Looking for Love

Well you knew it had to happen. A few looks deep into his soulful eyes and I couldn’t get him out of my thoughts and overnight dreams. It was like he was calling to me; reaching out over the miles—“come back and see me again” so of course I just had to the very next day.

I’m talking about our latest addition; another cat in great need of a home, attention and love. There was something singular about his plight that caught my attention like no other had at the shelter—his reluctance to engage in leaving his cage; the terror on his face and his body posture of complete submission as if to say “Please don’t hurt me; I’m trying to disappear….” I finally was able to sweet talk him into leaving his cage and even got him to respond to some slight play. My time with him stayed in my mind, bothering me like a splinter to the finger and I just knew that I needed to convince Marc he would be a worthwhile investment to rehabilitate. 

So we’ve brought him home and sequestered him into the spare bedroom/office until he can better adjust to life outside a cage for the first time in ten months. Officially, we are fostering him, but if Jerry works out and melds with our other two cats, we hope a permanent home with us will calm his terrors and allow him to become the loving cat he appears to be.

The shelter’s rummage sale was a success and I really enjoyed the days of joyful tasks with the other volunteers both in setting it up and manning the sale itself. I helped with the final pack-up afterwards and the cleanup and the organizer Jackie suggested I might want to accept leadership of it next year! I think maybe a sharing of duties might work best until I know the ropes a little better but I am trying to become much more active with the fund-raising efforts on their main committee. This Humane Society is entirely run on donations and fundraisers so collecting enough dollars is always problematic and never-ending.

Most Humane societies are self-funded, so I encourage every reader to think about them whether at home or in your travels and contribute. If dollars are not possible, they accept many items that allow them to function—paper towels, laundry detergent, pet bedding like used towels and blankets, antibacterial soap and cleaners, pet food and toys, kitty condos, dog leashes and collars—anything at all pet related. If you can’t contribute in this way maybe you can spare a few hours of your time to walk a dog or give love and attention to an animal which through no fault of its own now has to live in a cage. 

Even the most reluctant, like Jerry, do seem to respond to a little human kindness and interest. The first two photos are of Trouble, a shelter cat I often work with and in the last photo, look at our now happy and healthy Munchkin, loving her new home since we adopted her in November; no longer starving and full of parasites as when she was first found as a stray.

Marc arrived home again early in the week and filed for our land use permit yesterday when he was able to get a few hours off. Another trip west to N. Dakota is in the works but we’re hopeful he gets at least a week or two here at home. I am keeping busy with my many furniture refurbishing projects and the animal shelter work. It’s been a great summer here with very mild temperatures; if we can ever just get our house jump-started before it disappears into winter’s storms!