New Faces

A hypothesis I had held briefly that cats were more likely to be adopted when the weather is nice was proved incorrect during my Monday shift. Not a single person came in to look at cats.

The first people that did come in brought word of a cat they had had for a short amount of time that whatever they did wouldn't get along with their other pets, and things were just getting worse. They were given the contact info for the woman in charge of intakes.

Pinto Pie (back left), Gussie (facing back), Jasper, Colorado, and Red 

I cleaned the large, back room, as I hadn't been back there for a couple weeks. All of the cats were in goofy moods, meowing and roaming more than usual.

"Give me attention!" ~Jasper

Red and Colorado help me clean.

"I know I make you clean twice as slow because you just haaave to keep petting me!" ~Colorado

The very friendly Becka.

"Stop petting her, pet meeeeee!" ~Jasper

Bobby curled up in his chair.

We finished with plenty of time to spare, and after cleaning some cages up front I had time to wander and spend quality time with many of the cats. As I was petting a newbie, I heard a woman enter.

She introduced herself as being involved with a church where a homeless man had been allowed to stay recently with his young cat. Luckily for the man, he had been admitted into a shelter, but the cat wasn't able to come along. I felt my eyes dampen as I heard this. The poor man, having to lose his companion of seven months. There is enough space at Feline Rescue, so the woman agreed to bring the cat in the following evening.

One last cat was brought in before the end of the shift. I didn't catch the story, but timid and sweet, he buried into his new bed as his roommates checked him out.

Penelope and Dave check out the new cat.

There were many new cats that had "owner could no longer care for him/her" written on them. A very scared, long-furred girl, an older, nervous boy, and my favorite- Latke. Latke was crouched in his cage, looking a little ornery when I first saw him. I opened his cage, hoping he would turn around so I could let him sniff my fingers. He didn't move, so I hesitantly petted him on his back. He instantly melted, rolling onto his side and purring with a look of absolute bliss on his face. He even let me pet his belly.

Latke, purring happily.

Much Needed Cat-Time

After an exhausting and stressful Monday I was looking forward to a night filled with comforting felines. As expected, they did not disappoint. The roaming cats were still in their rooms when I entered, and Jaeda was allowed to run free. I petted and played with her for a few minutes, feeling my stress start to melt away. I took awhile to start cleaning, and poked my head into the large, back room to see who was there.

Mouse is the newest resident in the back room.

I started by cleaning the front corner room. Jigsaw was adopted last week, but Mickey, Polar Bear, and Grayson were all still there. I picked up Polar Bear and snuggled with him for awhile. He may be one of the best lap cats I've ever seen. Solid, soft and warm, he stayed on my lap, happily purring as time passed along. I was told that he had to be put back in his cage- he had been let out by mistake earlier- as he has an injured paw that isn't healing as quickly as hoped.

Polar Bear incredibly relaxed on my lap.

"I'll let you pet my belly if you don't put me back in that cage." ~Polar Bear

I very reluctantly took him off my lap to begin cleaning. I cleaned his cage first before shutting him in. I felt so bad, as he looked so sad. To make up for it, I kept visiting him and petting him for awhile. Although that was just as much for me as it was for him.

I cleaned the FIV+ room next. All three cats greeted me very vocally. Hamburger happily leapt onto my lap as Olivia Benson and Edna strode around me, willing my lap to magically fit more than one cat. Edna got bored after awhile, and I continued to do my best to pet both Hamburger and Olivia Benson simultaneously.

Some cats tails for my cat tales!

"Pet meeeeeeee!" ~Olivia Benson

"Is there room for me too?" ~Olivia Benson
"All mine!" ~Hamburger

There were plenty of volunteers, so everyone finished with about half an hour to spare. What a good day for much needed extra play and snuggle time!

Doctor Who arrived via the Tardis, and is the newest resident in the large, front room.

Hamburger and Olivia Benson washing up each others faces.

Brothers Colorado and Red hanging out in the birdbath bed. 

"Did you know that cats make good pillows?" ~Colorado
"Mphmm" ~Red

"Maybe if I look cute she'll let me out of the cage." ~Polar Bear 

Opie Taylor sure knows how to pose!

Sugar Bear getting some love from one of the volunteers.

"Look, a new cat bed walked into my room!" ~Sugar Bear

Several new cats were brought in over the course of the night:

A poor, scared new kitty.

The poor, scared new kitty notices his roommate.

So many things to see!

This guy had the sweetest meow.

The end of the shift came too quickly, as usual, and I left at 8:10 to catch my bus, hanging outside of the shelter and watching the cats until it came.

