“Somebody to love
Two neutered male cats, about 7 years old. Both loving, well-tempered, and litter-box compliant (no spraying). Feral rescues as kittens, they are probably half-siblings. They have lived together their whole lives, and I’d like to place them together. They previously lived with a small dog, other cats, and toddlers, and have been mostly indoor cats. They have their claws.
They were raised with a big bowl of kibble handy. You will be informed if they can see the bottom of the bowl (even if they’ve just eaten a hole in a full bowl!). I feed them a quarter-can each of wet food in the evenings.
Golden-eyed gray and white Chaplin (aka “Cowboy”) is about 13 pounds, likes high places, claiming hidey holes, and watching squirrels. He is inquisitive, laid back, likes to know where you are but doesn’t need you. You should be there when he wants you, though.
Black and white Loosefur is both less outgoing and more affectionate at a sleek 11 pounds. He’ll find a corner to hang out in while you work, or hang all over you when you slow down. (Books were obviously made to be cat beds. What’s your problem?) His green eyes really reflect one aspect of his personality – he loves to be the center of your attention.
I recently discovered that my beloved boys are a cause of severe respiratory distress. Medication (for me) and vigorous grooming (for them) haven’t alleviated the problem. (Both have an especially plush undercoat that wonderful to pet but a wellspring of dander.) I can’t tell you how it grieves me to give up my guys, but it’s crucial that I get them another home.
They come with three litter boxes, two carriers, the big kibble bowl, plenty of dinner bowls, a large scratching post and as many cat toys as I can dig out from under the furniture
They haven’t travelled much but I’m willing to go up to a half-day drive from the Cleveland, Ohio area. Chaplin and Loosefur will enrich your lives, amuse you, and give back your love tripled. So if you have a stable home with a minimum of other pets, and have some kitteh-love to share, please email me!”
CJ’s NOTE: I will put you in touch: just let me know if you can help.
MediaWest*Con in Lansing, Michigan has volunteered to echo this on their website, to help get the word out.
I’ve sent it off to my sister in Medina Oh. Her birthday horoscope said to expect additions… They only have one cat so far 🙂
Who can argue with a horoscope like that, Pholy?
We had a horrendous scare tonight: our dear Emily disappeared. After multiple exhaustive searches of the house & garage beginning at 5:30 this morning, we finally decided tonight that Emily had escaped out the front door last night. After searching the house again, and combing the neighborhood tonight and bordering woods, we truly feared she was lost to us forever, as The Prodigal Cat had been last seen 22 hours ago.
When making one last search of the basement I suddenly heard several of Emily’s distinctive soft trills. I thought I was halluncinating — but wihin seconds discovered her sitting on top of a box, primly observing our frantic search.
We suspect Emily crawled into the box (she has a thing for them) during the night, listened to us search for her this morning, came out to eat while we were at work — then crawled back in and listened to us again search frantically for her tonight. Like Jane’s dear Efanor, Emily loves a good game.
All is forgiven however. The Prodigal Cat is restored to us, and there is much rejoicing in our household!
Oh, my. What a fright. That reminds me of when I lost our taller short person, when she was nearly three. In the middle of the night I went to check on her, and she wasn’t in her bed. I looked every where for her, then got the spouse up who also looked everywhere. Nowhere, nowhere to be found, yet all the doors were locked – finally I looked in the guestroom where my father and stepmother were sleeping, and there she was. She had gotten up and wandered into their room and climbed into bed with them. Whew.
@OSG – Glad to hear your Emily decided to uncloak herself; stealth cats can be very worrying.
Apparently my sister’s horoscope is referring to unplanned involuntary additions – I got back an email that started “Oh NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!! argghhhh! ” She has forwarded my email to “a notorious catlover, who sets out 7 cat food dishes inside her house, AND feeds innumerable feral cats outside as well…” – perhaps we will hear back from that.
Thank you so much for boosting the signal!!!!!
@pholy-ji: If your sister reconsiders, I would be happy to have her come meet Loosefur and Chaplin in their current comfortable and stress-free castle. I’m not sure I would want to add them to her friend’s house – they are definitely used to attention.
