So I dont know if this actually qualifies here, but this is basically for shelter stories yes? I have a story.. it ends happy, or at least this part of the story ends happy, with happier times to come, so let me just post it and see what happens.
It was last year during the summer. At the time we had an old man cat, been with us for years and years, ever since I was little. I used to sleep with him when scared, love on him - he was my brother. We moved, and moved, and his sister and friends had to be given away to others for safety and new apartment rules..About two years passed and I found a stray on my way home from night classes, and took her in. She was young and perfect. Exactly what I had wanted. Then about a year later we decided we wanted some more kittens. We couldnt decide not to. We are addicted, you see! We got two tabbies. About a year and half later, we got the urge for a new kitten again. (Mind you, all the cats we got, we keep. Its not liek we adopt them, then return them. All get good homes, and now all stay with us, as we have a perfect home). But we went.
Our shelter here in the Houston area is not very good, to be honest. The cats are kept in the back, in what used to be a garage that was remodeled for more space. The nic eones are kept but scant feet from ferals. Ferals.. when you go there, no matter how nice the ferals are, the staff prompt you "Dont touch them. They are feral. They are unadoptable.". I found my feral black cat.. and she is the best cat ever.. The garage door is kept open during the day, and well into night, about 10 pm. Even on cold days it is kept open. There is no vet on duty. Animals recieve no vaccinations, no shots, and no helathcare. If you want a healthy cat.. there is no healthy cat there. The cats are flea ridden, infested with worms, and most have either bad ear infections or a bad case of the ear mites. If the animals arent scratching at the fleas and causing sores, then they are simply so infested that it wouldnt matter if they scratched.
It happens when we went there, that there were plenty of Siamese. We had wanted something we didnt already have.. a Siamese, a black cat, and tabbies were already checked off on our mental list. My mom really desired a calico, but there were none. We were about to leave, when a soft gentle paw reached for us and touched us ever so gently. Now, up til that point I had been distracted by a lovely female 3 week old siamese kitten. This siamese kitten was so.. the only word to say it was PATHETIC. She had a gaping hole in her neck and it was fresh. It looked horrible. So far everyone who came in (the few that came that far back), stated that she was 'disgusting' and 'no good'. I felt so sorry for her. She was so hyper, so in need of love, and I just knew no one would take her. No one else. We were told that she had a huge worm in her neck, which the vet had taken out days ago (we later found out that it wasnt a worm, but a fly larvae with spikes, and that it wasnt taken out days ago, but that morning. Also, it wasnt done by a vet, but by the one 'security' guard).
I wanted her.
But the gentle paws struck out and soothed us. My mom became drawn to the big burly siamese boy in a cage opposite my pathetic girl. He was in with his brother who was black. They both had claws, but while he was so gentle, his brother was so completely mean. He ripped, tore, and clawed at us for attention, while the siamese sat there in a complete pool of sadness. Even though he could have been rough like his brother, he was so gentle. Not a single claw came out, not a single tooth scraped our hands. He begged for adoption, begged for his hell to end. We were told he was suspected to be 6 months old. His paws were huge, and his head huge. They said he must have been deformed or soemthing, because no one wanted him either. My mom and I knew that it just meant he was going to be big. Very big.
The next day we returned, still fighting our decision. My brother had been impartial, stating he didnt are which cat we got, as long as we got one. I wanted the girl. My mom wanted the boy. We could really only take one.. e went back home.
The next day we returned again, early that morning. We got there, and decided on the girl, but my mom really wanted the boy. It was then that we were told if either cat wasnt adopted by noon, they were to be shipped off for euthanization.
We immediately adopted both.
Once home, we bathed them. Infested with fleas as they were, it took 8 baths to get them reasonable . The boy was so happy. The girl was so young and tired she just wanted to sleep. The boy as we come to find, was simply so big he appeared 6 months old, but must have been 2 months. He was kneading, crying, and rooting everywhere. The girl refused kitten milk, refused soft food - she was already accostomed to hard food. She woudl cry if she wasnt held close to the chest, cry if she had to sleep alone, cry is she had to be alone. Bodily contact was a must for both, they were so devestated over their experience at the pound.
Years later, I remember this.. even when her would has healed completely, and he has become so big it is simply amazing. Both were thought no one woudl adopt them, everyone thought they were too ugly, or too bad, or just wrong to have.
They are perfect.
I guess what Im saying is... even the pets that are severly wounded, seem unadoptable, or are jus tplain ugly to your eyes can be the best pets ever and also deserve saving.