"Have a good night, Kaitlin, I'll miss you!" ~Hamburger

The Highlight of My Monday

Jigsaw and Polar Bear

Once I hung up my coat I spotted Polar Bear peering through the window in the front corner room, sending mind messages for me to come in and pet him. Gladly! He definitely seemed happier to be out of his small cage and loose in the room. As I petted him, I felt a small soft kitty rub against my arm. It was Mickey! The shy black and white stray. He rubbed back and forth and back and forth and as I felt him head butt me once again I turned to look at him, but it was his brother Grayson. After giving him some attention I tracked down Jigsaw.

"Please pet my belly, Kaitlin!" -Polar Bear

Jigsaw, Mickey and Grayson hang out by the cage.

When I visited Jigsaw later in my shift she wanted me to stop taking photos and pet her instead.

"Stop taking photos and pet me!"

"That's better!"

I close to clean the large, back room, as it had been a few weeks since I've been back there. In all, there weren't many new cats throughout the building, but there were a few I wasn't so familiar with. Colorado and his brother Red I had seen two weeks ago very briefly, but hadn't had very much time to give them attention. This night I picked Colorado up and snuggled with him, carrying him around the room as I walked saying hello to all of the cats. He was very curious and wanted to touch every thing that I cleaned.

Handsome Colorado.

Taomina, the queen of the back room watches all of the cats as they eat.

Nipper sniffed my hand a few times and instead of batting it away instantly, she calmly pulled back her head and returned to her stoic position.

Nipper didn't nip today!

Another cat in need of extra love and patience is Bailey. She was a stray, out on her own for most of her life. She must have had owners at one point, as she is declawed. Imagine living as a stray- fending for herself, avoiding predators, and catching her own food without any claws. It's no wonder she doesn't trust anyone.

Bailey is the queen of snuggling into cozy places. Yes, there's a cat in that box.

The building was quiet and the cats were calm in comparison to the chaos of all of the visitors and adoptions last week. There were fewer volunteers than normal, but I had enough time to take it slow and eventually visit all of the rooms.

I poked my head into Jaeda's cage- a rambunctious, black, kitty, and one of my consistent favorites. In fact, I'm surprised she hasn't been adopted yet, given her youth, energy, and charm.

Jaeda was happy to be petted.

One of the volunteers during my shift is looking to become an adoption coordinator, and she said she was reading through the papers and was surprised to learn that black cats aren't adopted out during the entire month of October. Apparently this is a common thing amongst shelters, and it's to protect cats from essentially becoming just a Halloween decoration.

As the days have warmed, the sun lingers later and later every day. Once my shift is over I've been waiting for a bus that picks me up directly outside of the shelter. Monday, it was light late enough for me to take a couple photos of the cats cozy and warm, watching me from inside.

Grayson watches from his perch in his room.

A Busy Night (and much kitten love)

Bunny curled up on my lap.

"Don't get attached, don't get attached..." I muttered to myself over and over again. I hadn't even gotten a chance to put my coat and bag away and I already had three cats climbing all over me. Bunny, Rabbit, and Plato. Plato I had met last week and both times he snuggle onto my lap and purred away. Bunny and Rabbit were both new, and both about seven months old, so they still had soft, silky kitten fur. They were a little shy of me right away, but it took only a few seconds of sniffing to decide that they trusted me. One would hop off, and another would hop on, making it impossible to begin cleaning. Not that I minded. I willed myself not to get attached... not yet, and to just enjoy the love and affection that I was receiving. After a particularly tiring Monday, this was much needed.

I visited the large, back room before starting to clean. A lot of new, large, orange cats were roaming around. I paid a visit to Nipper- the frightened cat whose owner passed away recently. She happily sniffed my fingers for a few seconds before her ears lowered and she swatted me out of her way. I'll try again next week.

Meow lounging on top of Arizona's cage.

I started by cleaning a small room housing Meow and Arizona. Arizona was an incredibly affectionate cat, not yet available for adoption.

Meow lived up to his name, with his inquisitive "meow?" every time I would say something or move anything. "Do you like being brushed?" I asked. He held still, so I grabbed a brush and started storking his fur. He lifted his nose into the air and began to purr. His fur was ever so silky soft once I finished.

The shelter hadn't even officially opened when I had arrived, and yet people were already looking at cats to adopt. By the time I finished the small room, the place was absolutely packed with people. No one had cleaned the large, front room yet, so I started in there. A family with three girls were in there, looking to adopt Plato and Pokey. Another couple came in to adopt Han Solo (the gray tabby who was originally thrown from a car). Bunny and Rabbit were soon claimed. With so many people, I was having a hard time cleaning.

Frito welcomes Flax back into her cage.

It was hard seeing all of my new favorites leave (yes... all 4 of them) but exciting all the same. I like seeing the actual family that the cats are leaving with, and after Monday, seven spots in total opened up for more cats in need to stay.

Plato and Pokey ready to go.