Remembering Jack Benny

Jack Benny with Tux and Licorice

Jack Benny was one of the first cats I met at Feline Rescue, and he was the last cat that remained at the shelter from when I first started a year and a half ago. Last Friday, Jack Benny passed away. Jack was always one of the first to say hello to anyone who entered the shelter, and it was impossible to sign in without first giving him the proper attention he desired. A noticeably old cat, Jack Benny would amble around the shelter, slowly wandering from room to room to sniff everything and say hello to everyone.
On my first day I was told that Jack would likely live out the rest of his days in the shelter. I refused to believe it. Sure, he was an old cat, but there were people that liked old cats! And he was so nice! And when he would start purring his muzzle would puff up, giving him a young, playful look.
But Jack Benny sprayed, and would urinate outside of his box—two things that (on top of his age) were making him impossible to adopt.
Still, I held out hope. Every time I'd go months without seeing him spray I'd get excited for him, believing that he no longer had this habit. But besides only seeing him for two of the 168 hours in a week, every so often I'd see him spray, and the mental adoption clock I had going on in my head would be reset.
Still, every time he'd tiptoe up to me I would coo over him and tell him how handsome he was. In the end, his stomach filled with fluids and he stopped eating. Staff at Feline Rescue made the decision to let him go.
Although Jack Benny spent most of his life at Feline Rescue, and was never able to live out the rest of his days in a loving home, I like to think he never really minded. He had volunteers and visitors giving him attention and feeding him no less than four hours every day. He had the freedom to roam during this time, and never had to be caged. He could sit on the sign-in sheet, puff up his muzzle, and get just as much—if not more—love than any other cat lucky enough to have found their forever home.

Lukas

I've written about Lukas before, but he's a long-time favorite who's surprisingly still at the shelter. 

When he arrived this past spring he had a note on his cage that he was easily startled, so to be quiet and cautious around him. Despite being supposedly cautious to new people, he opened up to me right away. He was in his cage for awhile, but was soon granted freedom into the full, small room with a few other cats. He spent most of his time lounging on the top of his cage, just out of reach. However, whenever I visited he would walk over to the edge, and even jump down so I could properly pet and play with him.

It didn't take long for him to be comfortable with people and the other cats in the room. However, one by one they were adopted and replaced with cats that had trouble getting along with Lukas. He bounced around from one room to the next, eventually ending up in the large, back room. Unfortunately, he kept picking on other cats (although I never saw what he actually did) and after some more rearranging he ended up last week in his own room.

And he was not happy. 

On Monday I visited him in his room, and he hadn't moved from his little perch all day. He wasn't very receptive, but he looked longingly out the window at the other cats running around the larger room next to him.

Lukas sulking in his new room

I spent awhile petting him and he soon opened up, even inviting me to rub his belly.

I'm granted a rare belly rub

When I left he followed me to the door and sat staring out and meowing, just like he usually would in the smaller rooms he used to be in.

"Hey, come back!"

Lukas has a strong and adorable personality, is playful, and very very cute, so I'm surprised he hasn't been adopted yet. I mean, just look at that face!

"Won't you adopt me?"

Room for More

The empty cages from last Monday have slowly begun to fill. Unfortunately, several are being filled by returning cats. Polo, a sweetheart with cartoon-like puffs of fur sticking out from his cheeks was returned because the resident cat was. not. happy. and was giving him an impossibly hard time. There was a note from his owners of several weeks explaining was a wonderful "house guest" he was, and how sorry they were to have to let him go.

The appropriately named Cuddly and Cutie, who were adopted sometime this winter or spring, were returned. Their owner traveled too much each week and realized too late that that was not fair for the kitties.

There was a note on one of the cages: Hold for Houdini, didn't get along with resident cat. I'm looking forward to seeing him again, but I'm sad his home didn't work out. He was always fine with the cats at the shelter, if anything a little scared of some of the females at times.

Two new faces were Bellissa and Cherie. Bellissa is a bunny-soft, saucy cat, full of tween angst. Still a kitten, but wanting to be treated with the respect of an adult. But it's so irresistible to scoop her up and snuggle! Even with her tiny, kitten teeth gnawing at anything they can reach...

Bellissa looking up at Lukas (not pictured)

A new favorite, Cherie, was meowing at her cage, unhappy with her tiny living space. I opened it, pulled her out and put her on my lap. She instantly curled up in the tiniest ball, content to nap and be petted.

Cherie curled up and shedding on my lap.

Cora Lee and Meowly, two bonded sisters, have been warming up to people. When they first came in a few weeks ago they curled up against the side of the cage and anytime anyone would open the door they would huddle in the corner, pressed up to the sides as far as they could go.



Now they are happy to receive pets and compliments, and are happiest curled up together, napping.

Meowly and Cora Lee curled up together, happy for some attention.

There's a little room in the corner of the large, back room that is reserved for cats that need to be caged, but is a little bigger and nicer than any of the cages. Tarragon is the current resident. She keeps to herself, nips when she gets nervous, and I get the sense she is often bored and lonely. I spent some quality time with her this past week, discovering just how much she loves her feather toy.

Tarragon and her feather toy.

A Long Overdue Update

About a month ago the shelter was filled to the brim with cats. Every possible cage and room seemed to be filled - so much that cages would sometimes be passed up by those cleaning the space when they wouldn't realize a normally empty cage was filled for once.

So many wonderful cats were in. There was Yukon, who wagged his floppy tail like a dog and expressed his curiosity by rubbing against volunteers legs as they cleaned.

