A Big Mistake

Boris, the office cat of the week.

After putting away my things and saying hello to Boris, my first task is to greet the cats in the back room. Gladly! A gray and white cat with some hints of calico markings, Tawret, is sitting right on the food bin when I enter. She allows me to pet her for nearly half a minute before jumping down and strutting off to a different section of the room. I let a few more cats sniff my fingers (Tawret approaches me a few more times, clearly playing it cool) until I find Betty. We bond over her love of being petted, and my love of petting, before I head back to the front to clean the front side room with the same volunteer I worked with last week.

As I gather up my supplies, the shift manager is scolding another volunteer who is taking her time gathering up all of her things. "You have to be faster." I find this a little cruel, as the woman is rather elderly, and to top it off is wearing a cast boot.

The shift manager says this a few more times and the volunteer leans back against the sink, clearly upset. It then occurrs to me that the shift manager might not be referring to the speed of her preparation. Perhaps the woman had not been fast enough to adopt one of the cats from the shelter. "Did a cat you wanted get adopted?" I ask.

Sure enough, a cat she had fallen in love with, Kit Kat, has an adoption pending.

I head back to the side room. All of the cats in this room last week are still around. Chip is a little less rambunctious today, and Licorice is feeling more brave. Kia is a little more timid, and spends the entire time sleeping. Mama Lu is as soft and cute as ever. Sadey stays out of the way, but Goose tries hard to get in the way of everything- especially for the volunteer I'm working with. As Tux sleeps, his adorable, pink nose is crunched into a frown.

"The Black and White Cat Club" Licorice, Jack Benny, and Tux

Bryn in her favorite spot.

Bryn is in her roast in the top corner of the room again. I stray from my cleaning every few minutes to pet her. She pushes into my hand with her face, her butt high in the air until she flops over onto her side, purring like crazy. Later, when I'm sweeping I hear a loud purr from above. It's Bryn. I set down the broom. "Of course I'll give you attention," I coo. She rubs into my hand again, a smile on her face.

Bryn in mid purr

I begin to daydream about coming to Feline Rescue each week, and bonding closer and closer to little Bryn, until I can no longer resist and when the time is right I'll adopt her. "Wow, she sure loves you," the other volunteer notices. I just smile.

Soon after, the two of us are mopping the floor when a young man pokes his head in. "Hi!"

"Hello." He doesn't enter the room, so after a bit I look up, forgetting that I am sort of here to direct visitors in the right direction.

"Is it okay if I come in?"

"Oh yeah, sure."

"Great! We're adopting one of the cats in here."

The other volunteer gasps. "Ooh, which one?"

He grins. "Bryn."

I hope he doesn't see the flash of dismay in my eyes. "Wow, great," I say. "She's so sweet."

He pulls up a step stool and spends awhile petting Bryn. You're not allowed to be sad, I have to tell myself. It was a big mistake becoming so attached so soon. The whole point of this place is to help cats find homes. You can't take home everyone.

The room is clean by this point so I head out, in search of other rooms to clean.

In the meantime I bond with Frida.

And Jadea.

And Winter.

When the time comes, I shouldn't have a problem finding a cat that I can bond with enough to call my own. And in the meantime I have to remember the mission of the shelter, and why I'm here- to help these deserving cats find good homes.