daily dose of dogs (aka cats with your coffee)

An Angel Found her Halo

About three weeks ago, I ran a couple of videos on my Facebook page – videos of some Wishers needing homes.  I ran the video of precious Zen getting and giving hugs, and I ran a video of the sweet and shy Halo.  What happened as a result completely shocked me.  I received a call from someone who had seen the video . . .  of Halo!  Get this – a person who used to board her dog with me at my kennel saw the post and sent it to a friend of hers who was looking for a cat to adopt.  The woman I spoke with had literally fallen in love with Halo.  I have to say that I was quite shocked.  I wasn’t expecting a response to the FB postings, but it was especially surprising that the Wisher who grabbed someone’s attention WAS HALO!  I explained to C that I hated to disappoint her but I needed to let her know that Halo was quite a timid gal.  I said she would require an adjustment period and that she would not be the come-right-out-and-climb-into-your-lap type.  We talked for some time, and by the end of the conversation I couldn’t bear to think that C might change her mind.  She was wonderful.  And everything she told me convinced me that this was THE home for Halo.  We even set a date for the following week to meet and complete the adoption.  As I was floating around over the next few days hoping C would not change her mind, she was moving around in her world hoping I would not adopt Halo to someone else.  I received a text from her saying for me to please not adopt Halo to anyone else and that she couldn’t wait to get her.

Poor Halo was one of the cats from the huge group I took on several years ago.  The home was overrun with cats and kittens.  My daughters and I ended up getting them all.  Halo, as far as we could tell at the time, was a young adult who’d had at least one litter.  She was shy even then, but very sweet.  She was eventually adopted into a home that became too chaotic over time.  She was then shifted to a family member’s home, but that family member ended up not being able to keep her.  Once I found out about these things, I couldn’t get my sweet Halo back fast enough.  She went into one of the cathouse rooms and slowly proceeded to hide from everything.  Husband and I finally built an enclosure in the third cathouse room, and Halo happily moved in.  She became quite content in her enclosure.  But I was tortured by it.  An enclosure is certainly better than a cage – but it’s NOT enough for a lifetime.  In addition to her world being so small, she was desperate for my attention when I would step into her enclosure to clean it and pet her.  She even tried to grab me when I would get ready to step out.  I wanted so badly for Halo to end up in the perfect home for her – a FOREVER home this time where she could have a human of her own and feel safe and loved.

 

C started Halo off in the laundry room.  The first thing Halo did was to wedge herself behind the washing machine.  When she eventually came out, C blocked off that hiding place and gave Halo a kitty hidey hole.  So that’s where Halo went every time C stepped into the room with her.  But have I mentioned that C is an angel?  She allowed Halo to hide while she sat in the room talking to Halo, telling her she loved her, and even reading to her!  Halo let C reach in and pet her and eventually even turned her face to the opening to be sure C could reach both sides of her face and ears during these petting sessions.  C and I communicated a great deal during the first two weeks.  As worried as C was about Halo, and even when I offered to take Halo back, C was determined that Halo was IN her new Forever Home.   

Then, on Saturday morning, C had a new story to tell.  Halo had shot out of her room and into the largeness of C’s home on Friday.  She couldn’t find her and worried that this might be a setback in Halo’s progress.  About two o’clock in the morning, C woke up to Halo’s voice.  Halo was walking around in C’s room, talking and talking and talking.  This went on for the rest of the night no matter what C did.  When we talked on Saturday morning, Halo was busy exploring the house.  And even while we were talking, Halo came over and asked C to scratch her ears and face and stroke down her back.  I told C that it appeared to me they were on their way.  C agreed!

 

in her new home

 

As all of you know from reading here, it takes a very special kind of person to adopt a Wisher.  I take the tougher cases.  Winnie’s Wish requires people who are patient and loving and compassionate . . .  and did I mention patient?  If you scroll down the sidebar, you can see just how many of these folks I’ve been lucky enough to find.  I’ve made a few mistakes over the years, but for the most part, the Wishers have gone into loving (and patient) homes.  It’s easy to adopt a "typical" cat.  But it takes a special person to take on the responsibility of caring for a needy little furry soul who isn’t going to bounce right into your lap.  For those angels, like C, I am forever grateful.

