Wednesday, January 11, 2012

"Cutie Pie"

Volunteers who do "stray cat rescuing" amaze me.  When I go into the shelter, I have a captive audience.  The cats must deal with me and I'm able to fairly easily assess them for their personality, etc.  But people who rescue cats from the streets have fewer options than I do.

I received an email from a friend-in-rescue the other day.  Her house is full and she's been feeding a little guy she named "Cutie Pie" at her front porch.  CP is about 7 months old and despite her best efforts at finding his home, apparently it was just another "discarded cat".  She had built a shelter for him over the past few weeks on her front porch:

It has a warming disc in it and a flaps to keep wind out.  But with the bad weather coming in, she sent me some pictures with hope I could help him.

Let's put this on the record:  I do not like taking cats from the public.  There.  I said it.  In the 20 years that I've been doing this, I've found that the public often lies about the health and personality of the cats.  Very few people tell you that the cat pee's on the bed, etc. 

That being said, Stray Rescuers often lose sight over what "Friendly" really means.  They're so used to being hissed at, growled at and ran from.  To me, "Friendly" means I can pick up the cat, hold him and kiss him. 

So when I heard that CP was VERY friendly I was cautious. 

My rescuer friend wasn't home, but I drove into the city anyway with Temptation Treats in hand to try to lure this guy from his warm hidey spot. 

Temptation Treats were not necessary.

This guy came bolting out of his warm hiding spot and started rubbing around my ankles.  He was purring.  He was chirping at me.  I leaned down to pick him up and kissed him and fell in love.  He was adorable and exactly as my friend had described:

There's no doubt in my mind that this handsome boy with 4-white feet would've been killed on the street or was within 30 days of becoming sexually mature and making kittens, fighting and becoming just another street cat.

I really feel like I did something today by saving this guy.  Sure, rescuing from the shelter is important too.  Those cats have NO chance.  But I honestly don't think this guy had much of a chance either.  I dropped him off at our vet for a neuter and I'm hoping a foster Mom calls me back shortly about taking him.  Either that or he's coming to the House of the Discarded (my house) tonight. 

I sort of hope he comes to my house.  I really like this guy:

15 comments:

Sparkle said...

Cutie Pie is more of description than a name, but it fits this guy perfectly! I'm so glad he was just the way he was described and you were able to rescue him.

Anonymous said...

God bless you for taking this little innocent one in. He looks like a real sweetheart and I know he will find a forever home soon. It is meant to be. Keep us posted please.

Rivi said...

Beth, I feed a feral cat colony of ten cats, in my backyard,
for over two years.
NOT ONE will come within touching distance of me.
But if you can get a strange kitten to come up to you, purring and rubbing against you - that's fantastic - he is NOT feral!

Cutie Pie has the tame gene and will be a real love in someone's family.

Caroline said...

No wonder he came to you, he's a tabbie, he's heard about the Turner Tabby Palace! lol

Andrea said...

Cutie Pie's shelter came from the Toronto Humane Society's Feral and Stray Shelter building workshop last year. I paid a small donation for it. I painted it black, so it was less obtrusive on my black steps. He has been the third resident of it in the last 12 months. They work really well, and the SnuggleSafe (warmed up two or three times a day in a microwave) made it quite deluxe.

So glad that Cutie Pie has been rescued by you, Beth !
Thanks again. I will miss him a little, but I can also relax knowing that he is finally, completely safe.

Andrea

Anonymous said...

Way to go - always encouraging to hear such a great rescue story. Got to wonder where he came from. Lucky kitty to meet not one but two rescuers so early in his life.

Wondering how Loyd is doing -

Harpurr's Mom

Faith J. said...

Yeah, a kitty like that could survive outside, but he will only be happy living in someone's home as a pet! Great rescue story!

Deb said...

He has the same expression little Audrey (my foster) has when she wants some lovin'. He looks like he would make a wonderful companion for some lucky person.

turtlegirl406 said...

We have a few stray "regulars" that eat on our front porch and one sad little soul that lives there. Right now there seems to be a disturbingly high number of strays in our neighborhood (Hamilton). I am glad this one found a home. I wish some of the ones I know could get the same. They deserve it. Very sad.

Connie - Tails from the Foster Kittens said...

Thank you for taking that chance. This isn't the first time you have said you don't take cats from people because they lie.

Josie said...

What a handsome boy! I'm glad this turned out to be a good experience :)

Ecochica said...

Wow what a lucky guy CP is!! This is a very happy story Beth thank you for driving out all the way! A huge thanks as well to the wonderful lady who did so much to keep him warm and safe!!

Steve Bartlett said...

I sense another Sherman ...

Anonymous said...

I understand when you give reasons why you don't like to take cats from the public - because people can and do lie - but when you take a cat from the shelter the same risks are there. They may also pee on the bed or bite little kids; you still don't know. Just another opinion fwiw.

Random Felines said...

what a cutie!!! Thanks for taking in this boy....mom worries enough about our ferals but it really hurts to think someone must have loved this boy and then he ended up without a home....