Sassy cats – The stray that almost stayed

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I couldn't find any pictures but here is one that looks very similar. Source is an unnamed cat rescuer.

I couldn’t find any pictures but here is one that looks very similar. Source is an unnamed cat rescuer. Picture is from a shelter archive.

Look at that face. Could you close your door on him? He didn’t even have his mom!

About five years ago, on a warm summer evening the beloved husband said that our cat Hazel got out. He saw a greyish cat scampering around the patio. Hazel was sitting on a kitchen chair so I went out to see who was out there.

A cat ran under a bush. I couldn’t really see much so I went to the bush and talked very quietly in my “come hither cat voice” and the cat came out happy to find a new friend.

Turns out it was a very young kitten maybe two to three months old and all grey a lot like Morgan but without the Siamese features.

He was people friendly and very affectionate. He wanted to be held and cuddled and of course fed. I brought him inside. (He saw the SUCKER sign on my forehead and heard I had Friskies in my cupboard!)

I felt sure that he belonged to someone. A cat doesn’t get that friendly in a feral colony. The next morning I plastered “found posters” all over the neighborhood. No one claimed him. Since I already had three cats, I wanted to find him a deserving home so I sent out emails to all my cat friends.

Because of the possibility of disease I had to keep him segregated from my cats until I could get him to the vet for tests. The tests were clear and my cats liked him right away. There was no hissing, just some motherly sniffing and licks. Yes, even Jake liked him.

He was with me for three days when one of my friends called to say she found someone who wanted to adopt a cat. They came over later that day and loved him. (What’s not to love?)

I missed the little guy and sometimes I think I rescued Morgan to make up for it. Their personalities are very similar. Maybe the traits go with the coloring or maybe I’ve been lucky. And this is why I don’t foster cats. They come in the front door and would never leave again.

 

45 thoughts on “Sassy cats – The stray that almost stayed”

  2. On, such a cute face. When I was a kid, we had a gray cat named “Smokey.” Loved him as I have all the rest.

    I’m glad no strays have come to my door. It would be extremely hard for me to turn him/her away. Plus, I’m not sure how our two cats – Jean-Louis and Reggie – would react. They took a while to warm up to our grand puppy, Riley. Thank goodness, they finally did and Riley’s visits are quite welcome. 😉

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  3. Lovey-dovey face indeed. Oh my…my heart string are seriously pulled. I can’t foster either. Last time she stayed for 10 years. The minute they enter the house, you’re living with them. They’re the lease holders, and you…their tenant. I always say…as long as a cat or dog, lion or monkey gets a good home, that’s all that matters. Loved this.

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  4. Yes, fostering is out for me too… there would be a menagerie of critters in-house. That includes volunteering at our local shelter too although I know how needed dog-walkers and volunteers are. It would be just too painful to leave without something warm and fuzzy in my arms. You did the right thing Kate – finding the grey a good home. Morgan knew you were waiting for the right match. I do wish a stray would wind up on my doorstep though. 🙂

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  5. Who could resist a face like that? You did a wonderful thing for that little kitty, Kate. Our oldest cat was a young stray we took in during an ice storm. The tips of her ears were frozen and she was HUNGRY but she’s been a happy, healthy addition to our family ever since. I could never foster and then let them go, but those who do are heroes to me!

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  6. I could never foster. We go to our local shelter and give the cats playtime and snuggles IF they want them and I find that pretty hard to do. Not the snuggling, but leaving them. I knew you were going to help that little sweet face one way or another!

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    • We have several shelters locally. The one closest to me happens to smell badly. Very badly. I’m not sure I could work there for any length of time. When we went to pick up Morgan, my husband had to exit while they got the cat. It’s a newer building and they work hard there. Someone was washing down the lobby with bleach but I guess with all the critters, it gets hard to control the smells. On the other hand there is a state of the art shelter on the other side of town that does not smell at all. Perhaps they did a better job at venting systems when they built it. I admire anyone who can go into a shelter to give face time to help socialize animals. I fear that I would end up with 30 cats in my house. Maybe 40.

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  8. I really admire people who can foster pets! I absolutely know I couldn’t possibly do it. Once I bond, and I do that quickly, It’s a good feeling when you know that an animal has a better chance at life because of your effort. This was a very heartwarming story, Kate!

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    • I bond quickly too. That’s a problem when I go to adopt a cat because the faces of the ones I didn’t adopt haunt me for a long time. I especially feel badly about the cats who have been in the shelter for years. It’s not an environment that they like.

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  13. I could never foster….giving up any critter that comes into my home is way too hard! Anyway, “Dobby” is doing fine. Thriving with his family.

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    • Jake was a similar rescue only it took me two weeks to find him a home. I couldn’t give him up at that point. I don’t know why I think that cats are happier with me than with another family. I have a lot of friends who are great cat owners.

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    • Yes and at that point I didn’t have a proper cat room where I could isolate him. I had him sleep overnight in my husband’s work shop in. He immediately found the comfy cat bed and the litter box.

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  18. When I was young there was a little kitten, and I mean KITTEN, at our back door. It was early winter. The little thing looked up at me with runny eyes and cried. My mother refused to take it in. To this day when I think about that cat I get teary-eyed. I would take them all in if I could. Maybe if I win the lottery. Hmmmm.

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