Saturday, February 11, 2023

Kitty come home

Ruth, Beth and I met at Rescue Village, a Geauga County animal rescue facility. I wanted to adopt a cat named Tori, surrendered by her  owner because of the owner's health issues. Tori was the longest at the shelter, surrendered last October.

Tori had a room of her own because she disliked being housed with other cats. Big room. We went in to meet her. She certainly had personality. Feisty, even. I saw her as a six year old cat whose world had changed and whose new world was not wonderful. She was happy to interact with us and the toy we offered. We went out to complete the adoption process.

The adoption consultant was so happy Tori was finally finding a home. However, she warned, Tori could not be picked up until Monday. She was participating in a fundraiser. We already were told that, and thought we had obtained a waiver. The consultant went to check and returned to say we were informed incorrectly; Tori could not leave until Monday.

Even Ruth protested. She plays her several years old than me age card very well, but No. This had been protested to the owner (?) and Tori was not free to go today. Looking around only one room, there were several tortus cats who could stand in for Tori, who could not be adopted in any case, since I intended to adopt her. The consultant had tears in her eyes. Tori cannot leave today. The three of us left.

After we settled in the car and fastened belts, Beth stuck out her phone. The Summit County Humane Society was on the long way home. Why not; after the grueling job of assembling an out house for a cat, the job today was to find a cat.

We arrived in short order and chatted with another adoption specialist, also named Beth, who took detailed notes of the sort of cat I was looking for and ran a search on her computer. She came back with a list and off we went.

One room housed several potential adoptees. One fellow named Cesar might easily have been called SeizeHer. He nailed me and drew blood! I was stunned at the back story of most cats. Kittens are the usual problem; cats are cats and have kittens. However, the number of abandoned older cats is appalling. 

I kept coming back to one cat whose age was listed as one to seven years old. She had been found abandoned and injured in a West Akron neighborhood and given to a vet clinic, which treated her leg and turned her over to Summit County Humane Society. Because it was the fall season of the year, the Society named her Holly.

Her history was completely unknown. Did someone own and abandon her? This seems the most likely; she seems to be a housecat. She also has "redundant pharyngeal membranes attached to her soft palate." It does not affect her quality of life, except to make her snore. 

I debated between Holly and another similar cat far more shy; only able to put one eye past the edge of her box to look. She had far to go in her socialization course. In the end I picked Holly, and renamed her Katherine on the way home. I'm sure she had a home once, and now has a home again. I only need convince her. 

She inched herself half way out of her carrier, watching me closely the entire way. When I went to the door for my dinner, I heard the carrier significantly move and when I came back, Kitty was in the outhouse.  She took a long nap. I just looked over and she is contemplating me. Sometime after I go to bed I'm sure she will come out, find her pillows, her food and water. I wonder where I'll find her tomorrow.





41 comments:

  1. I am so happy you have brought a kitty home. I hope she settles in sweetly, learning to trust and love. I bet she will.

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  2. Welcome to your new home, Katherine the Kat! I hope you'll be very happy with Joanne!

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  3. How sweet that you now have a kitty. Little old ladies like us (82 for me) who love kitties should have one...or two. I have two; a domestic long hair year old female - solid black with yellow eyes named Poppy, and a butterscotch and white 6 yr old male domestic short hair named Timmy, who is so shy I have had him a year and he will not let me pick him up yet.

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  4. I like Holly. The first cat I ever really had (in a way) was a torty. And the second.

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  5. A kitty who won the lottery. So sorry about Tori though. Let's hope she finds s new home at the fundraiser. It was stupid of them not to let her come with you. It's not as if she was famous or anything. No wonder she's been in the shelter a long time.

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  6. Wonderful! Your new friend has beautiful markings.

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  7. How silly of the first home to insist Tori stay another three days even when several similar cats were available for the fundraiser.
    Holly seems a perfectly acceptable name for a cat though, so why change it to something longer?

