daily dose of dogs (aka cats with your coffee)

Angel

In March of 2016 I wrote a post titled Fate of a Damaged Angel*.  I am going to copy and paste most of that post here.  There are three posts that I wrote in February of 2016 which tell Angel’s entire story.  They are worth reading if you haven’t already.   Angel ending up with me required miracle after miracle, and yet it happened.  Here are the posts (in order) that tell her story:

Two White Dogs; One White Cat

How?

Meant to Be

The following is from the post I wrote a month after Angel arrived here:

Angel is the white cat I rescued in early February (2016). She had been put outside by family members when the owner died the previous Fall. Every time I passed the property for all of those months, I looked over hoping to see her. Of course, I knew she had not survived. No one lived there anymore and there were no neighbors. There was no food. The only shelter she would have had was in one of the falling-down outbuildings on the property. And being solid white, she was certainly prime prey for any number of other animals. And then one day, I spotted her. When I think back on the circumstances, I realize what an unbelievable series of miracles had to occur for this cat to have ended up with me. How I found out that this cat even existed was a miracle. Then months of wondering about her, knowing she hadn’t survived, turned into a miracle when I actually SAW her on the property one day as I was driving by. The next miracle was that we were able to trap her on a tiny piece of public land.

When I got her here, it seemed surreal. But my joy quickly turned to worry when I discovered that this cat was badly damaged.

I have NEVER been faced with the kind of behavior I’ve seen in this cat. And I’ve seen ALOT of cat behavior. She does not hide. She does not climb the walls or try to escape. She does not try to get away from me. She tries to come after me. She screams louder than ANYTHING I’ve ever heard from a cat. She attacks the front of the cage when I enter the room she’s in. I have to wear my to-the-elbow welder’s gloves to reach in to scoop her litter box. (I didn’t do this at first and I have the wounds to show for it.) I have to use a long-handled ladle to reach in and dump food into her dish. I have truly NEVER seen a cat act like this before. Older Daughter and I have discussed, and the only thing we can come up with is that she believes we are going to do something horrible to her. She screams us away and then tries to attack.

She was scaring the other cats in the kennel so badly that I had to move her to my storage room (the room I used to use for kitten season). I have a Feliway diffuser in there and I’m using the spray on a towel that is over the back of her cage. EVERY day I talk to her. Some days I can squat down in front of the cage after I feed her and she will eat for a while before racing at me screaming. But some days she screams until I leave the room. I don’t know what is going on or why. But I won’t give up on her. She is warm and safe and fed. And in my mind, she is CLEARLY meant to be here.

After all of the miracles that lined up for Angel to even be here, what happened only a couple of weeks after she was rescued proves even more how meant to be all of this is. I received a phone call from Older Daughter. She said – Mom. You are not going to believe this. Someone has torn down those old outbuildings on the property where Angel was living. I just drove by there on the way home and the buildings have been knocked down and are burning.

 After all of those months of living on that property all alone, taking shelter in those outbuildings - TWO WEEKS AFTER we trapped Angel, the buildings were torn down and burned. That cat “crossed my path” just in time! It actually gives me goose bumps when I think about it. She has been, and continues to be, a challenge like no other (more on this in a moment). But there is NO DOUBT IN MY MIND OR HEART about whether or not Angel is supposed to be here.
Now. Angel has been living in a cage in my kennel storage room. This is weird, but she’s completely content in her cage as long as nobody goes near her. However, she cannot live the rest of her life that way. I have tried her in both places – the kennel cat rooms and the cathouse. (She had to be moved IN her cage because she is untouchable.) She screams so loudly and so dramatically that it scares all of the other cats to death. They scatter and hide and stay outside on the cat decks. When she starts screaming (at me or at them) it is a scream like a cat being horribly tortured. I’m sure the other cats think something terrible is happening to this cat and that they might be next. I cannot inflict that kind of ongoing fear on all of the other Wishers. I don’t know what happened to this cat. Her behavior could be a result of abuse. It could even be some type of brain damage or disorder. I would like to get her spayed in case hormones exacerbate whatever she is experiencing, but at this time I can’t get her into a carrier. Having observed her for so long now, it almost looks like something gets triggered and she can’t get it shut down. One of my vets thinks it is probably conditioned behavior, and he feels like she will probably always be like this. More than one person has suggested I find a feral colony or a farmer with a barn and release her. But I just can’t do it. Here, she is safe and fed. She is warm in the Winter and will be cool and flea-free in the Summer.   I KNOW she is supposed to be here. Of course, I do not want her to spend her life in a cage.

