Feb 2010
In late summer of 2009 I lost my beloved cat, Ziti due to kidney failure.
Weeks went by and as I struggled to deal with my loss and loneliness, I saw a poster in the local grocery store advertising a Cat Adoption Open House at the MCHS shelter. I wasn't sure how I felt about adopting a cat so soon, but thought I could at least go take a look.
When I walked in, I was almost overwhelmed seeing all the cats waiting for homes. I visited with a few cats but didn't really feel a connection. As I looked around I noticed an orange tabby named Gardenia who was making quite a fuss. I tried to ignore him, but finally requested a visit with him. The minute they put him in my lap he curled right up and started purring. I filled out the application to adopt him a couple days later.
From the minute we brought Reggie, as we now call him, home, he acted like he'd been here forever.
He can be quite a handful at times, in fact, I tell people that I have adopted a 10lb kitten, but he is a very sweet, affectionate cat and I'm looking forward to many happy years together.
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Anyone looking for a pet should go to the MCHS animal shelter, I'm very glad I did.
Thank you!
Angela A.
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Merlin |
Mocha and Candy |
November 2009
I was so upset recently after reading a recent MSNBC story about an overwhelmed shelter in Indiana having to lose many, many animals that I thought I would post my happy ending -- actually, it was because of the stories of the overwhelmed shelters due to the economic downturn last year that finally got me off my butt last year to adopt cats two and three, and it has turned out to be one of the best things I ever did.
After the still very painful loss of my first cat, I adopted my then 3-year old Merlin years ago -- it was too soon because I was still grieving -- but as things would have it, he had gone through a bad time re an evicted owner and while pleasant was kind of aloof, too. It was as though we were both two wounded souls who slowly, slowly, healed together and grew closer, and to this day is the sweetest, most cuddly big male teddy bear of a kitty.
Time passed and I was able to move from an apartment to my own home -- Merlin would stay in my bed all the time for a few days, I don't think he had ever seen stairs before! Now he enjoys the house, and with all the news stories last year, I began to think it was time to make room for another kitty (I love animals and like having them around, but my first cat hated other cats.)
I try to avoid young kittens as I know there are so many wonderful adult animals out there, plus while cute, young kittens are a lot of work, and I wish many people would think more about the advantages of adopting an older/adult animal! Cruising the Internet I found my way to MCHS website and was immediately taken with several kitties, one of which was 2-year old Mocha.
I can't say enough good things about the MCHS and the foster system, which gives prospective owners time with the animals, a support system, and helps get some idea of the animal's personality -- and I was nervous because who knew how Merlin would react to another cat? Well, I tried to follow all the Humane Society advice online, keeping the animals separated, trying to do things slowly. But, as it turned out, the two rapidly started playing "pawsies" under the door -- I never knew Merlin was lonely, of all things. At the first face-to-face meeting, Mocha sat and stared at Merlin a few minutes, and then threw herself on him and they started rolling around playing -- and that was that, a big love fest. Mocha has turned out to be especially clever and it is so funny to look up and see her peering down at you from a closet shelf, or out of a laundry basket.
So in the fall of the same year, with all the animals needing homes -- plus, Merlin is a lot older than Mocha and I didn't want her to be alone one day -- I decided to try again, but as I read that the younger and smaller the cat, the less it is perceived as a threat, I decided to look for a half-grown kitten, 6-9 months.
Thanks to the MCHS website I found Candy, who was this tiny, beautiful, lively 6 month old. Her "integration" was a lot more work, because she was small and was kept carefully separated, and then slowly, slowly introduced to the other two cats. Mocha (having become house queen) took one look through a cracked door and hissed! But I followed all the suggestions, feeding them at the same time (but at a distance), playing with them together, and supervising them until everyone adjusted.
In the end, Candy has been a Godsend. She is a year and half old now and has become a beautiful, playful, adult, who gets the other two (who were just too comfortable and doing the couch potato thing) playing and moving, which is particularly good for the now 11-year old Merlin. They snuggle and groom each other, and all of them have funny little habits: Candy loves running water, for instance, and just loves to drink from the bathroom faucets. I can't imagine not having my "guys" around, and my life is far, far better for them being there.
To anyone thinking of adopting, it's not all perfection -- for instance, a urinary tract infection was discovered in Mocha (cured), since Candy was a kitten she had a different diet for a while, and I worked very hard to try to choose animals that would adjust well together, but there was no guarantee things would work out as well as they have. So read and research, check your budget and life style, and work with the shelters to choose the right animal for you. Reach out for help to vets, the shelter folks, other pet owners if you get confused or have a problem you don't know how to deal with. And for sure, please adopt from a shelter if you are looking for a pet, I can't imagine getting a pet from anywhere else even if I have to put a little more time and effort into it - many thanks to the wonderful system at MCHS.
Sheri P. |
November 2009
To say I had been, for the past few years, casually looking online for a dog would be an understatement. I knew the timing for when to take on the responsibility of a dog would never be perfect, but in the middle of October I came across Priya (shelter name Oreo) on the MC Humane Society web site. In her profile picture she had the most pitiful looking posture and facial expression I'd ever seen! My husband, hesitant to get a pet but always wanting to make me happy agreed to go to the shelter to see Priya. It took more than a week for our first
visit with Priya to occur since she had shown fear aggression upon arriving at the shelter. Dressed in our raincoats, my husband and I signed a bite release (apparently a rarely used form ... just my luck) and visited with her outside on a Saturday morning. My heart just melted. She hated the rain and huddled close to me as I knelt over her to protect her from the raindrops and petted her. By the end of our visit she was jumping up on my husband and I for more pets. As we handed the leash back to a shelter volunteer I had tears in my eyes because I wanted so badly to take her home but just knew it would be hard to convince my husband .... or so I thought. "I guess we better go fill out the paperwork," he said as soon as we stepped back inside.
We have now had Priya at home with us for three weeks and from the moment she jumped into our car she's shown us nothing but love, giving us kisses, taking naps on us and eagerly learning tricks. Knowing she was leaving the shelter and going to a loving home completely transformed her body language and behavior.
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While she's still fearful of strangers we have no doubt that with patience and lots of positive reinforcement training she'll become more confident and comfortable with new people. I highly recommend the Montgomery County Humane Society for those searching for a pet!
Sincerely, Jennifer W. |