Dog-like Yukon post supper

Oh and Kelly- the messiest cat I've seen yet. When trying to clean his cage he'd want all of the attention- so much that anyone cleaning would have to enlist someone to hold him, or put him in the bathroom with toys.

What cleaning Kelly's cage was always like.

Houdini- so named because at animal control where he was before he would always manage to escape from his cage. At Feline Rescue he was a big-eyed, lovable scaredy-cat.

Snuggle champion, Houdini

Friendly Jax was sweet to all of the other cats (even if they weren't always sweet back) and would lie thoughtfully staring out the window.

Curious Jax

There was one cutie-pie, Granada, who was only there one Monday. I was mopping when I heard her meowing desperately. I looked over and saw that while using her litter box she had very cleanly missed. Upset, she tried hiding it with a blanket, and kicking litter over it, but in the end gave up and asked for help. The moment I finished cleaning up her mess she settled quietly on her new bed in her clean space.

"Thanks for cleaning my cage!" ~Granada

Sweethearts Heather, Gumbo, Milton, and all of those mentioned above were in, out, and on their way in no time, and soon the shelter was back to an average amount of cats.

Gumbo 

Heather

Milton

I was in today to take some videos for potential social media use- so keep an eye out for those!

News from the Corner Room

I may have been too busy to write about cats, but I haven't been too busy to visit them! Besides my usual Monday volunteering, I visited the shelter two weekends in a row with my boyfriend. We had a good time meeting new cats together, playing with them, and receiving licks and cuddles.

Eagle enjoying some bonus attention.

The 2nd Saturday we went, we were in my favorite room in the back corner playing with Mickey, Tuckerman, and Lukas, when a woman came in carrying two cat carriers. In went Mickey and Grayson. Tuckerman hid under the shelves. Out went Mickey and Grayson, meowing their young boy-cat mews. My heart dropped. Although thrilled that they're going to a proper home, I've been holding out hope that all three friends- Grayson, Mickey, and Tuckerman- would have been adopted together. Instead, shy Tuckerman was left alone to hide by himself under the shelves.

Mickey and Tuckerman- always ready to play.

The Monday before, I was in the shelter, distracted by the news of my old family cat, Dexter's, failing health, and just minutes from learning of his death. My buddies in my favorite corner room seemed to sense my sadness and did their best to make me happy and show their love. Even Tortilla, a soft tabby with a frost-bitten ear that never leaves his cat bed, climbed out from his post to rub against my legs and sprawl on my feet.

Tortilla

"Maybe Dexter's spirit entered him to say goodbye," my mom later theorized. Maybe.

Lukas, Mickey, Torilla, Tuckerman, and me. Cat heaven.

This Monday Tortilla was adopted, Mickey and Grayson have had over a week to settle into their new home, and the corner room has a new roamer- Norton- a skinny, kitty-boy with a healing scratch on his nose and a mind to play.

Norton, still in his cage before allowed the freedom to be a roamer.

But the best thing of all is Tuckerman, who over the week bonded with Norton, and even with the absence of Mickey, now has a new good friend.

Norton and Tuckerman

---

Friendly Cajun tries to pat me.

Milton enjoying his brief stay by gazing out at the view.

Sophia Grace tries to reach her mousie two levels down.

Yukon, quiet and hidden in the back room.

The cats patiently wait for the volunteers to enter.

Fat Cats, Playful Cats, Cats Cats Cats

The cats were full of play and charm this Monday at the shelter. Here are some fun photo highlights from the evening!

Just a little to the left... Tabasco, the fattest cat ever, gets a little bit of exercise.

"A toy for me! I'm the happiest cat in the world!" ~Caboodle 

Emily Cat didn't want to be picked up, but she wanted pets, cuddles, kisses, and hugs.

Opie Taylor's playmate, Fortissimo, was adopted that night, so he spent most of the evening
 trying to find someone new that could keep up with his energy.

Patch Adams curled up on the food bin.

Sophie Grace, cute soft and sweet, with big, worried eyes.

"Who are yoooouuu?" ~Mango
"Sorry, trying to reach this toy is much more pressing." ~Hamisch

Mickey, Grayson, and Tuckerman enjoy some end of the day playtime.

I wish I would have taken a photo- but as I waited for the bus at the end of the day Grayson hopped up on the window sill and eyed me with interest. Soon after, Lukas joined him. By the time the bus pulled up I glanced back at the window, and Grayson, Lukas, Mickey, and Blackberry were all gathered together watching me climb onto the bus and leave.

How to Make a Cat Like You: Tip #24

Opie Taylor Playing with the string

I recently stumbled upon a book called "97 Ways to Make a Cat Like You." Tip #24 suggests to tie a string to your pants and encourage your cat to chase it as you walk around your house.

While trying to both clean a cage and play with a cat I decided to try this, and it worked! A few times as I walked around I had to dangle the toy in front of some cats to encourage them to follow me, but other times they would follow me on their own. Opie Taylor was particularly fond of this game.

Which brings me back to Opie Taylor. He was in the shelter several months ago, but after a few weeks of being sick he vanished from the shelter. I was concerned, but heard no word of him. I was thrilled to see him back at the shelter on Monday, and seemingly healthy and happy.

Opie Taylor looking for attention as I cleaned Queen's cage. (Queen also wanted attention)

---

Queen was confined to her cage, but all she wanted was snuggles.

Lionel (who is pending adoption) relaxing by the window, listening to the downpour.

Sweet and quiet Tortilla watched on as I played with Tuckerman and Mickey.

Tuckerman was feeling especially brave and affectionate.

Van Gogh gazing out at the rainy day.