 

When she first got here

 

 Constructing a separate building for her was out of the question. Moving her into any area where other cats live is not going to be possible. So after weeks and weeks of trying everything and considering various options in terms of where Angel can live out her life, I finally came up with an answer. I have ten dog runs in my kennel. I decided to convert one of those runs into what will be, for one cat, a very large enclosure. A nice, roomy apartment, if you will, for a cat. Dogs don’t scare her. And she won’t scare the dogs by screaming – they are always making plenty of noise of their own. Husband and I spent Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of this past weekend converting one of the dog runs into a cat enclosure. She will have her indoor area, a large outdoor area, and there will be a slider between her living area and an area where her litter box, food, and water will be. That way, I can lower the slider when she’s in her “apartment” and safely clean her litter box and give food and water without her being able to get to me. The slider door will be open all the rest of the time to allow for her to access both indoor areas.

I moved her cage into the enclosure, opened the cage door, and she entered her new world – an indoor/outdoor, extremely roomy environment for an extremely damaged Angel. She has investigated every inch of her new “apartment” and she seems very content. I am truly overjoyed.

 

 

 

 

Well, Friends, that was almost four years ago.  Angel still has her kitty condo in the kennel.  But she is out as often as she is in.  She still hisses at ALL of the other cats, but they are used to her.  She hasn’t screamed in years.  And she enjoys being petted by me every time I’m in her world.  Of course, there’s no way to know how old Angel is.  I guess that she is pretty old.  She has a safe, comfy, happy life right here at Winnie’s Wish for however many years she has left.  She makes me smile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Angel - Winnie’s Wisher since 2016.  When you support Winnie’s Wish, you’re helping to take care of Angel.  When you care about Winnie’s Wish, you care about Angel.

 

I hope you will visit Andrea’s Holiday auction to benefit the cats of Winnie’s Wish sanctuary.  And THANK YOU to all of you who are already bidding on items!  Andrea works SO hard for Winnie’s Wish.   Here is the link:

Holiday Auction and Fund-Raiser

Or you can click on the graphic at the top of my sidebar.

See you next week.

 

Andrea’s Auction (Just in time for the Holidays!)

Thank you for stopping back by today.  As most of you know, Andrea of Celestial Kitties is a BIG supporter of Winnie’s Wish.  She informed me a couple of days ago that she was putting together an auction to benefit the cats here.  Andrea’s auctions are famous.  This auction will run from November 8 to December 8.  I hope you will visit.  I’m deeply grateful to Andrea for dedicating her time, effort, and love to this endeavor.  I always want Andrea’s auctions to be successful for TWO reasons.  One, because of how much it helps here at Winnie’s Wish.  And two, because Andrea puts so much work into these auctions.  I want her to “feel the love” flowing from auction-goers through her to the kitties of Winnie’s Wish.

 

You can visit the auction once it is up and running by clicking HERE.  Also I have put the link at the very top of my sidebar.  Just look for this picture at the top right and click on it.

 

Let the bidding begin!  See you next week.

 

Sunspot

Sunspot became a Wisher nearly three years ago.  She was one of the many cats and kittens trapped at my mother-in-law’s house over the years.  That house has been sold and I haven’t been out there for a couple of years now.  Sunspot was one of the last to be trapped there.

