Friday, June 27, 2008

Cat-o-versaries

truce

Both Moxy and Silvio were adopted from the shelter in the month of June, so this post is for them. Moxy came on the scene just a few weeks before I started this blog. My first post about her was only my second blog entry here. I also posted a photo of her first (and only) bath. Moxy was a darned cute kitten.

moxy and mousie

Silvio joined the family almost exactly a year ago. (Yes, I had a major camera upgrade between these two pictures, and it shows!) Don't let those big, innocent eyes fool you. He is Trouble with a capital T. He gets shot by "Winona", the disciplinary squirt gun, a lot.

charmer

I was saddened by an article in the local newspaper about the record numbers of euthanizations of unwanted pets in the Atlanta area brought on by the foreclosure crisis. All the shelters are maxed out. That really sucks. I wish landlords were more accepting of pets. If you think about it, pets are far less likely to damage property than children. They might poop or puke in an inconvenient spot now and then (as will children), but pets won't write on the walls with permanent markers or play with matches. I'm just sayin'... It is a terrible thing that families lose their homes and then have to give up their pets as well. Especially when it is highly likely that those older pets will never find another home and will end up being put down. Very sad.

10 comments:

Kathleen said...

Oooh, it was extra special catblogging day! Too cute. I originally (Oh so many years ago - 1989?) chose my current apt. "complex" because they accepted cats. I didn't have one yet, but I knew I was going to get one.

I had an argument with one bldg. landlord because they allowed small dogs but not cats "because males spray." What a load of crap. Not all male cats spray. Bloody idiots. I hate stupid people.

Igor was abandoned to the shelter because his owner was diagnosed with epilepsy and had to move back with her parents. Her parents pointblank refused to let her have her cats. I felt bad for that woman...she loses her job because of her epilepsy, has to move in with her parents and has to give up her cats.

A couple of years ago some woman took a 17 year old cat to the shelter because "it didn't play with my kids anymore." While there she picked up a kitten. I wanted to slap the shit out of that woman. I called to see if I could adopt the poor cat, but they said she was in a foster home and doing quite well. Again, I hate stupid people.

NYPinTA said...

I'm surprised that they let her adobt another animal considering the reason she was giving up the first animal!

BTW, you cat looks just like my Stanley. He woke me up today by trying to steal my pillow. Yep.

LL said...

The three musketeers...

and I'm not talking about the damn cats either!

BC said...

I adopted my cat from a rescue. "Charlotte" was one of two sisters that were brought to the rescue when her "parents" couldnt care for them anymore. They were elderly and the old lady passed away. The old man was placed in a nursing home. I had taken Holly in for grooming, and being a Saturday, they had the center set up for cat adoptions. I was going to walk on by because I really didnt need another animal but there was this beautiful cat that caught my attention. She looked so sad and lonely. Her sister was adopted just a few hours before. Cami played with the kittens and I thought that she could get one but this one cat just wouldnt allow me to look away. Within the hour, she was adopted. I couldnt resist her.

I adopted my dog the same way. I will only look at shelters that have pets that are desperate for a home. This is a good thing because I will adopt but a bad thing because I want to adopt them all. Mindy was abused as a puppy mill mommy. In her 4 years of life, she had 3 litters paired off with a Rottie. Shes not a big dog and her life must have been hell. But the cat and the dog are now having great lives. They are both attached to me as much as I am attached to them. My sleeping has changed because now I have them in my bed as well as the midnight runs of Cami crawling in there too. I think I now need to buy a bigger bed.

Natalie said...

The world needs more people like you and your readers femi. A few weeks ago I wrote about this problem because I am feeding a stray who was abandoned when his family moved away. We can't take him in (we have 3 of our own and will be moving in the next few months) and all the shelters are full. It is really a heartbreaking situation.

All of ours are rescues. Our oldest was abandoned either while she was pregnant or had just had kittens. All her kittens were adopted but moms are a little harder to place so we chose her. In Florida, when the economy is not in crisis, we have this problem. For some reason idiots think its okay to dump their pets outside when they become too much work. Blech.

Thanks for the post, I about died at the "Winona, disciplinary squirt gun" part. We have a trouble maker too, unfortunately he actually likes being squirted with water. That leaves us with pretty much no disciplinary options except for "time outs" in the back bedroom.

fermicat said...

nypinta - Moxy and Stanley have many doubles. Stripey cats with socks rock!

ll - pffthhphthpfft!

bc - yes, the bed does get crowded sometimes, doesn't it? But I wouldn't have it any other way.

magnetbabe - the older cats break my heart, but I am always leery of throwing another adult into our cat mix. As for discipline, the squirt gun works great, but Silvio has started EATING the double-sided tape that we put on the sides and arms of the new couch to discourage scratching!

Dianne said...

Happy Adoption Cat-o-versary Moxie and Silvio! My Mia and Siren salute you. Siren is especially impressed with Silvio eating the tape - Siren thought he was the only one ;)

I have a little water squirter too and Siren is afraid it - thank goodness. I just have to shake it and he takes off.

Every animal I have ever shared home and heart with has been a rescue. And all but 2 were older, behavior issues, abuse and neglect victims, so many stories!

The problem of increased numbers of homeless animals is killing me. I upped my donations to the 2 local shelters but the economy is hurting us all.

I love your commentors - especially Mi/Si's Auntie Magnetbabe and even ll - what an adorable grouch.

wa11z said...

You might want to check out Mostly Mutts, an organization that takes dogs that are about to be put down and gives them another chance at adoption. Saturdays in front of Petsmart is where you'll find them.

Jenn said...

I adopted 2 horses... does that make me a humanatatian? I bet they'd use the litter box if you'd let them in... :)

TY for adding me.

Who post's about GERD? I lost her link!

TheWriteGirl said...

The thing about children is that after a couple of years, they stop pooping and peeing in inappropriate places. And although my guys can be slobs from time time and leave their shoes in the middle of the floor and their wet towels on the bathroom floor, neither one of them has ever scratched up the furniture or barfed on my bedroom rug. Of course they do cost a bit more to maintain.

There are more cats in my future but I'm really happy I don't have one this week because I'd be going crazy trying to find someone to come feed them while I'm away on vacation. I couldn't even find anyone to come and water my plants! They'll make it through three days on their own, but I couldn't say as much for the cats.