MR FEEL GOOD

With the 60+ cats that we've fostered over the years, and afew more that we've assisted others with in saving along the way, sometimes it can be abit of a challenge to remember all their sweet faces and personalitiies. But that could never and will never be the case with one imparticular - he not only graces the main page of this blog as our poster kitty if you will, but he continues to delight us with his antics!

Our Red (now known lovingly as Stanley), is so completely loved and adored in his amazing forever home, by amazing parents. His Mom frequently sends along updates (and pictures), to let us know just how happy their entire family is - and I have to tell you that each and every time she does, I utterly treasure it. It reminds me over and over and over again, why it is that I got involved in rescue work to start with, and why fostering is not only so paramount in the fight to save cat lives, but all the ways in which it has blessed me personally. Some would say that what my husband and I have done in volunteering as foster parents has been a lovely thing to do for the cats/kittens we've helped, but in reality, fostering has been something that has brought both of us so many blessings - it's hard to quantify just what we've gotten from it.

I've made alot of mistakes in life up to this point. I've done and said things at different times, in different places, with different people, that I regret; plain and simple. Being imperfect means that the odds are pretty high that I'll very likely make a whole lot more before my time in this life comes to a close, but of one thing I am entirely certain - Red is one thing that I did absolutely right, and seeing pictures of him, hearing about how happy he is, and knowing that he is safe, it fills me with a sense of peace and joy, and makes me smile like few other things can. We love this little guy and are so incredibly grateful that we crossed paths.

His Mom sent these new pictures of him..............I'll let her words set the stage for these:

I found some Stanley photos you might like. One is of Stanley and Lenny sharing the cat bed and the other is what we call Stanley's "Cheesecake" photo. Sean was doing a photoshoot with a model and Stanley thought he could do a better job so he walked right on set and struck this pose. What a ham!

THE LOVE MACHINE

I had a friend drop by the house yesterday and I was really interested to see how Flossy would interact with her. Sometimes I wonder if all the leaps and bounds Baby Girl has made, is only a result of spending so much time with us, and so litte with outsiders (if I can use that term)..........you see it all the time, animals that become very comfortable, trusting, and even affectionate with their handlers, but not so much so (or even sometimes the complete opposite), with people that they are meeting just for the first time.

Well the proof is in the pudding as they say and boy did Flossy set any lingering doubts or worries I might have, aside!! She loved "M" - I mean she was so super, duper affectionate that my friend said she'd adopt her in a moment if her husband would let her have a 2nd kitty (do you hear that hubby!). Flossy was rubbing up against her, flopping from side to side, nuzzling her nose into my friend's hand and even at one point when my friend tried to pay attention to Silly, actually pushed herself between them so that my friend would continue to pat and adore her. Flossy was purring so hard that we actually started to laugh at just how determined she was to soak up every last ounce of love.

Here she is, nestled onto my lap - her favourite spot now; and if it can't be mine, it's hubby's.............oh yes when it comes to attention and affection she's forgotten all about being shy.

HILARIOUS!!!!!!

Normally I try to keep all my posts fostering related, but I saw this next one on a volunteer organization's page and I just couldn't resist adding it here. Hopefully it makes you smile (and maybe even laugh), as much as it did me!

How many of us have come across our own kitties in very similar moments and think this caption sums it all up perfectly...........I know it does for my house. Needless to say, the next time I catch the furry kids here locked together like this, I hope I can stop laughing long enough to break it up!!

RAY OF SUNSHINE

On a cold, damp, dreary, rainy day, I find myself with a little friend whose never far away from my side (in this case she's practically right on top of me as I work!) *L*

I ask you, is this not one of the prettiest kitties you've ever seen? She takes a lovely picture and I'll keep snapping them and posting about her until someone finally steps up and wants to make her apart of their family. This little girl has literally come back from the brink of death - she deserves all the attention and the accolades.

They just don't get much lovelier than this.......

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

I decided it was high time I went in and did some filing in my picture folder. You can imagine how many shots I've taken in the 10 years we've been fostering.......that's alot of kitties!

In doing so I came across some that made me smile and some that brought a tear to my eye as my memory went back in time and I thought about when they first arrived in our home, and their stays with us. I thought perhaps some of you might like to see as well - so I hope you enjoy this look back.

DO MY EYES DECEIVE???

I opened up the shower curtain this morning to this and wondered for about a split second if perhaps I was in the wrong house!

To some this might not seem like such a big deal, Rocky allowing Flossy to lean on him (almost to the point of cuddling)........but to others (and especially to me who knows him better than anyone), it's a VERY BIG DEAL. He doesn't have nicknames like Stinkerboy and Rotten Rock for nothing; and I have NEVER seen him allow another cat (not even his brother Silly) to do this.

But before you or I get too excited about what might appear to be a softer side finally emerging in our little crankmeister, I should be sure to mention that infact Rocky's favourite place every morning as I get ready for work is in front of the heat register in the bathroom and that just happens to be the exact spot that Flossy beat him to this morning. He had already hissed and growled at her when he came upon her there initially, so I would safely assume that this spot he took up..........was only to ensure that once she removed her prissy little self, he could assume control and his territory in one swift motion!

UNFAIR DISADVANTAGE

I'm writing tonight about the frustration I feel toward the people who overlook Flossy (and other kitties like her - sometimes labelled "Special Needs"), because of the fears and apprehensions they have toward adopting a kitty that they see as being too expensive.

I fully realize that the biggest factor in Flossy having been in foster care for the past 15 months is due largely in part to the fact that she suffers from food allergies and thus, must have allergen free food that can be deemed by some to be too costly to take on as a responsibility.

Don't misunderstand.........I fully respect a person/s right to deem what is acceptable for them in terms of the responsiblity they can assume when adopting; and I appreciate the forthrightness with which they state their position. But what I don't understand and find very difficult to appreciate, is when potential adopters (upon learning of Flossy's condition), will share with me the fact that they won't consider her for adoption because, in their words, "They wish to seek out a cat without any medical conditions who is perfectly healthy and will cost them less money in the long run."

What I want to say to these same people (and never have - up until now), is that that seemingly "perfect" or "healthy" cat you prefer to adopt from your local humane society, rescue group, pet store, or via an online ad, may present as perfect as perfect can be upon meeting, and even upon taking home, but because it is a living, breathing, creature, it like us humans, can become sick or be diagnosed with a "condition" at any time - today, tomorrow, next week or next year.

The health of a person or animal is never guaranteed, ever. Things can change in a heartbeat and while you may think that you are securing something by overlooking or passing by rescued animals that already present with some type of imperfection, in reality all you are really doing is searching out that which can never really be attained.