Her story is here:  Bob Seger Strikes Again.  The title of that post is for two reasons.  Some of you might remember that I am a HUGE Bob Seger fan.  The song “Sunspot Baby” is one of his.   The Wisher receiving this name had a perfect little sunspot on her forehead.  She received the honor of a Seger song title for her name.  Here is a picture of her (forehead) right after she got here.

 

 

I expected Sunspot to be completely feral when I trapped her.  But she became friendly with me right away.  I tried for some time to get her adopted.  Her problem was not people but other cats.  I tried to find a great home for her where she would be the only cat.  She had no problem with dogs so that increased the possibilities a little.  But it never happened for Sunspot.  And she is now completely settled and happy here.  She has her own private kitty condo (remodeled dog run).  And if that was all she had, I would still feel a little bad for her.  Luckily, she has slowly adjusted to a group of the kitties here.  It’s not that she seeks them out or sleeps with them or anything like that.   But she no longer pops them or hisses or acts completely disgusted around them.  She tolerates them really well.  Sometimes she is out amongst them; sometimes she is in her private kitty condo (which is indoor/outdoor don’t forget).  She has her own cat tree in the inside portion, plus a cozy heated bed, and an elevated cat deck in the outside part.  She seeks me out when I’m working there, rubbing on my legs or jumping up on the sink and countertop to get attention.  She has loved to eat since the moment she got here and continues that love.  Sunspot has a condition called megacolon so she is on a daily supplement that has worked wonders.  As with so many others, I don’t know her exact age.  She could be as young as about four years old, or much older.   I love my Sunspot cat and she loves me.  She seems to be quite a happy kitty here at Winnie’s Wish where she has a home for the rest of her life.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunspot  - Winnie’s Wisher since early 2017.  When you support Winnie’s Wish, you’re helping to take care of Sunspot.  When you care about Winnie’s Wish, you care about Sunspot.

 

Before I close, let me show you what Winnie’s Wish received.   I was dusting off my Amazon Wish List, and I added a few things just for fun.   A couple of the additions were cat trees (hoping but not actually expecting to receive those).  Then Winnie’s Wish received a delivery.

 

 

Guess what’s in the box?  Yep.  One of the cat trees!!  And two huge bags of food as well.  I immediately set about building the cat tree.  My kitties helped me as you will see from the pictures.  Then the next morning, Husband carried it down to my kennel where it is entertaining the Wishers who live in that building!  Who sent this great gift to the Wishers?  Have you ever heard me mention Andrea (of Celestial Kitties)? 

 

 

Andrea – THANK YOU

 

I’ll be back tomorrow with an announcement (that happens to involve Andrea again).  I hope you will pop back by.  See you then.

 

 

 

Sallie

Sallie is a dilute calico who came to Winnie’s Wish in October of 2012 as an older kitten.  She was hanging around the place of employment of Younger Daughter’s boyfriend at the time.  (many years ago, long since an ex-)  Because the then-boyfriend had been exposed to this family, he knew he couldn’t leave the kitten (to eventually have litter after litter).  Here is an excerpt from the first post about Sallie: 

When Younger Daughter’s boyfriend got to work Tuesday morning, there sat a kitten.  She was kind of folded up, just sitting there next to the parking area.  Boyfriend saw her and wondered and went on into the building.  He looked outside a couple of times during his shift and she had not moved.  When he got off work at two o’clock, he called me.  There’s a kitten here and everybody’s just walking on by her and she isn’t moving.  She doesn’t look great.  What should I do?  Since there are no homes near there, I told him to bring her here if he could get her.  That wasn’t a problem.  She never moved.  He picked her up and saw that one of her ears was scabbed and crusty.  Also, she was skinny under that slightly scruffy coat.  He sat her down on his jacket in the passenger seat.  She squirmed around a minute, rolled onto her back, and with three of her legs in the air went sound asleep.  That’s how I first saw her.  Boyfriend pulled into my driveway, and I went out to get her.  There she was - sleeping hard.

