Now it’s not one hundred percent official, but it’s purty damn close. And despite everyone downing at least three Vicodin and Xanax shakes a day. And don’t forget the electricity has lost its marbles. I mean, all the important things like the computer, tv, and fridge are working, but everything else is having serious problems. When you turn the oven on, the overhead lights in the living room come on and when you turn on the dryer, the washer comes on. All I can say is: We’re talented.
So despite the chaos and unwanted guest, I’m happy and here’s why.
This darling boy is Patches. I always check the AFRP site for new kitties or to see if anyone was adopted. It was two days before the six month anniversary of Allie’s passing. I was scrolling down the page and happened on a lil tuxedo cat with green eyes and a pink nose with a freckle on it (just like Al had). In the picture he was huddled up in his lil bed, looking frightened and here’s why:
This darling, sweet and precious lil guy was trapped (along with his other ten brothers and sisters) inna flooded house in New Orleans for 3 weeks after hurricane Katrina. He had to perch high on a bookshelf to stay dry. Because of the filthy and decayed water, the house became overrun with nasty and life threatening mold. The house was a disaster and completely uninhabitable.
The Best Friends Network, an organization out of Utah with a 30,000 acre sanctuary for rescued animals, sent their troops down to the ravaged South and worked with the local SPCA to rescue animals, set up temporary shelters and attempt to reunite the pets with their owners. But Patches family wasn’t sure when their home would become habitable and thus had no way of caring for their cats. So they tearfully handed them over to the rescue organization. Best Friends works with many rescue organizations across the country and the pets like Patches were sent to different locations to find new homes.
Well after his ordeal and a 3 ½ day trip to Pacific Grove, poor lil Patches was severely traumatized. His Foster Mom said he had been shutdown in fear for the first week. The second week he gradually started to trust and eat a lil food.
Now I’ve been looking at cats ever since Allie passed away, and of course I was always interested in them, but I wasn’t sure if it was the right time. Also, although she humored me, Mother did not want another cat. But that night I sat her down at my computer and showed her Patches, and she started to cry. The next day she kept bugging me to call Patches foster home and get our name in the pot so noone else would get him.
Ah ha! I do believe this is the one.
We went to visit him and he was, not surprisingly, a bit skittish and weary of new folk. He allowed us to pet him, but it was obvious he was still afraid. So I backed away and just talked to him, and there were a few moments in our conversation where he relaxed and slowly blinked his eyes at me; I saw this as a sign.
Tuesday we went to visit him again and he was acting much more relaxed. We feed him a lil wet food as this seems to be the trick to him. While he was eating he allowed me to pet him, then we chatted some more. When I went to leave he watched me all the way out to the door.
Next week we’re getting a new roof put on the house, and felt we should wait to bring him home until the roof is fixed; didn’t want all that hammering and banging to spook him.
But I feel really good about it. He’s used to being around other cats and I’m hoping Molly takes to him. She’s just the sweetest cat and has a very nurturing nature. I’m just hoping she’ll sense he’s just a sweet sensitive boy like our Allie was, and she’ll try to take care of him.
