June Picture of the Month - Cats Adopted from Shelters

This being Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month, the Theme for June is Cats Adopted from Shelters. Since many shelters work with foster homes, we're going to make this about cats adopted from any rescue group or shelter. When you submit, do tell us something about the cat and where he/she was adopted from.



The Rules are simple:
 

1. Choose the best picture you have for our monthly theme and post it to this thread. Because this month's theme is basically "cats", we're looking for excellent photographs showcasing your cat's unique looks and personality.
2. One submission per member please
   

Submissions will be accepted through Tuesday, June 26th. Voting will follow for 4 days.

Winner gets the monthly Picture of the Month badge and this wonderful prize by our own Nebula -

$20 store credit to buy from her online store of RG hair accessories

Good luck everyone!

Found one that's always been my favorite.

This is Bruno. He's an extreme love-bug and he's always stretching and nuzzling every time you are near. He was adopted within a week of being at the shelter at Last Hope:

I have rescue cats, and I have pictures of them, but you all know the story of me and photography.  I am sitting this one out.  That is an excellent prize, though!  There are some beautiful things in her shop.  Good luck to everyone! 

I have been looking forward to this - not for the prize, but just because it is fun!

This picture is the one I chose for Wilbur's memorial plaque. The key purrsonality trait shown here is how he bent his left foot under his left leg while lying on his right side. He did that a lot and I never saw another cat do it. That was taken in my living room BTW.



His rescue/adoption story is a long one I love to tell.

Wilbur spent the whole winter of 2001-2002 outside (nobody knows how long he was a stray) and being fed by a no-kill shelter's manager. He was trapped and taken to the shelter, Citizens for Humane Action, on April 7, 2002. During the admission vet check he tested positive for FLV and of course whoever took him there believed he had it. The vet guessed he was born in 1997.

Fast-forward three weeks.My younger sister needed to volunteer five hours somewhere for school credit to honor Volunteer Week. Of course, she chose a local animal shelter, but only if it was no-kill. CHA was the closest to home. Mom asked me if I wanted to go along. Naturally, the only answer to that question was yes, even though I was out of school.

Part of my job there was working in the cat intake room. Wilbur was still there because the FLV+ test prevented him from being adoptable. As my sister worked with the other cats, I took Wilbur out despite the note on his cage door he had FLV. Nobody else wanted to pet him because of that sign. While I held and petted him, he purred into and licked my right ear. I stood there thinking, "He is like Emily," and decided to adopt him if he is still available later and can test negative for FLV.

After the three-day volunteering stint was over, I called CHA to say they need to retest him because he had no FLV symptoms. Instead of that they put him in a foster home where all resident cats had tested positive for FLV. I demanded a retest again. The foster mom finally agreed to do that. He tested negative the second time. Because of the conflicting results, he needed a third test 60 days later. He tested negative again. The foster mom's vet said he needed to get out of her house.

More than five months after I met Wilbur - on October 4, 2002 - the foster mom took him back and I returned with a $50 check to adopt him. It ended a miracle that proved there is such a thing as a match made in heaven. God clearly chose Wilbur to be my third cat the next nine years because of all the events that led him from unneutered stray to my house.

I know I have told parts of Wilbur's story before, but felt this was the purrfect opportunity to tell all of it.

nurseangel said:

I have rescue cats, and I have pictures of them, but you all know the story of me and photography. I am sitting this one out. That is an excellent prize, though!  There are some beautiful things in her shop. Good luck to everyone!

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Oh come on, there is no reason you can't tell it again. I have no idea what photography story you are talking about and certainly others do not know it either.

This my sweet Mango kitty.  She came from the Leon County Humane Society a no-kill shelter in Tallahassee, FL.  She was 16 weeks old and in a cage with her 2 litter mates, Jasper and Pumpkin.  We adopted Mango and went home very happy to have this new addition to our family.  Two weeks later, my son got some birthday money and said, "Let's go back and get one of Mango's litter mates with my birthday money."  I thought that was a grand idea so off we drove to the LCHS and selected Jasper, Mango's brother but as we walked off, Pumpkin the last of the litter stuck his little paw out of the cage and grabbed me, meowing, as if to say, please don't leave me behind.  We drove off with Jasper but did not make it more than 1 mile before I had to turn around, go back to the shelter and adopt Pumpkin, the last of the litter.  I couldn't leave the poor guy there all by himself.  I kept thinking of him reaching out to me as I walked away.  So there you have it, how we adopted all three litter mates.   Jasper has since passed which I am heartbroken about but we still have our Pumpkin and Mango.....

