Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Cat Love pt. 2

This blog post may result in some tears (okay, let's be honest, I'm going to bawl) which is why it's later than I intended.

After my sister took Neva back I had this space that was void in my life and so I rushed out a few days after he had been gone-it was just under a week- to the HBSPCA to find my new furry little love.

Now, I'll be honest, I probably shouldn't have gone to replace Neva so quickly, circumstances abounded and I needed to fill the hole in my heart so started by looking at the SPCA website where I discovered a delightful little nugget sleeping in his photo named Shrimp.

Off to the SPCA I went Shrimp's picture in hand with my mum and now ex-boyfriend in tow.

Arriving at the shelter I was surprised at how busy the place was (which is good!!), we found one of the volunteers/workers and I asked about Shrimp, the lady looked him up in their database and informed me that he was currently in a foster home.

I'll be honest, I was disappointed, but there was this giant room with kittens running around and this one precocious little boy walking away from us with his jet black tail straight up-the rest of his body was white (with various black spots in random spots).

So I ventured into the room with the kittens unsure of how you go about "choosing" one...but my dilemma only lasted a split second, if that, when this adorable little monkey ran to me and put his front paws on my legs standing to get to me. I knelt down and picked him up-the nugget with the jet black tail, he snuggled in and the SPCA employee scanned his chip. Her reaction? "Oh! This is Shrimp! He must have just gotten back."

So I carried Shrimp over to my mum and my ex to see what he thought of them, approval from all parties meant I had met my new partner in crime.

We filled out the appropriate paperwork, borrowed a carrier and headed to Wal-Mart so I could pick up some essentials. One being a harness which when I clipped onto Shrimpy that day in August 2008 I told him meant he was loved.

Now I should mention that neither of my parents were thrilled with me getting a cat, nor was my brother who is allergic to cats, and I should mention that it as hard the first couple weeks with a new kitten that wasn't my Neva.

Sleeping on the bathroom floor the first night I had Shrimp and having him literally sleeping wrapped around my neck purring is an experience I will never forget. Thinking he was lost and finding him curled up on my sister's dresser sleeping. Him getting out of the house and sleeping under the porch by the hot tub (clearly  he was a smartie from the start!) and my ex stamping on all the porches only to have Shrimp bolt out and around to the door we let him in and out of.

And starting my third year of university with such a happy, calm, and pretty freaking cool cat was just the beginning of my journey into "Crazy Cat Lady".

Stayed tuned for Part 3! More Shrimp stories and adventures.

                                                             Shrimp is a box cat.
                                                           Enjoying the view in Ktown.
                                                                  Getting snuggles.
                                                                Little Kitty face!
                                                                  He was so tiny!!
                                                                     Kitty toes ftw!

If animals could speak, the dog would be a blundering outspoken fellow; but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much.       -Mark Twain



Thursday, September 6, 2012

Cat Love Pt. 1

Just over 5 year ago I was entering my 2nd year of University and looking after my sister's cat-Neva. I had volunteeried to take him as my sister looked for work and wasn't sure where she would end up.

I knew that I would be able to give him a good home and she would be able to not "let a cat hold her back." I did not however envision myself falling in love with the little bugger. Neva is a Himalayan/Siamese mix and my sister found him on the side of the road in Thunder Bay with his brother abandoned. Anyone who knows a little about cats should know that Siamese cats are not usually the friendliest.

Such was the case with Neva.  He was very territorial and nippy, biting or attacking out of nowhere. I learned quickly though that what he was searching for in those attacks was affection, acknowledgement that he was there and really just cuddles and love.

He also loved going outside (on a lead) and so I'd study on my porch while he rolled around on the small patch of grass out front, explored the neighbours flowers, and greeted the visitors on the sidewalk. We then started going for walks and as much as he would sniff, I would inform him if we didn't walk we'd just go home and so there I was going for hour long walks at 11pm with my cat on snowy Kingston nights. And even after that first hour I'd have to drag his adorably fluffy tush home.

He became my best friend and he was not the same cat I had taken on, nor was I the same girl who took him on.

But after all is said and done, he had to go back home once my sister got settled and I was left with a hole that I needed to fill...with some more fluffy love.




 Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want.
                                                                                                                      - Joseph Wood Krutch