Letter to the previous owners of sweet Hazel.....

[jodiethierry64]

Hear, hear! I just picked up a gorgeous, teeny-tiny (6 pound!) adult tuxedo female. She had such badly matted fur that the mats ripped out her fur at the roots (we found that out after the vet clipped her) and is very scared of people. She desperately wants attention and sits right against me, but if I make the slightest movement, she explodes into a shrieking, scratching ball of fury. She also hates feet and will chase my feet from room to room, for half an hour at a time. I've never had a cat react this way, and I'm pretty sure these are signs of abuse and neglect. I know exactly who her owner is, and she's never going back! She's had less than a week with me, and my hands can stand up to all the scratches and bites she can dish out! I will tame her with unending love and gentleness. I have the rest of her life to work on her attitude, after all.

Too bad no one's likely to work on her former owner's attitude.

Poor Baby!!!!!
Thank You for helping this poor poor thing. It's horrible what people do to what is suppose to be their beloved pet! If only they could talk then maybe there would be tougher penalties for animal abusers!!!
Again Thank you for having the patients and understanding for her.

People like you restores my faith in mankind! God bless you!

 

[a kitty mom]

Thank you and everyone else who ever rescued a needy animal. 

  I actually got on this forum because I was trying to find information on how to calm her down.  There's already some good news already!  She still chases my feet but it's in a playful manner and she doesn't growl or hiss at them anymore.  She'll follow me from room to room with a questioning attitude, like she's trying to say, "Hey giant!  I was waiting for you on the bed but you didn't come back!"  So I think she's slowly calming down.

 

[jodiethierry64]

Thank you and everyone else who ever rescued a needy animal.    I actually got on this forum because I was trying to find information on how to calm her down.  There's already some good news already!  She still chases my feet but it's in a playful manner and she doesn't growl or hiss at them anymore.  She'll follow me from room to room with a questioning attitude, like she's trying to say, "Hey giant!  I was waiting for you on the bed but you didn't come back!"  So I think she's slowly calming down.

Her likely problem is trust and I think she's realizing

 

[jodiethierry64]

Thank you and everyone else who ever rescued a needy animal.    I actually got on this forum because I was trying to find information on how to calm her down.  There's already some good news already!  She still chases my feet but it's in a playful manner and she doesn't growl or hiss at them anymore.  She'll follow me from room to room with a questioning attitude, like she's trying to say, "Hey giant!  I was waiting for you on the bed but you didn't come back!"  So I think she's slowly calming down.

You are trust worthy. ( sorry submitted before I was done)
She's beginning to see that you're not dangerous or mean. Like I said, if only they could speak. I or a lot of us would probably kick some butt if we knew what happened to them!

 

[lrosewiles]

So this thread gives me a few thoughts.  First total agreement with people who abandon/mistreat cats, they make me HISS.  

Second, regarding adults vs. kittens, yes indeed.  My own experience with rescuing Ellie was I initially thought  she was very young because she was so tiny (read, half starved) at 5.7 lbs. on her first vet visit (she's gained two pounds since with care and good food!)  Turns out she is at least five years old and had been spayed at some point, so she may have been abandoned because she was no longer a "cute kitten".  Three of my other adoptions were feral-born kittens who I initially hoped to re-home (well one of the four kittens we did, but the rest we fell in love with and kept).  We also ended up adopting their mother, Patience, who was supposed to be a TNR but decided to move in with us when the weather became cold, and is now a member of our family too.  But the thing is, when I was considering adoption options for all, the spay clinic and vet told me there was virtually no chance of finding a home for an adult cat like Patience, but a fair chance for the kittens.  So yes, if we are ever in a situation for more than five cats (!!!) I will definitely pay attention to seniors in need.  Many folks seem to like "cute" kittens but not "cats".  Sad but true.  I'm not saying I'd ignore kittens in need, but clearly there is an even greater need for adult cat forever homes.

Third, I'd point out some benefits to adopting an adult cat, especially a mistreated one.  Kittens are relatively easy, even feral-born ones.  They forget or forgive and tame relatively fast and there you have these lively playful little fur balls that are so much fun.  They easily become "your" cats (to the extent any cat is "yours", because for them it's always a choice and I think they "own" us not the other way around). But adult cats can be a challenge, especially if they have been mistreated and/or on the streets a while.  I had months of struggles with Patience to get her to use the litter box instead of the floor, stop hissing at her kittens, engage us in any kind of interaction other than eat, stop flinching when I reached to pet her. But the rewards are so great when they finally gain trust enough to give an adult love.  As I'm sitting here typing Patience is by my side watching me (the kittens are all outside playing but she would rather sit with me); she just rubbed against my leg asking for a neck scratch which she loves.  In fact  I'm taking forever to type because she keeps asking for pets and purring and looking at me, and well, this is going to sound weird but I think she is trying to join in this message.  I'm asking her what she wants to say and I think it's something like "love takes time but once given it's forever".   I don't know, I just asked her if that was right and she rolled over and started washing her back leg so I think that was pretty much the message from Patience!

"Love takes time but once given it's forever." Message from my cat to yours!