MomTo2Kitties said:

This my sweet Mango kitty.  She came from the Leon County Humane Society a no-kill shelter in Tallahassee, FL.  She was 16 weeks old and in a cage with her 2 litter mates, Jasper and Pumpkin.  We adopted Mango and went home very happy to have this new addition to our family.  Two weeks later, my son got some birthday money and said, "Let's go back and get one of Mango's litter mates with my birthday money."  I thought that was a grand idea so off we drove to the LCHS and selected Jasper, Mango's brother but as we walked off, Pumpkin the last of the litter stuck his little paw out of the cage and grabbed me, meowing, as if to say, please don't leave me behind.  We drove off with Jasper but did not make it more than 1 mile before I had to turn around, go back to the shelter and adopt Pumpkin, the last of the litter.  I couldn't leave the poor guy there all by himself.  I kept thinking of him reaching out to me as I walked away.  So there you have it, how we adopted all three litter mates.   Jasper has since passed which I am heartbroken about but we still have our Pumpkin and Mango.....

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Oh!  I can see the notch in Mango's ear where she must have originally been a TNR, huh?  She's beautiful!! (Sorry about Jasper )

What is a "TNR?"  Sorry, kinda new to this forum.  Thank you, though.  I think she is pretty cute, hiding in the hamper!!

This is to momto2kitties - TNR is a great program, that stands for Trap, Neuter, Return.   Feral or stray cats that have no home are trapped, neutered (given rabies and other shots), then returned where they were.   Many are not thought to be adoptable, being feral, but this way they do not reproduce any kittens, they can live a good life.   There are groups around that feed them, and give them shelter.    Alley Cat Allies is a large national group that is very involved with TNR.

so...

these guys are Sally and Max! I adopted them a week ago yesterday. I initially went to the shelter to see how my son would interact with the kittens and cats and then wait until I moved to my new apartment to adopt a pair of kittens... well when we were sitting in the kitten room at the shelter(so many kittens this time of year) I realized very early that kittens werent the way to go... a one year old is just too big and rough for them... he even grabbed on poor kitty by the leg!

So I decided to go over and see how my son would do around the big cats... I was immediately drawn to this huge orange tom in the corner, he was soooo ready for love and wanted to be petted so bad but I had to get someone to open the cage for me... so we petted a few of the cats that were out and about and my son was much more gentle... I guess their size made them seem less like toys! he'd shove his little hand against a furry noggin and they'd shove back for a rub... anyway, we went out and I asked to open Max's cage and oh my goodness was he ever sweet! he even rolled over for a belly rub... the girl went out to check his info and came back beaming... his surrender papers said he LOVES KIDS... I was sold... I fell in love with him.... I told them about my moving situation and filled out an application

a few days later I went to visit him... he wast in that room anymore because they're renovating... I was worried for a minute... then i found him... and he was in with another cat and the first thing i saw was big green eyes and a little pink nose on a beautiful grey and white face! she was even fatter! I asked who she was and I was told, this is sally, she's max's sister and they have to be kept together... so i jokingly asked if i get a two for one deal... and yes! i did!... all the while rubbing her vast pink belly(i think it's naked because of a rash I have to get checked) ... I loved her too!

 

it took some effort to get them here in my house and i feel terrible for moving them yet again to the new apartment but it's better than them being euthanised for taking up space!

they'r emaking themselves right at home...max loves to warm my lap and cuddles and purrs... which i adore... and sally is taking a little longer to adapt but is still warming up to me slowly, still willing to let me kiss her little nose(max avoids kisses) and scratch her ears or rub her big belly... they're both on holistic dry food combined with grain free wellness wet food... and sally is being weaned off a clear addiction to temptations(hence her being the fatter of the two despite being a smaller cat under the pudge)

I feel like my little family is complete

just realised i was supposed to only submit one photo... I got excited to show them off haha

I'd like to submit the one of both max and sally curled up on their new bed, the whole family sleeps in there unless my son sleeps in his crib all night lol

this is Lestat one of my Personal faves shows his curiosity

Moose (L) and Rocky.  Both adopted from shelters in the Chicago area.

I know lots of you have seen this one, but here's my Cotton Adopted from Toronto Cat Rescue in 2007.



...and because it still makes me laugh: Cotton sneaking up on me in bed.

Hi I would like to submit the attached photo of our adopted cat Bailey. He is pretty laid back as you can see by the photo and eats whenever he gets a chance. Wish him and the other submissions luck in the photo of the month contest. Go Bailey. You are so precious. Bailey was apopted from the County Shelter in Orange, Orange County, Calif.

Mama Nature said:

just realised i was supposed to only submit one photo... I got excited to show them off haha

I'd like to submit the one of both max and sally curled up on their new bed, the whole family sleeps in there unless my son sleeps in his crib all night lol

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I think your adoption story is precious. So smart of you to realize kittens weren't the way to go. Adult cats have so much to offer, thank you for choosing them.

I love the picture of Sally!!!

I don't think Mango was a TNR as she is our house kitty as are/were her brothers, Jasper and Pumpkin.  We adopted them a little over 9 years ago.  I am sure all the animals that go thru LCHS are spayed/neutered and I love the idea of TNR.  I wouldn't be surprised if they have some kind of program like that....

the picture of Sally is from the day i met her! lil pink nose and big green eyes <3 

Moose looks a lot like max to me!

and I love the sneaky cotton picture! he looks so mischevious... and those ears hold so much character!!!