, there would be no recourse for many of these cats...thank you so much.

oowowaee said...

I just wanted to say...I know first hand how cruel and unforgiving cat rescue cat be; just in terms of how much love you can give to a situation for only devestation. Thank god there are people as strong as you are, who never give up...and have this beautiful calling in their hearts. Without you, there would be no recourse for many of these cats...thank you so much.