@Ker Kokipy – We used to travel a lot when we were kids. Once we left the middle sister, 7 or so, at a gas station after a ‘rest break’. We were a good half hour down the road before we realized she was missing, and my dad broke the land-speed record getting back! Whew is right!
“Likes to know where you are but doesn’t need you. You should be there when he wants you, though.”
Sounds like a fair description of a certain type of catness to me.
Best Wishes for Chaplin and Loosefur. They sound like great cats and good companions, sociable and civilized.
There must be something in the air for cat-kind.
My two have been their usual selves, and highly entertained and trying to “help” me clean up. Ben is picking up and straightening up? We need to paw through things too! A box? Clearly for us to play in! Oh, isn’t it cute how our human is cleaning house? My, it is starting to look cleaner and more orderly. We’re cats, we like clean and orderly. This is great fun, how nice of him to keep us interested at this novel behavior.
My Grandmother’s cat is top cat of the neighborhood, quite jealous of food and attention, and a bully towards other cats. This is greatly offset in that, ever since he arrived on her doorstep, with a collar so tight we think he grew in it over weeks or months of kitten hood, he adopted her as his person and appointed himself as her guard-cat, loyal to a fault, even when she has aggravated him beyond tolerance. (in this, I side with him; she does not realize she’s going beyond his limits, and it’s only natural that, if pushed too far, he would nip or hiss — I would too, if someone bothered my tail…that is, if I had a tail.)
Tonight is one of those rare nights he isn’t home, and hasn’t seen her neighbor, whom he loves too, and who has many cats. Many. — we last saw him last night, so I’m not worried quite yet. If he doesn’t show up tonight or during he night or morning before I leave, then I’ll worry. All her neighbors know her and know her cat is hers. Chances are, he’s just out late. Grandmother, however, is worried. I have faith in resourceful and canny Flash. He knows exactly who and where home is, and he is very fond of his food bowl being full.
Her neighbor has two of her own cats who are getting out and hiding regularly in a third neighbor’s garage, which irritates the neighbor’s adult grandson, who is a new, unknown quantity. This prompted a discussion tonight, me saying we can board the two escape artists if need be for their safety, if she can catch them (ferals). She saying she doesn’t think she can get them in a carrier, could be so. Then saying that if she could find a home for another cat in her house, she thinks the wayward two would stay. But I have two, look after my Grandmother’s one, and the cat who needs a new home sprays. He’s neutered, has his shots, likes to tease the little cat, who is too timid to give it back to him, and otherwise he is a fine, friendly cat who loves to explore. Thus, dubbed Magellan. Large-ish, longer hair, possibly part Maine Coon cat, and I think less than five. –so, there is much feline family drama there, and I said I would let friends know, and would think about how to resolve the situation to satisfaction. Oh, the two wayward cats: both litter mates from a feral mama cat, who is there with the other two (three?) litter mates. These siblings are now between there and four, I think, going back to a winter birth inside a Home Depot’s open spaces. One is male, tabby, neutered, shots, and is affectionately, “Tuffy.” the other is a little sister, tiny, exceptionally timid, thus, “Sissy.” I expect she will stay with the neighbor, if she can ever get her back in. My understanding is that Sissy is even skittish of the neighbor. I think if the kitty could get an exceptionally loving and understanding home, in which she could be the center for someone with a huge heart, the little cat might, might blossom. I’ve never caught sight of the kitty, who sounds exceptionally sweet and needy, and I’m one most cats and dogs warm up to easily. (Yes, of course I love animals.)
Lo, the prodigal hath returned, and there was much rejoicing. I went out and called for him, front and back, and after I went back in and was getting ready for bed, “Meow! I’m home! Glad to see ya. Didja miss me? Great, you’re a neat guy, for a human.” he has manners. He says hello with a proper greeting before asking for supper. He tanked up, stayed a bit, and has headed out. He will likely be in and out overnight, and I’ll probably see him and feed him before I leave in the morning. All’s right with his world, and so all’s as right as it can be with ours.