 

[jfed]

It's true. I am always sure to challenge people with their decisions to buy fancy breeds and/or kittens. I personally could never imagine supporting breeders with my money. I would much rather pay an adoption fee at a shelter to adopt a cat in need, and ensure that the money is going back into the operations of a selfless organization.

It's a no brainer for me. If you are truly an animal lover, then you would understand the need for rescuing animals before forking over $1200 for an inbred that is being specially shipped to you from across the country. Unless it's hypoallergenic or something to accommodate the owners allergies, ok but otherwise..... Oooh it makes me angry how superficial and ignorant people can be!

If there isn't a demand for special breeds and cute, fluffy, white kittens, then there will no longer be a supply...meaning less mills and less irresponsible at home breeders. Here in Canada, a few cities have started a trend where the sale of pets have been banned from pet stores unless they're coming from shelters or human rescues. It's a start, right?

Deciding to adopt/rescue a cat shouldn't be solely about making yourself happy, it should be about making that poor cat happy. I once fell in love with a rescue cat on display at a local pet store, and I walked out of there in tears because I wanted to take her home so badly but told myself it wasn't the right time for me. The rest of the day I thought about her, and then I realized.... so what if it's not the right time for me? Because it is obviously the perfect time for her, and maybe even the only time. Needless to say, I went back that day to get her only to find she had been adopted out by a lovely elderly lady just about 30mins earlier. She had been there for over 2 months!! What are the chances?! I guess it wasn't the right time...lol. That's when I decided to foster, best decision ever!

The world according to the ladies on the thecatsite.com, there needs to be a lot more of all our compassion out there.

 

[jodiethierry64]

It's true. I am always sure to challenge people with their decisions to buy fancy breeds and/or kittens. I personally could never imagine supporting breeders with my money. I would much rather pay an adoption fee at a shelter to adopt a cat in need, and ensure that the money is going back into the operations of a selfless organization.

It's a no brainer for me. If you are truly an animal lover, then you would understand the need for rescuing animals before forking over $1200 for an inbred that is being specially shipped to you from across the country. Unless it's hypoallergenic or something to accommodate the owners allergies, ok but otherwise..... Oooh it makes me angry how superficial and ignorant people can be!

If there isn't a demand for special breeds and cute, fluffy, white kittens, then there will no longer be a supply...meaning less mills and less irresponsible at home breeders. Here in Canada, a few cities have started a trend where the sale of pets have been banned from pet stores unless they're coming from shelters or human rescues. It's a start, right?

Deciding to adopt/rescue a cat shouldn't be solely about making yourself happy, it should be about making that poor cat happy. I once fell in love with a rescue cat on display at a local pet store, and I walked out of there in tears because I wanted to take her home so badly but told myself it wasn't the right time for me. The rest of the day I thought about her, and then I realized.... so what if it's not the right time for me? Because it is obviously the perfect time for her, and maybe even the only time. Needless to say, I went back that day to get her only to find she had been adopted out by a lovely elderly lady just about 30mins earlier. She had been there for over 2 months!! What are the chances?! I guess it wasn't the right time...lol. That's when I decided to foster, best decision ever!

The world according to the ladies on the thecatsite.com, there needs to be a lot more of all our compassion out there.

I agree on everything you just said above. Were I live there is a 4 pet limit law. Well my son snuck in a kitty that was living in a closet. The girl was a teenage mother who got the kitty on impulse only to discover her son was allergic. Well I couldn't refuse her. She needed me. Of course that put me, legally, over the limit. Oh well, I had a senior who I knew would be crossing the bridge in a couple of years so how would they know. I feel like you, if you truly love animals, it doesn't matter if they're not a pure bred.
I Love my adult , rescued, mix bred felines!!!
I will never ever dispose of them like trash.
When they come to live with me, they're mine for life.
I don't feel I'm better because I was born human. If anything they are better then us. Animals haven't destroyed or polluted this planet. They love us unconditionally.
Humans have caused their suffering and we have the means to fix it yet how many turn a blind eye. Their
only hope are those of us who don't walk away!!!!

 

[erinradfeeley]

Thank you!!!!!!

All of my cats are rescues. One was found outside a Wal-mart too young to be from mom. My friend raised him. When she couldn't keep him, she gave him to me. Then when she had to move, she gave me her other cat. Her niece, shortly after finding an abandoned kitten, found out she was pregnant with a son who had medical problems. Instead of abandoning the kitten, she gave her to me. We took in 4 kittens born to a feral mom. When we move again and permanently to another state, all 7 will be coming with us. I can't believe people can do stuff like has been related. 

 

[jodiethierry64]

Thank you!!!!!!
All of my cats are rescues. One was found outside a Wal-mart too young to be from mom. My friend raised him. When she couldn't keep him, she gave him to me. Then when she had to move, she gave me her other cat. Her niece, shortly after finding an abandoned kitten, found out she was pregnant with a son who had medical problems. Instead of abandoning the kitten, she gave her to me. We took in 4 kittens born to a feral mom. When we move again and permanently to another state, all 7 will be coming with us. I can't believe people can do stuff like has been related. 

Me too Erin,
Humans are the cruelest creatures to walk this planet.