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Old June 26th, 2012, 06:34 PM
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Smile Princess


A month and a half ago, I was browsing the local humane society's web page, just for something to do. We want a dog, but can't in the apartment we're in, and my fiance isn't a cat-person.

On page 6, a picture caught my heart. She looked sad, confused, lost. I read the little story, and it turned out her owner had died and the family put her in the shelter. Most probably the owner didn't die at home and she had no clue what happened to her old home with a human all to herself.

She didn't understand why she was locked away in a cell by herself, with other cats in other cells, with a shelter-stench clinging to her fur, with limited human contact.

And she was 13 years old - "free on the senior-to-senior program" since November, yet still there all alone.

She looked so small, lost and forlorn, I put her photo as my desk top background.

A week later, my fiance said "talk to the landlord, if he says yes, get her!"

We were told she wouldn't put on any weight "at her age". She has. We felt her vertebrae when she came, now we don't. Her belly was so empty the sides looked like they were almost touching! Not anymore.

The first week, she had a buffet one bowl of fresh water, one of dry food, one of tender morsels, and two with canned food (one pate and one shredded). Best way to find out what her preferences are.

She's on my usual cat-diet 1/3 of a can for breakfast (with some lukewarm water to make gravy), fresh water changed daily, and dry kibble at will. Oh, and 10-12 Temptations at bed time - Joe started that the first day, and now she sits on his side of the bed meowing till he gets into bed, walks all over him up to his chest, to get her treat

So she's 13, big deal! She's not a cuddly cat (yet?) but comes with her tail held high and a "Meow" when we come home from work. She doesn't bother the budgies and couldn't care less about the fish. The birds only get spooked when they go down on the cage floor and she can't see them from where she is. She'll go over to the low table they're on and stand up with her front paws on the edge - which surprises them so they fly up. But that's just concern not hunting

Poor little thing is declawed

We are wondering about getting a kitten to keep her company and maybe get her to play a little - but will she be upset at not being sole cat anymore? Will she sulk a day or two and get over it? Will she be maternal and like having a little friend? No telling, no two cats will react the same way and we know nothing of her history other than paragraph one above.
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Old June 26th, 2012, 06:38 PM
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Thank you for adopting a senior!!!! They sit in the shelters for far too long before someone with a loving soul comes for them. Please share pictures with us!
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Old June 26th, 2012, 06:39 PM
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Photo one is the one from the humane society
The other two are at home - on the bed, and stretching on the chair-back. a month or so later.
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Old June 26th, 2012, 06:41 PM
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awwww, she looks so good, relaxed and at home! Thanks for posting pics!
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Old June 26th, 2012, 06:50 PM
Barkingdog Barkingdog is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Budgie-mom View Post

A month and a half ago, I was browsing the local humane society's web page, just for something to do. We want a dog, but can't in the apartment we're in, and my fiance isn't a cat-person.

On page 6, a picture caught my heart. She looked sad, confused, lost. I read the little story, and it turned out her owner had died and the family put her in the shelter. Most probably the owner didn't die at home and she had no clue what happened to her old home with a human all to herself.

She didn't understand why she was locked away in a cell by herself, with other cats in other cells, with a shelter-stench clinging to her fur, with limited human contact.

And she was 13 years old - "free on the senior-to-senior program" since November, yet still there all alone.

She looked so small, lost and forlorn, I put her photo as my desk top background.

A week later, my fiance said "talk to the landlord, if he says yes, get her!"

We were told she wouldn't put on any weight "at her age". She has. We felt her vertebrae when she came, now we don't. Her belly was so empty the sides looked like they were almost touching! Not anymore.

The first week, she had a buffet one bowl of fresh water, one of dry food, one of tender morsels, and two with canned food (one pate and one shredded). Best way to find out what her preferences are.

She's on my usual cat-diet 1/3 of a can for breakfast (with some lukewarm water to make gravy), fresh water changed daily, and dry kibble at will. Oh, and 10-12 Temptations at bed time - Joe started that the first day, and now she sits on his side of the bed meowing till he gets into bed, walks all over him up to his chest, to get her treat

So she's 13, big deal! She's not a cuddly cat (yet?) but comes with her tail held high and a "Meow" when we come home from work. She doesn't bother the budgies and couldn't care less about the fish. The birds only get spooked when they go down on the cage floor and she can't see them from where she is. She'll go over to the low table they're on and stand up with her front paws on the edge - which surprises them so they fly up. But that's just concern not hunting

Poor little thing is declawed

We are wondering about getting a kitten to keep her company and maybe get her to play a little - but will she be upset at not being sole cat anymore? Will she sulk a day or two and get over it? Will she be maternal and like having a little friend? No telling, no two cats will react the same way and we know nothing of her history other than paragraph one above.
Could you try being a foster mom to a kitten for awhile and see your older cat feel about having another cat in the house? What is your cat name? And I think it is great that you and your fiance adopted an older cat. The poor thing must had been so lonely she did not feel like eating at the shelter.
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Old June 26th, 2012, 06:55 PM
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I suppose we could try that - good idea Maybe the same HS would have one "for rent"