See you next week.

 

In Memory Of

My dear friend Virginia (Poupounette Gang), whom many of you know, wrote to me about a week and a half ago to share some very sad news.  She said that a good friend of hers named Peggy Bouchard had died from head injuries she had sustained from a bad fall.   Of course, Virginia was in shock from the news.  She told me in her email that Peggy lived on a farm where she had horses and dogs and cats – all rescued.  Peggy’s husband will look after all of the animals now.  But as a last gift to his wife, he asked that donations be made to an animal rescue in Peggy’s name.  Virginia sent this gift to Winnie’s Wish – the note that came with the gift reads:  In memory of my dear friend PEGGY BOUCHARD who just passed away following a terrible accident. She was a great animal rescuer, with dogs, cats and horses finding a wonderful home with her and her husband. Love, Virginia in France.  Peggy’s husband has given a beautiful last gift to his wife.  Virginia is one who is making that gift happen.

 

Virginia – THANK YOU.

Also in the last week, two gifts have arrived here to Winnie’s Wish in memory of Tibby Bean.   Gifts “in memory of” extend the departed soul’s life as they reach back and create good out of sadness.

Cheri (of Wildcat Woods) sent a gift in memory of Tibby Bean.  She just lost her Mr. Kitty and said in her card that she could feel my heartache personally.  She included this in her card:  No matter how or when we lose our furry friends, their love lasts a lifetime. – Unknown.  Cheri – THANK YOU.

Karen also sent a gift in memory of Tibby Bean.  She just lost her Lily cat.  Karen, among other things in her card, included this:  We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle; easily and often breached.  Unable to accept its awful gaps, we would still live no other way.  We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan.  – Irving Townsend   Karen – THANK YOU.

 

Before I close, let me inform you that there have been no more sightings of the black cat.  I trapped daily until this past weekend.  The only thing I caught was this guy, and he was not happy about it. 

 

We’ll see if this black cat ever shows up again.  I’m not forgetting that I had sightings of Theo for six months before he finally became a Wisher.

See you next week.

 

Déjà vu and Here We Go Again?

It was only in December when I was trying to trap a black cat that kept showing up in the field across from my house.  We called him The Elusive One because I’d been seeing this cat here and there for six months before I was finally able to trap him.  A Winnie’s Wish supporter (Mell) came up with the perfect name The Elusive One – Theo.  And Theo is doing fantastic!  He is loving and sweet and desperately wants my attention.  He is one of those who tries to grab me when I’m leaving his room.  He makes me sad because of how much he wants my company, but I’m relieved beyond description that he has been safe and warm and cared for during this crazy Winter we’ve had so far.

It was strange.  After Theo went in my trap and was saved, I bet I looked out my kitchen window into that field three dozen times over the next couple of weeks.  I’d been keeping an eye out for The Elusive One for so long it had become habit.  Finally, I stopped automatically checking the field for my black cat.  And now . . .

I got a phone call very early on Friday morning.  Younger Daughter was headed to work.  Just as she passed my house, she saw what she was sure COULD NOT BE.  There, in the field, very close to the gravel lane, was a black cat.  She stopped her car and stepped out to see if possibly (despite how unlikely) this cat might come to her.  But it shot away and headed straight for the woods.  When she got back in her car, she dialed my number.  I picked up and heard this – Hey there’s a cat out here.  I really and truly didn’t even think I’d heard her right.  What did you say?  She said it again – There was a cat out here.  Right across the road from your house.  Looked like it might be eating something underneath this big sweet gum tree.  Listen, you’re not gonna believe this, but it was black.  From what I could see, it looked just like Theo.

Wow.  Where did this cat come from?  Had it been homeless through all of this horrible weather over the past couple of months?  Was it related to Theo?  Was it just passing through? 