Thalia, a feral cat who had been living in my backyard since 1994, died in her sleep last night. I had trapped her & her 2 sisters, had them spayed and vaccinated, but she never warmed up to humans. When I returned to California this March after being away for 8 years, both her sisters had died, but she was still there. And, she seemed to recognize me – the first morning I was trying to sleep in but she knocked on the back door at 6 a.m. to be fed. I had told my tenants to expect this behavior, but they said she never did when they were here. She knew she had me trained. In the last few weeks she began approaching me, stropping my ankles and letting me pet her. Seeking comfort, I guess. She had a final meal of tuna…and passed away under my bedroom window – she had never slept there before. It’s amazing how empty the yard seems without her.
Oh, so sorry. But you made her happy.
I have a friend who just sent me an email from one of her friends whose mother is now in a nursing home and can’t have her cats with her. There are 17 of them that need to be placed in the Greater Dayton (OH) area. All are spayed, (and unfortunately declawed), but are very lovable. She said they can be split up however it needs to be. She didn’t say how they interact with other cats or with other pets, not to mention children.
Well, if there are 17 of them, they are probably pretty socialized. I think re children, it probably depends on the child. What a situation!
Our beloved white shepherd, Breezy, died peacefully in her sleep. At thirteen and a half she had a wonderful, healthy life. We think she decided in her doggy brain that her time had come. She is buried among the trees, between the pond and the pool. We are going to plant daffodils there. She always thought they were toys; we had a devil of a time keeping them from her. She will be missed.
I am so, so sorry Smartcat. Losing a family member is so very painful. May you find solace in the happy life you had together.
I am so sorry. But glad that she went so easily, and so happily. And how beautiful her resting place.
A place to always remember her. I have planted monuments for my critters, too. I can appreciate the memories every time I see the tree or shrub or flowers.
I’m glad she didn’t suffer, was in peace and went quietly. I know it’s hard on you, but it would have been much more so had she been in pain. A long happy life is what you gave her.
Sorry to hear about Breezy, SmartCat — a loss to all. Daffodils are a lovely idea: perhaps I will plant some on Mackie’s grave below my window too. I just received some bulbs and am also thinking of ordering more.
OSG: what a scare over Emily (Mackie slipped once: luckily I found him in about 8 heart-stopping minutes. 23 hours — oh my! Also, how is Kate doing? I’ve been thinking on her.
BerylKit: your yard will be sadder for a while too.
Raesan,
Emily’s disappearance earlier this week turned out to actually herald a critical illness. Labs on Thursday revealed a bone marrow abnormality, most likely a leukemia or something similar. Some things can’t be fixed, and this is one of them. We considered a blood transfusion for today but elected against it: we believe what would be short-term benefits only would not outweigh the stress and risks.
The appt. we had for Katie today, we canceled: not only did Kate rally 2 days ago, but the thought of saying goodbye to our two babies at the same time is unbearable (even though ultimately, we may not have a choice).
We are staying home with both Emily and Kate, and are concentrating on making the home they have always known serene and loving. Tears of course are being shed but quietly, to minimize upset to either one.
We are taking this hour by hour. Carolyn, Jane, and many others, including our vet office, have been extremely kind and understanding. Thank you for thinking about them.
Hugs all round to those brave enough to love critters we’re bound to outlive many times in our human-sized lives. We’ve had just too many four-footed goodbyes this year.
Oh no! This is a tough, tough time for so many of our cats and therefore us. Our Froggie Cat, brother to Mackie who died in mid-August after a long illness, is ill also. We brought him to the vet’s yesterday because of a persistent hack we thought a devilishly lodged hair-ball but x-rays showed instead an enlarged heart beating too fast (speed perhaps due to vet stress) and a skip (no excuse to cover that one). He had a very mild seizure last night (although over the phone the vet said it may just have been some cramped muscles) and partial blood work results in this morning show a bladder infection. He seems pretty comfortable but I don’t know what to expect and definitely worry that, with the heart details, he’s not here with us long either. The new kitten Mao Tse-Tung wants to play and pounce all over him. Froggie really isn’t happy being bothered right now.
My thoughts remain with you two and Emily and Kate: two at once seems so cruel of the universe. Pat them and love them while you can.
Oh, dear, OSG dear. I am so sorry to hear about Emily and Kate. Not bearable.
Thank you, everyone.
You have all my sympathies, OSG. I know how hard this is. {{{hugs}}}