Breakthrough

Last year (2010 - 2011) went something like this.  Kitten Season (i.e. lots of kittens and cats) ran through Spring, Summer, and Fall.  Then the Winter seemed to be Puppy Season as my kennel filled with dogs and puppies.  I remember saying something on the blog during that Fall about how I was about to get a break during the Winter - the ONE season that wasn’t included under the umbrella of Kitten Season.  But then the canines came.  So much for a break, but I was truly grateful that if we were to be inundated with dogs and puppies, it had come at a time when we weren’t also inundated with cats and kittens.  I remember thinking that it was so odd to have three quarters of the year filled with felines, only to have the remaining quarter filled with canines.  I guess I thought it was odd and unusual.   Well,  I don’t know if anybody noticed, but this year (2011 and so far into 2012) has been an EXACT REPEAT.  Last Spring began another Kitten Season that continued through Summer and Fall.  And then this Winter, just as Kitten Season ended, . . . .   CANINES.  My kennel has been full of dogs and puppies for over a month.
The blog tends to reflect the pattern.  It seems that all I’ve written about recently has been this dog or that dog, this puppy or that litter.  I will continue to keep you posted on the dogs and pups here, and any others who might arrive.  But for the remaining three days of THIS week, I’m gonna talk cats. 

Something happened during The Week Between that completely astonished us.  I mentioned that we had a major breakthrough with one of the cats in the cathouse.  And I said I could almost guarantee that you wouldn’t guess which one.  If you think through the current group, there are a handful that are sort of “special needs” kitties in terms of their demeanors.  There are a couple of previously feral kitties who still hide when we come in - like Spritz and sometimes Cashmere.  There is Tulip who has earned the reputation of not getting along well with her housemates.  There’s Halo, who, even though she doesn’t hide, prefers to blend into the background.  But there was no breakthrough with any of these kitties.  The breakthrough was with a permanent resident.

You might recall that we have two ladies in the cathouse who originally came from a feral litter a long time ago.  We had no cathouse at the time; in fact, it was this particular group who proved to be the CATalyst for the cathouse to begin with.  The mom and four kittens were the first residents of the cathouse - which was only the one small room at the time.  I was able to find homes for Mom and two of the youngsters.  Two were never chosen - Tibby Bean and Circe.

These were two kitties who eventually learned to trust me and my two daughters.  But they never moved past that.  They have lived in the cathouse since the day I moved them into it.  We realized that they would never be adoptable, and since these two seemed to be very content in the cathouse, they were offered the prestigious position of permanent resident.  Tibby and Circe were lifers.  As bad as I’ve felt for so many of our cathouse gang, wishing for real homes for them, I never felt that way about Tibby and Circe.  They have always seemed SO satisfied in the cathouse setting.  I knew they would simply live out their lives there, with a roof over their heads, a constant supply of food, and enough going on to entertain them.

And then came the Week Between.  There were a couple of “exposures” that were certainly uncharacteristic.  My sister and brother-in-law were here for the holidays (they adopted THREE cats from us last May), and they wanted to visit the cathouse just to see the current residents.  (Don’t get excited.  Their maximum number is three.  They wanted to visit the cathouse because who WOULDN’T want to see kitties, right?)  My parents came along for that visit.  While my sister, brother-in-law, and I were in Winnie’s Room talking, my mother was in the blue room petting Circe! If that doesn’t seem like such a big deal to you, let me say that NOBODY pets Circe except for me, Younger Daughter, and Older Daughter.  When we walked in over there, my girls immediately pointed out that their grandma had been petting Circe the whole time.  I was shocked, and then it got even better.  My sister and brother-in-law walked over and right in the middle of this large crowd of people, THEY each petted Circe, too.

Watching Circe soak up that attention was amazing.  This was a cat who always just disappeared when anyone came into the cathouse.   So, I was left with wonder after that visit.  Then, Jennifer and daughter Nadia arrived to collect up their new kitties (Monkey and Charms).  As we were standing at the front door talking, I realized that Circe was lying on one of the shelves of a small cat tree, right in our presence.  Nadia reached to pet Circe, and I thought what a great experiment this would be.  Sure enough, Nadia stood petting Circe as her mom and I discussed the vaccination records for her kitties.  Now I was really in shock.  My girls and I discussed it that evening.  Circe was more extroverted and willing to allow stranger interaction than were other cats in the cathouse.  We decided to add Circe to the sidebar.  Yep.  With the right, patient, loving home, we believe Circe is actually adoptable now.  Go figure.  After all this time, suddenly Circe is social. 

Any takers?

 

Comments

[Ginny & the Fur Family]

Circe is a beautiful kitty - if I was not over catted I would love her - I am sure some lucky person will adopt this little beautiful cat. I now am getting quite the strays in this neighborhood - I am still feeding Ms. Lilly and she is out side - that is what she wants- the two black kittens have now taken up homes in the extra cat houses on the porch - they are so wild - I have tried and tried to catch them to get shots and be spayed but to no avail --The spring turns kitties into cat factories with suiters coming from miles away. I am doubleing my efforts - If some one out there wants to adopt Circe please act now because such a pretty furry would look nice on the bed or the back of your couch - instant decoration filled with lots of love - forever love is furry love. Warm wishes for a foggy day - Ginny & The Fur Family

[Cat's Cats]

Isn't it fantastic when kitties come around, no matter how long it takes!!! Circe is a beautiful girl, I'm glad she has a chance at adoption too :-)

[Bellen]

I haven't been involved with cats for long but I'm beginning to realise that all cats are adoptable by someone. It takes the right person and the right environment. The rescue group I work with have had several cats adopted this year no one thought would be chosen, or if chosen would adapt successfully. They are all doing wonderfully. One can never give up hope for the right combination for the right cat.

[Random Felines]

awwww - that is a great breakthrough....I will get her up on Petfinder asap!! :)

[Andrea and the Celestial Kitties]

Oh what a beauty! I hope she gets a home ASAP!

Come on people, lets work on emptying that cathouse before kitten season starts again! You HAVE to know someone who would like to look at the kitties on the sidebar, even if it's YOU! Look, fall in love, adopt!

[Jan (Milo and Alfie's mom)]

What a wonderful breakthrough. I so hope Circe finds a wonderful forever home. xx

[The Monkeys]

She is a beautiful dilute torbie! I hope she finds a home soon.

[meowmeowmans]

Amazing! We've had these kinds of things happen at PAWS, too, and it is always a shock (in a good way). Cats that were totally unsociable, utterly afraid, and even aggressive have turned friendly. Sometimes, it's almost as if they one day -- for whatever reason -- just decide that people are okay. Thanks for sharing Circe's tale ... it definitely makes us happy!