( A very scared kitty when abandoned in the lobby of the shelter, the day after Christmas of last year, "Nick" quickly ending up on the Euth list. But, I pulled him then, only for the practical reason that he was already neutered. Almost a year later, has this loving and social kitty finally found a forever home? Hopefully, yes -- but we have to "wait and see....")
Miracles of miracles, we had a cat adoption yesterday!
The cat, named "Nick" by his foster person because he was abandoned in the lobby of the Manhattan Animal Care and Control shelter the day after Christmas of last year had been doing very well in foster care all this time. So well, we are quite sure that Nick probably thought he had found his forever home.
Nick had been previously adopted about five months ago -- but he was quickly returned a few days later for "hissing" at the woman's other cat.
Nick gets along very well with other cats. His foster person has another cat with whom Nick became great buddies with. But, the previous adopter apparently didn't believe in giving animals time to work out their relationship.
This time, Nick was adopted by a very nice family from Manhattan's Upper West Side. They met Nick when invited to a dinner party thrown by Nick's foster person. Nick was very friendly to the husband, wife and two adolescent sons. They have a 10-year-old spayed, female cat at home.
I should wish that more of our foster people would throw dinner parties in their homes. That might be the only way cats can find good people to adopt them these days.
Elizabeth (Nick's foster person) has already agreed to foster "Betty Boop" the sweet, tuxedo cat rescued this past week (along with her Pomeranian buddy, Tommy).
Betty has been pretty stressed in my home due to the other animals here. However, in the past 24 hours or so, she has settled down somewhat, is eating well and loves being petted.
But, at least one of my cats (Hillary) is bullying towards newcomers and any animals that might be afraid of her. "Puppy Boy" (AKA "Chance") my Pomeranian isn't so welcoming of fosters either. While generally tolerant of Tommy, the new foster Pomeranian, Chance has also attacked Tommy a few times (mostly to establish status position) and has shown some jealousy.
It is a bit of a challenge to give proper attention and sense of security to new foster animals, while at the same time being careful not to neglect one's own pets in these areas.-- Its a delicate balancing act.
I will be happy if and when Elizabeth can take Betty Boop. Elizabeth has a bigger place than I do and only one other cat. Elizabeth's personal cat, Loverboy, (adopted from me several years ago) is wonderful towards foster cats in terms of being welcoming and helping new animals to feel safe and secure. We joke that Loverboy is, in fact, like the "Mother Teresa" of cats!
We are not making any moves however, until reasonably sure that the adoption yesterday has in fact, worked out.
It used to be that anytime one of Elizabeth's foster cats was adopted, I would rush a new rescued kitty to her home less than an hour later!
But, now due to the substantial increases in "returns" over the past year or two (of both, cats and dogs) we can't feel quite so confident anymore with just the signing of an adoption contract.
No, now the watchword is "wait and see" rather than "who can we save now?"
Another sad change over the past few years.
One that doesn't bode well for the millions of cats and dogs vying -- and literally dying -- for lack of foster and adoptive homes to go to.
All this, while we sadly and warily have to "wait and see...." -- PCA
*********
The cat, named "Nick" by his foster person because he was abandoned in the lobby of the Manhattan Animal Care and Control shelter the day after Christmas of last year had been doing very well in foster care all this time. So well, we are quite sure that Nick probably thought he had found his forever home.
Nick had been previously adopted about five months ago -- but he was quickly returned a few days later for "hissing" at the woman's other cat.
Nick gets along very well with other cats. His foster person has another cat with whom Nick became great buddies with. But, the previous adopter apparently didn't believe in giving animals time to work out their relationship.
This time, Nick was adopted by a very nice family from Manhattan's Upper West Side. They met Nick when invited to a dinner party thrown by Nick's foster person. Nick was very friendly to the husband, wife and two adolescent sons. They have a 10-year-old spayed, female cat at home.
I should wish that more of our foster people would throw dinner parties in their homes. That might be the only way cats can find good people to adopt them these days.
Elizabeth (Nick's foster person) has already agreed to foster "Betty Boop" the sweet, tuxedo cat rescued this past week (along with her Pomeranian buddy, Tommy).
Betty has been pretty stressed in my home due to the other animals here. However, in the past 24 hours or so, she has settled down somewhat, is eating well and loves being petted.
But, at least one of my cats (Hillary) is bullying towards newcomers and any animals that might be afraid of her. "Puppy Boy" (AKA "Chance") my Pomeranian isn't so welcoming of fosters either. While generally tolerant of Tommy, the new foster Pomeranian, Chance has also attacked Tommy a few times (mostly to establish status position) and has shown some jealousy.
It is a bit of a challenge to give proper attention and sense of security to new foster animals, while at the same time being careful not to neglect one's own pets in these areas.-- Its a delicate balancing act.
I will be happy if and when Elizabeth can take Betty Boop. Elizabeth has a bigger place than I do and only one other cat. Elizabeth's personal cat, Loverboy, (adopted from me several years ago) is wonderful towards foster cats in terms of being welcoming and helping new animals to feel safe and secure. We joke that Loverboy is, in fact, like the "Mother Teresa" of cats!
We are not making any moves however, until reasonably sure that the adoption yesterday has in fact, worked out.
It used to be that anytime one of Elizabeth's foster cats was adopted, I would rush a new rescued kitty to her home less than an hour later!
But, now due to the substantial increases in "returns" over the past year or two (of both, cats and dogs) we can't feel quite so confident anymore with just the signing of an adoption contract.
No, now the watchword is "wait and see" rather than "who can we save now?"
Another sad change over the past few years.
One that doesn't bode well for the millions of cats and dogs vying -- and literally dying -- for lack of foster and adoptive homes to go to.
All this, while we sadly and warily have to "wait and see...." -- PCA
*********
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