We went inside and I looked her over.  Fleas.  BAD ear.  Scruffy coat.  Skinny.  And only a couple of months from being a prime candidate for pregnancy.  Boyfriend had done the right thing.

 I got Sallie fed and treated for fleas.  She stayed hungry for days.  I got her ear infection treated.  I started trying to find an adopter for her not long after she came.  The opportunity presented itself four months later.  Unfortunately, she went to a home where a dog chased her and cornered her mercilessly.   The adoption didn’t work out.   The adopter initially reported that Sallie tried to explore around.  She had an area she could retreat to when she felt threatened by the other animals.   There were two dogs; one of the two chased Sallie every time she ventured out.   It proved to be too much for her.  She stopped venturing out at all and would only hide.  The adopter and I spoke about it and decided that the best thing for Sallie would be for her to come back here.  She returned to the security of Winnie’s Wish and the company of her kitty friends.  She blended back in, but was never quite the same.  She seemed to have a fear of other people and even of me to some extent.  To this day, Sallie will only let me pet her briefly and I cannot pick her up at all.  But that’s OK.  Sallie enjoys her feline friends.  She has a forever home where she is safe and cared for right here.

 

 

 

 

Sallie  - Winnie’s Wisher since 2012.  When you support Winnie’s Wish, you’re helping to take care of Sallie.  When you care about Winnie’s Wish, you care about Sallie.

See you next week.

 

 

 

Internet problems

After problems with our computer (resolved), we now have a problem with our internet.  Apparently we have really old equipment.  For days our internet is running SO slowly that I wait for long periods for things to post.  And pictures won't post at all.  The company is supposed to be here tomorrow to install new equipment.  I am ready.  Hopefully, by next week I will be able to post another Wisher re-introduction.  I'm hoping the new equipment will take care of our problem.

See you next week.

Goldie

Goldie is deaf.   I certainly did not know that when she first became a Wisher.  She was one of the Florida Hotel Cats.  In May of 2013 we headed to Florida as always.  I had connected with my contact person down there (Cheryl) and the plan was for us to bring home a couple of hotel cats.  The hotel was abandoned and being torn down.  I had taken a few of the cats from there several months before.  Since I would be so near the hotel, it would be crazy not to take a couple more cats home with me.  It wouldn’t solve the problem there, but for those couple of cats, it would be the beginning of a better life.  

Cheryl would grab a couple of kittens or try to trap an adult or two.  I would meet up with her and get the feral felines and bring them home to Winnie’s Wish at the end of our time in Florida.  But things didn’t go well for Cheryl.  She tried for several days to get a cat or two for me, but it just wasn’t happening.  It was literally our last night there; we were mostly packed and ready to head out early the next morning.   I got a text from Cheryl – I got Goldie!  Goldie was a cat she had seen daily as she fed at this feral colony.  She couldn’t touch Goldie (as she couldn’t touch any of the colony cats), but she thought Goldie was especially needy; she wished Goldie could go with me -  back to Illinois and to Winnie’s Wish.  And it happened.  It was almost too late, but just under the wire Goldie was whisked away from the abandoned hotel.  Her life was changed - no more litters, no more fighting for food. 

Here is an excerpt from the blog post – Vacation (Heading Home): 

I met Cheryl to retrieve Goldie early the next morning just before we were ready to pull out. We jumped out of our vehicles and hugged. After months and months of texting, here we were face-to-face. It was a “kindred spirits” moment for sure. I thanked Cheryl for all she had done for the hotel kitties. Whereas I was merely providing a future for four hotel cats, Cheryl was feeding dozens EVERY DAY. She was the one who moved those innocent creatures out of harm's way when the big equipment started rolling in. She was the one in despair as the buildings started going down. She is the one who spends every evening of her life feeding at the colony. I wanted her to know what an amazing service she was providing. We talked for about half an hour. She is a wonderful, warm, deeply caring individual who I am SO pleased to call my friend.

