This little darlin' probably weighed in at 4 pounds. She looked really good and certainly captured the heart of her new Mommy.
The ONLY thing that could zap the joy out of this adoption, was watching Bridget's new family leave in tears at the ones that they couldn't help. Leave it to this eff'ing shelter to be a joy kill.
I felt a moment of bravery and walked through the cat rooms. I knelt down and bonded with a very gentle fluffy guy that was rolling around in his cage and purring. I picked him up and was petting him. I reached out for the cage card to see if I could put together the pieces to the puzzle as to why this handsome guy was at the shelter.
The card read: "Sleep only". Reason? "Too old".
Shit. Really? I bonded with this cat and he's going to die tomorrow - alone. His family dumped him in this cage instead of holding and loving him in his final moments. The City won't let me take a cat that's "Sleep Only". It's the owner's wishes and what's done is done.
I walked out with an empty cat carrier and sat in my car for a moment. I simulated LaMaze breathing exercises, desperately trying to breathe away the pain that I felt in my heart at that moment. "Breathe in....cleansing breath, out....breathe in....cleansing breath out..."
As I drove home, I tried to recapture some of the happy moments in recent times in rescue. David and I drove to Buffalo, New York on Saturday and delivered 2 kittens to a woman who drove all the way from New Jersey to adopt them. She was wonderful and burst into happy tears the moment she saw her new babies. It was a delightful moment and I couldn't help but cry with her. David thought we were crazy, but since when did men understand this sort of behaviour?
I have 3 foster home applications on my desk and am anxious to speak with these people. New foster parents mean more lives saved.
It's time for me to toughen up a bit and remember there are some things that are not in my control.
7 comments:
Oh, Beth...(((hugs))). So deeply sorry for this poor cat. I hate most people, I really do. Probably why I shun human companionship, for the most part, in favour of my own fur companions.
But gorgeous Bridget--at least she was saved today and has a forever home. That's wonderful.
Fingers crossed that all three foster home applications turn out to be a go, so more cats can be saved.
Oh Beth, I knew you'd have a sad post soon but thanks for not showing sad pics. Kudos to you and David for driving those kittens to Buffalo! You're doing great, I'm surprised you came home with an empty carrier, but I know you still have at least 2 tabby kittens and your permanent furries to look after! I always recognize your kittens on the adoption page cause of the lovely antique floral chair they are normally sitting on! It's funny how animals pick the most treasured or expensive furniture to use.
Oh Beth, I knew you'd have a sad post soon but thanks for not showing sad pics. Kudos to you and David for driving those kittens to Buffalo! You're doing great, I'm surprised you came home with an empty carrier, but I know you still have at least 2 tabby kittens and your permanent furries to look after! I always recognize your kittens on the adoption page cause of the lovely antique floral chair they are normally sitting on! It's funny how animals pick the most treasured or expensive furniture to use.
I must say Beth I am very much impressed with your IT skills and videography! I love the quotes in Ariana's video.
I'm sorry- I hope those people experience karma one of these days- so that those who purport to love them are NOT there for them in their final days. First, how old is too old? He sounded pretty happy and content to me? And to abandon him, leave him to experience his final hours alone and confused and frightened, DAMN them. Seeing someone you love move on is one of the most painful things in the world - the only thing that hurts MORE is not being there for them. I still cry when I remember my Lass's last breath but am thankful to the bottom of my heart that the last thing she felt was my hand and my heart under her old tired head.
Selkie: He's only 12 years old :(
That is so sad, but at least they left him knowing what would happen to him there (and I hope it haunts them that they left him in a cage overnight before it happened rather than take him to the vet and say goodbye). But I still think its better than all the people who happily drop off their cats there for adoption when most are not adopted :(
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