So I waited on a kennel drop-off and then got my trap out of storage.  I’ve seen cats in that field that I never saw again.  But then there was Theo.  As I said, I saw him off and on for six months.  As I walked to the big sweet gum tree across the road, I wondered about this black cat.  Maybe it was passing through and we would never see it again.  Maybe it would be another “Elusive One” and there would be sightings for months.  Or maybe it would come right back to this spot and walk right into my trap. 

When I told Older Daughter what her sister had seen that morning, she said – Oh, Mom.  You don’t need that!  And I told her the truth.  No, I don’t need another Wisher.  But I don’t go looking for cats to take in.  If this one is homeless, out there on its own trying to survive, then obviously it’s meant to be for me to get it.  We’ll see, Friends. The trap is set.  Keep your fingers crossed.

 

Have a good week.

 

What a Difference a Few Weeks Can Make

[A quick note before I start today’s post.  I want to thank you, Friends, for your kind words about Tibby Bean’s passing.  I have said it so many times before, but your words really do mean so much.  I know all of you have been there, and will be again.  Thank you for offering me comfort and helping me say goodbye to Tibbs.]

On January 11^th, Arthur and Silly Whim returned to Winnie’s Wish after 8 years in a home.  I wrote about them a few days later.  It was not good.  But I am extremely pleased to update you today with a much better report.  These two sweethearts have turned a corner.  And though living in a storage room is far from ideal, they seem to feel safe now.  I’ll take it.

I moved Arthur and Whim out of the cage after just a few days.  I hate for cats to live in cages.  Among other things, my kennel storage room is full of dog beds, cat beds, blankets, and towels.  I put their litter box in the middle of the floor and food & water dishes in front of the washing machine.  Of course, they immediately found hiding places.  But Silly Whim really wanted me to love him.  So in only a couple of days I could find him hiding, reach to pet him, and he would start to purr.  Arthur took longer.  He hid, too, but initially he growled when I would reach to pet him.  Then he started arching his back into my hand, growling all the while.  He so desperately wanted human touch, but he simply did not know me or his environment enough to feel safe.  Over the days, I would sit in their room and talk to them.  Silly Whim started venturing out of hiding to come to the soothing voice.  And two weeks after his arrival, Arthur voluntarily came to me as well. 

I’ve seen just about everything as far as cats go.  I’ve heard countless stories of what declawed cats go through in shelter environments.  I’ve seen firsthand how terrified a declawed cat can be in the presence of other cats.  Some do fine, but many do not.  I had been hopeful that Silly Whim and Arthur would not be affected by their declawed status.  But they were.  Dramatically so.  In addition, they were ripped from the only home they’d ever known for the entire 8 years of their lives.  All I wanted in the world was for them to feel safe and to know I was here to love them.  I’m so pleased to report that they are now calm and content and oh-so-loving.

 

 

 

 

 

A dear friend and big supporter of Winnie’s Wish has been with me from the very first of this saga.  He was sympathetically angry when I was riding the roller coaster of the adopter giving the cats up, then not, then giving them up, etc.  He was horrified along with me when Silly Whim and Arthur were terrified upon arrival here (and for days afterwards).  He was relieved when they started to come around a bit.  He was also willing to put the word out that these two cats needed a home . . .  a Forever Home this time.   I am over-the-moon excited to share this with you.  My friend has found a couple who is interested in Whim and Arthur.  These kitties require a very special home, and if this works out, it will be.  This is brand new and I could be getting my hopes up prematurely.  We’ll see.  Keep your fingers crossed, Friends.

 

To continue with good news, let me share with you the gifts Winnie’s Wish has received.

 

June – THANK YOU.

 

This gift came with the following message: “In honor of Tibby Bean, thank you for loving her so well.”

Patricia – THANK YOU.

 

Andrea sent the check from her last auction.  Whatever the final amount is, Andrea always rounds up to the next one hundred dollars.  She says this is because Greg (Andrea’s husband) can’t do math very well and always insists that a bigger amount is just how it worked out (smile).  The check is for $1100.00!!!!!   Andrea sent the check in an envelope between two of her self-heating cat mats.  I love these!

Andrea (and Greg, and everyone who participated in this auction) – THANK YOU.

 

And Karen L – THANK YOU.

 

See you next week.