Over the past few months that I've been rescuing from this shelter, I fell in love with one big ol' Tom cat who was part of the Barn Cat program that had the most soulful eyes. He looked like he had something on his mind. When I first saw Mr. Big Cheeks he was crouched low into his litterbox. Two months later, he was still in a cage as no farmer had taken him. I was incredibly excited to have a foster parent with a brand new barn come forward and offer to take him.
So I made the trek out to the shelter - it was a happy day today:
While I was there, the same foster Mom that took Mr. Big Cheeks also asked me to pick out a pregnant girl for her too! So I picked out a sweet little brown tabby with a huge belly. As I type this email, we have another foster Mom driving out to the high-volume shelter to (hopefully) rescue "Quinn" - another pregnant girl:
Regardless, it felt good to sing that silly little rescue song. Happy Friday all...
8 comments:
The barn cat program sounds awesome. Goodness knows, one of the reasons I look forward to cats in the house is the mice. You might want to start a mouser program in downtown Toronto as well!
I'm disturbed by the pregnant cat information. As I've mentioned, I'm planning to get kittens and a mom this spring and I'd (briefly) considered fostering a pregnant cat, if I was going to end up with most of 'em anyway. Is illness and death a common problem with pregnant shelter cats? That's so horribly sad. Wonderful that you and others are giving them a chance, though.
Mr. Big Cheeks is a sweetie, Beth, what a handsome boy. I hope he'll be well loved, even as a barn cat.
Fingers and paws crossed for the rescued pregnant moms and their soon-to-born babies.
"Mommy Quinn" is now safe, warm, happy and settling in. She is a sweet and gentle tiny lady. Lets think positively and hope for the best for her and what will be her beautiful healthy kittens.
Hi Beth,
I bet all the cats in the shelter dream of hearing your wonderful rescue song! Mr. Bigcheeks is a very lucky guy & so are all of the other cats that you so selflessly rescue!
- Karl & Oscar.
What an awesome boycat! The Burbank, CA shelter, not too far from us, also has a barn cat program. I wish more shelters had them.
Love Mr. Big Cheeks, Beth... he's gorgeous....so glad you ( and the foster Momma with a new home for him ) were able to help him. Melissa..many positive thoughts wending their way to you and Momma Quinn for very healthy babies !
She has such a pretty face doesn't she ? Perhaps a little Chartreux in there. Good luck and much happiness to all.....
...love Gail
Wonder if the shelter would be willing to let you know as soon as the pregnant cats arrive so you could scoop them right away. Perhaps they would keep them in a holding area separate from the general population [or is that just wishful thinking?]
Harpurr's Mom
I took in a feral cat and in fact it took 3 months for him (he was named Big Cheeks, too) to come forward from behind the toilet bowl (his favorite hiding place). At the beginning he was active only during the nights and smelled horribly (until he got neutered).
We gave up any hope to getting any kind of normal contact to him.
But then he changed and HOW he changed..! He became the most loyal, sweet cat I have ever known (with an occasional bite and scratches of course). He wanted to protect us and even if he was afraid of sudden noises, he popped up always when there was something unusual going on in the house (strange noise, etc.). He was then ready to attack the source of any disturbance.
That ex-feral tom was a real angel.
And this angel died 1.5 years after we took him in. Heart failure... He was approx. 4.5 years old only... I was devastated.
I would take in a feral cat at any time since he proved me that many of those are not utterly hopeless. In the contrary.
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