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  8. Oh happy day!! You have a cat! That other shelter should be ashamed of themselves! Is it not the whole point to want good people to adopt their animals? They should have given you the cat and a hand shake and a thank you! - Jenn

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  9. Congrats on helping your new buddy! (The other shelter was dumb, not like there's not enough cats to acquire for adoption. Almost sounds fishy.) Queen Katherine may want her outhouse to be her in-house for hiding, with an outhouse in a different box. Her markings look like she used to have a splitting headache but you fixed that. Enjoy! Linda in Kansas

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  10. Welcome home, Katherine! She's a beauty and it sounds like she's adjusting quickly.

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  11. Hari OM
    Oh my... Settled right in. You're toast, Joanne, this one will rule! I wonder how long before Katherine beomes Katty the kitty...? YAM xx

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  12. Those cats homes are a law unto themselves. I have had a similar experience with a similar outcome, went elsewhere. I suspect Tori was never meant to be homed at any point which is why she is still there. Welcome to Kitty and a loving cat.

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  13. Congratulation, Joanne, that you didn't give up and now finally have a cat - a cat who is very lucky to find you!

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  14. Welcome Katherine = sad about Tori though.

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  15. Happy news, hope puss settles down.

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  16. Looks as if the first shelter will have Tori a lot longer thanks to their inflexibility.....still, Katherine benefited from it all.

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  17. Oh yes ... Katty is definitely a tortoiseshell kitty! They always look so mean to me and, therefore, have never been a favorite for me.
    I am sure she will cozy up to you in no time!
    Congratulations on getting her!

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  18. Hooray! Looking forward to updates on Katherine the Kat. You've had cats before so you know that it will take her a few days to settle in. Has to get used to all the new smells and objects in her forever home. Great for both of you!

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  19. Welcome to Katherine. She is a lovely kitty. Adoption centers are strange places. I tried to adopt once and had to fill out realms of paperwork, be interviewed, and have Vet and friend pet owner references. One pet owner reference spoke about my dog going next door to visit their dog. The Adoption Center deemed me and my neighbor irresponsible pet owners. No adoption.

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  20. This is great news. It amazes me how delighted I get to see other people's pets. I can't wait to see how Katherine adapts. After three months, Houdini has well and truly come out of his shell. He is running all over the place after a nearly 12 year old with a piece of yarn. They have a very good time together. He even tolerates the rest of us with good humor.

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  21. Welcome home Holly (or Katherine)!

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  22. Well that was certainly Katherine's lucky day. I hope it works for you both and you have many happy years together.

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  23. We were so luck Phoebe, with the cat we adopted - the prettiest and gentlest one I've ever known.

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  24. Nicely done! She's going to be great company for you.

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  25. I'm happy for you and Katherine! (I thought I left a comment on the last post but maybe I forgot to hit Publish :))

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  26. Katherine has a good home. Now all she needs is to adjust.

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  27. I'm sure Katherine will be well cared for and enjoy her new home.

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  28. Katherine! I love it. Happy new kitty and happy apartment mate.

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  29. She is very beautiful and I am sure you will both enjoy your new friendship.

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  30. There's a cat watching you! How delightful!

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  31. I'm happy you have a cat again. I know Katherine is also happy.

    Love,
    Janie

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  32. Oh, a tortie! That's what Cat is. had never seen or heard of torties before Cat came to my yard, now they are everywhere. So the window finally has a cat but so sad for Tori.

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  33. Rescued babies are the best! Katherine looks quite lovely and I'm sure will be ruling the place very soon.

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  34. How sad for Tori not being able to leave the shelter straight away. Your Holly-now-Katherine is beautiful. May you and she have a long and happy life togther. x

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  35. Ah, sounds like things are on the up and up for Holly. Give her time.

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  36. I hope Katherine has a long and happy life with her new owner. She looks a bit wary but I'm sure she'll settle down now she's well cared for.

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  37. Congrats, Joanne. I hope you and Katherine become the bestest of friends and have a wonderful time together.

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  38. I hate that people will surrender a pet that is older just because they don't want t take care of it! This is why I can't volunteer at an animal shelter ..... I would want to bring them all home!

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