Posted on 10/02/2008 3:12:52 PM PDT by franksolich
My three current cats, Muffin, Cookie, and Jasper. First, Muffin and Cookie are both sisters. They are 10-years-old. Jasper, who is 6-years-old was given to me by a friend who was going through a divorce.
Though I have a dozen cats (see post 34 and another above), my daughter got a dachshund. My cats response was "That is the ugliest cat I have ever seen!" But Yakumo, being just a puppy fit in real well, learning to be a cat. We had to get another dachshund just to teach her how to be a dog!
Chi-chi is a blue-gray cat. My daughter took him in when he was a stray about 12 weeks old. He had been hit by a truck and was so bad off the vet didn’t have any hope for him. My daughter is a miracle worker, though, and somehow managed to heal him. He’s about 11 now and even with his broken tail and somewhat crippled hips, he still easily manages to capture and drag in an icky sequence of little formerly living cratures.
Our second cat was also a foundling. My daughter found her in a parking structure. She was about 8 weeks old, but when she arrived home she spotted the dogs eating and promptly harrassed them until they gave up their food bowls to her. She was so nasty we really had no choice: We named her Hillary. Later we had to call her Senator. She has sweetened since then and now often likes to be a pillow for the dog to rest her head.
Good cats, both of them.
Chi-chi is a blue-gray cat. My daughter took him in when he was a stray about 12 weeks old. He had been hit by a truck and was so bad off the vet didn’t have any hope for him. My daughter is a miracle worker, though, and somehow managed to heal him. He’s about 11 now and even with his broken tail and somewhat crippled hips, he still easily manages to capture and drag in an icky sequence of little formerly living creatures.
Our second cat was also a foundling. My daughter found her in a parking structure. She was about 8 weeks old, but when she arrived home she spotted the dogs eating and promptly harrassed them until they gave up their food bowls to her. She was so nasty we really had no choice: We named her Hillary. Later we had to call her Senator. She has sweetened since then and now often likes to be a pillow for the dog to rest her head.
Good cats, both of them.
We have always lived in the country and always had cats. When she was in high school, our daughter was almost shocked to hear that people BUY cats! LOL
We currently have 4 and all of them found us. That same daughter is married now and a cat found their house as well.
petfinder.com or a local rescue group can point you in the right direction. Try the humane society if you can’t find them in your area. Petfinder is searchable by zip code.
I recall reading recently that all the 'domestic' cats are descended from the same biological strain of a smaller wild cat found in what is now Iraq. It seems that nearly every corner of the Earth has small wild cats but only one strain chose to become friendly with people.
It is thought to have happened when man first started grain farming and producing enough to store for later use. The stored grain attracted rodents which in turn attracted wild cats. The cats hung around the grain bins and became accustomed to people and they eventually accepted us. As trade developed cats hitched a ride on the trading ships and paid their way by keeping the rat population in check. This allowed them to spread across the civilized world.
There is evidence that the reverse is also to be found in that 'domestic' cats can and sometimes do crossbreed with smaller wild breeds. It is not impossible to find a bobcat with domestic coloration for example.
Regards,
GtG
PS Jasper, my best friend, is a rag-doll who was given to us by a niece after she bought a corgi. The dog really plagued Jasper to no end. We've had Jasper now for about six years. We inherited Ringo when my wife's uncle died last winter. Ringo was slated to go to HSUS when I said we'd take him in. He is blind and somewhere near 17 so doubtless the "Humane" Society would have disposed of him rather quickly. He is in much better shape then we first found him and is getting fat and sassy.
We have quite a collection of feral cats from a local horse barn that come and go on our patio. They visit and enjoy a handout but are happy with their life and don't want to move in w/ us.
I'm 65 and have had cat(s) around since I was 12. My wife calls me the "cat whisperer" because I seem to engender their trust without even trying. She says it's because I think like they do and know the proper etiquette, maybe so.
1). Shelter
2). Shelter
3). Pet store giving away kittens
4). Friend
5). Shelter
I am sorry, I don’t know how to post photos.
Daniel ...... Acquired 5 years ago from a co-worker
Gracie....... Aquired 5 years ago from a co-worker
Tigger ....... adopted from SPCA in 2003
Smudge ....... adopted from a no kil shelter
Miss Cricket .. adopted from a no kill shelter
Scampi ......... rescued off Craigslist
Fuzzball ....... rescued off Craigslist
Emily ........... adopted from the SPCA
McIntosh ......... was fostering him, and kept him!
Megan.............. was fostering her, and kept her!
Marsha ............. showed up in our yard in June.
Miss Marsha Mellow is a 5 year old fluffy white beauty who showed up in our backyard in June. We took her to the vet and learned that she has squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer) in both ears, so 3 weeks ago she had surgery, and is now recovering inside. She has to stay inside to avoid further sun exposure .... and she’s pretty grouchy about it. We’d love to rehome her to a home where she can be inside only AND an only cat, but there’s just not much call out there for no-eared, inside-only, cancer-surviving, somewhat grouchy fluffy white cats.
Go ahead. Call me a crazy cat lady.
self ping so I can post kitty pics and stories in the AM. We have anew kitty and does she ever have a story! LOL
We vhe two — brother and sister, from the same litter. I think I’ve mentioned them in previous posts.
We got Maggie and Willie from some people that were friends of friends. Their cat had had a litter of 9 and they were looking to get rid of the kittens ASAP. These two delightful little beings picked us. (Willie picked my wife and Maggie picked me.)
The dynamic between the two of tehm is interesting. (They also love to help on the computer, BTW.)
lol midnight hockey
Norman was a stray kitten that my secretary found outside her apartment. She already had a cat and didn’t want another one, so she talked me into taking him. I grew up on a farm, but I had never had an indoor cat before. It’s been almost eight years and my life has been better for having him around.
About a year after I got Norman, I went on a three week vacation, and had my neighbors feed and keep an eye on Norman in the house. When I returned, they told me how much he missed me. I was working long hours and traveling a lot at the time, and I got worried that he was lonely. A few months later, a co worker had to find homes for two litters of kittens from her farm. I took one, whom I named Betty. I knew I had a good one when I got her home. Norman hissed at her, and Betty the eight week old kitten arched her little back and hissed back at him.
Photos of both kitties are on my FReeper homepage.
LOL The perfect gift.
All the cats I’ve had, and most of the dogs have been rescues.
They are so grateful to be given a chance to love someone, they almost turn themselves inside out. Some cats are aloof, but, eventually, they warm up.
This is my third cat which I obtained from Petfinder also. The first cat I had for only 6 weeks ultimately had to be put down due to liver cancer (and over $800 in vet bills).
I immediately got another one from them which turned out to be feral. I never saw it for a week and even searched above the drop ceiling in the basement. Turned out her hiding space was behind my computer which she accessed thru that opening in the back of the desk. I returned her to the cat rescue group.....
Several weeks later I then found P-Squeeky, my current cat, again via Petfinder.com. During warm months I leave the door open to the back deck and she is free to come and go as she pleases but odly enough she will only leave the deck to stalk a bird which might be on the birdfeeder 20 feet off the deck.
I've had her for about 4 years now and she has been great company and never a problem.
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