 I drove back to the cottage and joined my family as we loaded the van to head home. There was alot more to get into the van now. Everything we came down with plus extras in the form of souvenirs (a couple of which were large and bulky). Six people. Three dogs. And now – THREE cats. Husband worked his magic and we got everything in. He was a little on the grumpy side as a result of the massive overcrowding inside the van. Ah, but nothing that a large cup of coffee and a sausage & egg biscuit wouldn't take care of at the gas station where we filled up. Then suddenly there we were, heading home. As we pulled onto the interstate I looked over my shoulder at my precious palm tree paradise. It could have been a moment of reflection, or even a sad goodbye. Instead, a cat started scratching in a litter box. Everybody started grumbling and groaning as the van filled with the pleasant aroma. We all fumbled around to get our windows down, and I could feel a chuckle coming on. I grabbed my own cup of coffee, held my breath and took a big swig. What family in the world would travel this way?!   Ha.   Us!

 

Goldie was terrified when she was first put in a cage in my kennel kitten room.  I couldn’t, of course, touch her.  But she was even afraid when I reached into her cage to feed, water, and scoop litter.  This went on for weeks and then weeks turned to months.  I can no longer remember when I began to realize that Goldie was deaf.  But she sure is.  She hears absolutely nothing!  Imagine it.  Living as part of a feral cat colony.  The colony is at an abandoned hotel.  And now that hotel is being torn down.  She couldn’t even hear the equipment or the demolition.  If there was ever a cat who needed to be rescued it was Goldie. 

My dear deaf Goldie has come to love me deeply.  I can’t pick her up, but she begs for attention.  She follows me around.  She meows constantly (her meow is VERY loud and SO cute).  I think about what her life would have been like, and I am grateful that she has a home here at Winnie’s Wish for the rest of her life.

 

 

 

I don’t know how old Goldie is.  She was an adult when she became a Wisher.  She might be 7 or 8 years old, but could certainly be much older.  Goldie - Winnie’s Wisher since 2013.  When you support Winnie’s Wish, you’re helping to take care of Goldie.  When you care about Winnie’s Wish, you care about Goldie.

 

Before I close, here is what Winnie’s Wish received this past week.  So needed.  So appreciated.

 

Maria – THANK YOU.

 

See you next week.

 

 

 

Quinn

Last week I re-introduced you to Wisher Isis.  She came to Winnie’s Wish in the Summer of 2012.  Less than a year later, another cat came to Winnie’s Wish.  I sure didn’t know then that this kitty – Quinn – would be the lifelong partner of Ms Isis.  They have been best buddies for all of these years, and for many of those years they were the Matriarch and Patriarch of Winnie’s Wish.  They have nurtured many kittens and young adult cats – sometimes even bringing a feral newcomer out of his or her shell. 

Quinn was one of the Florida Abandoned Hotel cats.  You might remember the stories from those years.  When the abandoned hotel was being torn down, a wonderful woman who was working with the feral colony there managed to trap three of the kitties and we arranged to get them here to Winnie’s Wish via The Rescue Railroad.  Quinn was one of those three.  What was so ironic about it was that I had SEEN Quinn in that colony the previous year when I’d worked to get some of the cats there while we were on vacation in Florida.  I remembered him because his looks are so striking.  The story is in my blog in April 2013.  You can read it by clicking on these two links:  The Florida Hotel Cats  and  The Florida Hotel Cats Conclusion.

 

When Quinn first arrived

 

As with Isis, I do not know how old Quinn is.  He arrived here in 2013 but I had seen him the year before at the colony.  He was already an adult then.  So even if he was only a year or two old in 2012 that would make him 8 or 9 years old now (maybe older).  Quinn lives happily with the cats in his building.  He is still best friends with Isis.  He is one of my attention beggars.   He walks around on the edges of the sink counter while I’m filling water bowls or doing dishes.  He bumps me over and over to get the attention he wants.  He loves me and I love him.  But he does NOT love other people.  He is a hider when it comes to anyone other than me stepping into his world.  But that is just fine.  He is warm in the winter, cool in the summer.  He has his dry food and his canned food.  He has his buddy Isis and the other cats he lives with.  He is home.