Name is in the title she was listed as "Tommy Girl" but frankly ... no, did not like that. Joe said she might be used to it and wouldn't like changing, but before evening one was over he'd renamed her

In general she goes by "silly-kitty" though, lol
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Old June 26th, 2012, 08:26 PM
Barkingdog Barkingdog is offline
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Originally Posted by Budgie-mom View Post
I suppose we could try that - good idea Maybe the same HS would have one "for rent"

Name is in the title she was listed as "Tommy Girl" but frankly ... no, did not like that. Joe said she might be used to it and wouldn't like changing, but before evening one was over he'd renamed her

In general she goes by "silly-kitty" though, lol
I was not sure if that was your cat's name. I always ends up call my cat 'Kitty' no matter what their name was. When I called "here Kitty ,Kitty " when my cat was outside I had 3 or 4 other cats coming to eat too and they where not my cats. LOL!
It would be awful if you got a kitten and your older cat hated it. You would not want to get a kitten only to have give it up. Some older animals do not like bothered with by a baby cat or dog when they're trying to sleep
or take noon time nap.
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Old June 26th, 2012, 11:22 PM
lindapalm lindapalm is offline
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If it was me, I would not get a younger cat to keep yours company. Princess is an older cat, and doing well and adapting to your home really great. I would leave it that way, things could get really messed up if the two cats didn't get along. Thank you for adopting an older animal and giving her another chance, I think thats great.
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Old June 27th, 2012, 06:44 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lindapalm View Post
If it was me, I would not get a younger cat to keep yours company. Princess is an older cat, and doing well and adapting to your home really great. I would leave it that way, things could get really messed up if the two cats didn't get along. Thank you for adopting an older animal and giving her another chance, I think thats great.
Yes, I think that's probably best too - she's not lonely when we're working anyway, having the birds and the radio is always on low when we're not home. Plus she's not a cuddler, at best she'll lay between us on the couch for 15 minutes at a time in the evening, and only sleeps on the bed when we're not in it.
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Old June 27th, 2012, 11:10 AM
Barkingdog Barkingdog is offline
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Originally Posted by Budgie-mom View Post
Yes, I think that's probably best too - she's not lonely when we're working anyway, having the birds and the radio is always on low when we're not home. Plus she's not a cuddler, at best she'll lay between us on the couch for 15 minutes at a time in the evening, and only sleeps on the bed when we're not in it.
Yeah it sounds like Budgie has everything she need , a good home , food , a nice bed to sleep on and great owners!
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Old June 27th, 2012, 04:08 PM
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She's certainly a Princess gets her breakfast before we make coffee; has a blanket on the easy-chair (I was going to throw it out because of the colour, but she adopted it before I had a chance to get it out the door, so I put it on "her" chair to keep the shedding hair off!); gets the Temptations before we go to sleep ...and right now she's watching "Mayday", for some reason it's fascinating her. Maybe it's the sound of the engines?

She's also keeping an eye on "daddy". Though I was the one who wanted a cat, he's the one she's adopted, lol. Typical.
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Old July 7th, 2012, 07:31 AM
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Princess and SPooky ... oh yeah!

UPDATE

Well, the foster thing didn't happen

A colleague told me last Thursday as I was almost ready to go home, that she had fed a stray/lost kitten teh night before and that this little thing had been hanging around her down-town neighbourhood, scrounging for leftovers for over a week, getting skinnier every day. Did someone want to save it?

Well ... DUH !!

I drove 30 minutes to her place, got this little black furball (well, skinny, slick-fured little thing) out of her back yard and into the car where she hid under the seat the next 30 minutes to my place (usually takes me 30 minutes from work to home).

Princess ... hissed and went to the bedroom, sulking.

A few days later, she supervised the new arrival from a chair under the kitchen table. Yesterday, they ate breakfast about a foot apart - Princess still hissing if Spooky (yeah, Joe thought that better than my choice (Eclipse) because she is so totally black) even looks her way

Spooky is being dewromed just in case. Not a feral cat at all, she walked calmly around the vacuum cleaner on Saturday.

My theory?

Someone got a kitten a couple of months ago, then school holidays come around and they have no more time for kitty. Out you go, hunt mice! She was found in the close vicinity of a mill. House trained, cuddly, purrs like mad as soon as we look at her ...

.. and Joe fell in love with her too the guy who didn't really want a cat to start with

Off to work ... one of those weekends

PS - photos will follow

Last edited by Budgie-mom; July 7th, 2012 at 07:32 AM. Reason: PS
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Old July 8th, 2012, 09:08 PM
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Sorry, wanted to post a couple of pics of Spooky and Princess, but though I've already posted pics of Princess I can't see how to do so again ...
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