I've had several people comment on my critters who appeared in a July journal entry, so I thought I'd tell you a bit about both of them as they are both rescues. I lost my first pet on Sept. 15, 2006. (Apparently spiders, grasshoppers, lightning bugs, worms, tadpoles and minnows don't count. Nor does a brother<figure class="standalone-image" style="display:block;"><img src="/sites/all/modules/tinymce/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" border="0" /><figcaption class="caption" style="display:block">Laughing</figcaption>
)
Sprocket, so named because as a kitten she was always getting black on her little nose from rubbing on the big chain ring on my mountain bike, was 17, and while she had had a very full life, she had become quite ill. So, I said good-bye to my friend on that dreary Friday morning and immediately realized that it was unrealistic to wait until retirement to get another pet but decided to go with two adults. As anyone who has a pet knows, their presence in your home is such a blessing and a comfort. They're wonderful companions who see us through everything-good, bad, ugly and everything in between.
I discovered Tori at Petfinders.com, and sent out an inquiry. Her Paws of Gold foster mom and I began communicating, but I already knew that I wanted to adopt her. Tori is a ragdoll, and yes, she was abandoned at a high kill shelter in Lancaster, PA. Her owners had gotten her from a large cattery in the Lancaster area when she was three or four but decided that they couldn't take her when they moved. Somehow, they were able to take their other cats with them though.
I drove to Scranton, PA to pick her up three years ago this Columbus Day weekend. She's clearly not had a very good life and is still skittish, even after three years. Lord knows how she was treated or what was done to her. She has plenty of quirks, but that's OK. So do I...though maybe not as many.
...is not daydreaming about Antarctica!
In the meantime, I'd also discovered a small animal haven about 45 minutes away-Paradise Garden Animal Haven (http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NY636.html). And there...behind door #1 was Rafael. (They had named him Quinn as in the "Mighty Quinn". I renamed him Rafael after Rafael Nadal, my favorite tennis player.)
Rafael had been a stray on the streets of Corning, and when Lynn rescued him, she found that he'd been bitten by an unknown animal on one of his back legs. Because they couldn't determine what had bitten him, the Health Department told Lynn that he had to be quarantined for six MONTHS! She opted to do that instead of having him euthanized, and I think it's a safe bet that most other places would've had him euthanized rather than take up space quarantining him. But, as she said then, "He was a perfectly fine cat", and she was hoping for the best, not knowing what six months of quarantine would do to him. I'm glad she rolled the dice.
When I saw him and heard his story, I decided that he was coming home as soon as he could be sprung from kitty prison. That's the special ed. teacher in me; I'm all about the underdog....or cat as it were. So, Rafael came home that Thanksgiving morning.
...but not about Antarctica!
While they still have their moment...he's all boy and solid, and she's all fluff and very much a lady...they have bonded to one another and have worked out most of their issues. He still plays WAY too roughly, and she still gets rather perturbed with him. But, I'd feel the same way if some 240 lb. guy decided that it would be fun to chase, tackle and pin me down, so I understand why she gets bent out of shape. He, unfortunately, does not get it...still...LOL! Typical irritating little brother!
Innocent
And, now you know "the rest of the story"!
Rafael and Tori enjoy an afternoon resting together