 

 

About to help me do dishes

 

Quinn with Isis

 

 

The Patriarch and Matriarch

 

 

 

Quinn - Winnie’s Wisher since 2013.  When you support Winnie’s Wish, you’re helping to take care of Quinn.  When you care about Winnie’s Wish, you care about Quinn.

See you next week.

 

The Matriarch

Today’s highlighted Wisher is Isis.  You see that I did not title this post with her name (as I have every other post this year).  And I’m sure you can immediately see why.  It is unfortunate that the word “Isis” now carries such a horrifying image.  It was not the case when I named this beautiful cat.  She became a Wisher in the Summer of 2012.  I fell in love with her eyes the first time I saw her.    Those eyes immediately brought to mind the eyes of Egyptian depictions of the goddess Isis.

 

Not long after she arrived here

 

 

Isis was already a mother when I took her in.  Here is a paragraph from her story:  

I didn’t hear from my cousin’s wife the rest of that day or evening.  I texted her the next morning.  We gotta get that mom.  I can’t take the chance that she will get pregnant again.  I have room for the four new ones plus this mom, but I can’t add another litter to that.  If you don’t get her today, I will bring my trap. She texted back - I just got her.  I told her we were on our way.  Husband went for me as I was covered up that morning with business.  He brought mom calico home and I put her in one of my cat cages in my kennel office.  I fell completely in love with her eyes - stunning.  But she was NOT in love with me.  Completely wild and terrified to be in that cage, she tried to slam herself into the back wall when I would come near. 

 

Her first day as a Wisher

That was over seven years ago.  Isis came around nicely, but was always easily spooked.  She will take all of the attention I will give her now, but she still runs to hide when anyone else comes into her building.  Over the years, Isis became the resident Matriarch.  She mothered kittens, so many kittens, that came and went here at Winnie’s Wish.  She also became best friends with another Wisher – Quinn.  He, too, “mothered” various kittens over the years.  I started thinking of them as the Matriarch and Patriarch of Winnie’s Wish. 

 

 

I don’t know how old Isis is.  I assume she was pretty young when I took her in.  But even if she was only a couple of years old, that would make her  8 or 9 years old now (maybe older).  She has a home here for as long as she lives.  My beautiful  Isis - Winnie’s Wisher since 2012.  When you support Winnie’s Wish, you’re helping to take care of Isis.  When you care about Winnie’s Wish, you care about Isis.

 

 

 

See you next week.

 

 

 

Just a Quick Word

It’s been a busy week, and I wasn’t able to get the pictures and story together for another Wisher update post.   But I do want to mention this.

Winnie’s Wish received this gift in celebration of Finn’s one year adoption day!  Finn was a Winnie’s Wisher who was adopted by Nikki and Justin a year ago.  He joined Annie (now Luna) who was also adopted from Winnie’s Wish!   Here is what the note with the gift said:  HAPPY ADOPTION DAY FINN (September 18)!!  Thank you to Winnie’s Wish for bringing us our rambunctious baby boy!  We are so grateful for Chrystal and all her work and dedication!  Because of you our house is now complete with two babies!

 

Finn

 

Finn and Luna

 

Nikki and Justin – THANK YOU.

 

See you next week.

 

Four Friends

In June, I did a Wildlife Wednesday post that included a joyous story about Older Daughter’s four fawns that she raised this year.  They were successfully released.  Then one day in May all four walked out of the field into the edge of her yard.  It was so touching.  We see lots of deer out here in the country where we live.  From a distance there is no way to know if any of these might be one of the four Wild Angels.  There’s also no way to know if the four have stayed together or set out on their own.   But a couple of weeks ago, Older stepped out of her house, and all four of her babies (now beautiful young adults) were standing at the edge of her yard.  This is the kind of thing that brings a smile . . .  a gigantic smile.

 

See you next week.