Coincidentally.. allt he animals I have either have some problem or HAD some problem, and we saved them.
It was last year during the summer. At the time we had an old man cat, been with us for years and years, ever since I was little. I used to sleep with him when scared, love on him - he was my brother. We moved, and moved, and his sister and friends had to be given away to others for safety and new apartment rules..About two years passed and I found a stray on my way home from night classes, and took her in. She was young and perfect. Exactly what I had wanted. Then about a year later we decided we wanted some more kittens. We couldnt decide not to. We are addicted, you see! We got two tabbies. About a year and half later, we got the urge for a new kitten again. (Mind you, all the cats we got, we keep. Its not liek we adopt them, then return them. All get good homes, and now all stay with us, as we have a perfect home). But we went.
Our shelter here in the Houston area is not very good, to be honest. The cats are kept in the back, in what used to be a garage that was remodeled for more space. The nic eones are kept but scant feet from ferals. Ferals.. when you go there, no matter how nice the ferals are, the staff prompt you "Dont touch them. They are feral. They are unadoptable.". I found my feral black cat.. and she is the best cat ever.. The garage door is kept open during the day, and well into night, about 10 pm. Even on cold days it is kept open. There is no vet on duty. Animals recieve no vaccinations, no shots, and no helathcare. If you want a healthy cat.. there is no healthy cat there. The cats are flea ridden, infested with worms, and most have either bad ear infections or a bad case of the ear mites. If the animals arent scratching at the fleas and causing sores, then they are simply so infested that it wouldnt matter if they scratched.
It happens when we went there, that there were plenty of Siamese. We had wanted something we didnt already have.. a Siamese, a black cat, and tabbies were already checked off on our mental list. My mom really desired a calico, but there were none. We were about to leave, when a soft gentle paw reached for us and touched us ever so gently. Now, up til that point I had been distracted by a lovely female 3 week old siamese kitten. This siamese kitten was so.. the only word to say it was PATHETIC. She had a gaping hole in her neck and it was fresh. It looked horrible. So far everyone who came in (the few that came that far back), stated that she was 'disgusting' and 'no good'. I felt so sorry for her. She was so hyper, so in need of love, and I just knew no one would take her. No one else. We were told that she had a huge worm in her neck, which the vet had taken out days ago (we later found out that it wasnt a worm, but a fly larvae with spikes, and that it wasnt taken out days ago, but that morning. Also, it wasnt done by a vet, but by the one 'security' guard).
I wanted her.
But the gentle paws struck out and soothed us. My mom became drawn to the big burly siamese boy in a cage opposite my pathetic girl. He was in with his brother who was black. They both had claws, but while he was so gentle, his brother was so completely mean. He ripped, tore, and clawed at us for attention, while the siamese sat there in a complete pool of sadness. Even though he could have been rough like his brother, he was so gentle. Not a single claw came out, not a single tooth scraped our hands. He begged for adoption, begged for his hell to end. We were told he was suspected to be 6 months old. His paws were huge, and his head huge. They said he must have been deformed or soemthing, because no one wanted him either. My mom and I knew that it just meant he was going to be big. Very big.
The next day we returned, still fighting our decision. My brother had been impartial, stating he didnt are which cat we got, as long as we got one. I wanted the girl. My mom wanted the boy. We could really only take one.. e went back home.
The next day we returned again, early that morning. We got there, and decided on the girl, but my mom really wanted the boy. It was then that we were told if either cat wasnt adopted by noon, they were to be shipped off for euthanization.
We immediately adopted both.
Once home, we bathed them. Infested with fleas as they were, it took 8 baths to get them reasonable . The boy was so happy. The girl was so young and tired she just wanted to sleep. The boy as we come to find, was simply so big he appeared 6 months old, but must have been 2 months. He was kneading, crying, and rooting everywhere. The girl refused kitten milk, refused soft food - she was already accostomed to hard food. She woudl cry if she wasnt held close to the chest, cry if she had to sleep alone, cry is she had to be alone. Bodily contact was a must for both, they were so devestated over their experience at the pound.
Years later, I remember this.. even when her would has healed completely, and he has become so big it is simply amazing. Both were thought no one woudl adopt them, everyone thought they were too ugly, or too bad, or just wrong to have.
They are perfect.
I guess what Im saying is... even the pets that are severly wounded, seem unadoptable, or are jus tplain ugly to your eyes can be the best pets ever and also deserve saving.
Coincidentally.. allt he animals I have either have some problem or HAD some problem, and we saved them.
