Old Cat Lady.
An observation:
If I were to decide that my niche is OLD CATS… that would make me the OLD CAT LADY.
And perhaps, then finally, I might FULFILL MY DESTINY.
Conveniently, I already have the perfect outfit:
FANNY PACK
SHIRT WITH CATS
It’s like I was born ready.
I’ve taken (in succession, not simultaneously) four adult cats; two of whom were waiting at the shelter OVER SEVEN MONTHS.
Can you imagine sitting in a box, in a room with no windows, FOR SEVEN MONTHS?
WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
The three below GOT ADOPTED!!
(the fourth is hiding at my feet, under the desk as I type!)
It’s easy to overlook the adults at the shelter, in favor of ERMAGAWD SQEEE DA FWUFFY FWUFF PANTS… but the shelter is not overrun with munchkins (yet) AND my life is going through one of those all-you-can-eat-stress-buffets where you are just COUNTING THE WEEKS UNTIL IT CAN BE OVER.
So I gave my task-list a break and took some adults. And I have to say that fostering adult shelter cats is ZERO work, in comparison to the kittenmonsterbabiesofdeliciousness who somehow REQUIRE ALL OF YOUR BRAIN ATTENTION BECAUSE KITTENS.
We also had a new scruffy stray grey guy show up at our house; he is SO good-natured!
Considering his age and obvious/long/adult life as a tomcat, (adult, un-neutered males develop a distinctive head and thicker body), not to mention a face full of scars! I’m certain he is VERY USED to roaming; I assume we are close to whatever territory he lived in before he showed up here.
So I don’t think getting him adopted somewhere else is the best solution for HIM… and he has already settled right in with my other full-time porch-cat.
I got him fixed, but not his ear tipped, because as soon as he sees me, he RUNS to me calling– hello! hello! There is no doubt that he is definitely mine now! I have been inviting him in, and he will come in just to the doorway, so we will see if he wants to have an inside home by next winter.
Also for what it’s worth, our porch is not a horrible place to live! Here is the index of our porch renovation… or here is the finished/after.
Also, the staff here makes the porch cats shelters with heated mats that are heavy-duty design for use outside.
BUT! So MANY stray animals DON’T have an old cat lady’s porch to live on with heated mats!! They brave freezing weather, lack of food, and very short and hard lives… PLEASE HELP RAISE AWARENESS OF HOW IMPORTANT SPAY AND NEUTER IS!
On top of that, almost ALL of the kittens who are euthanized at shelters are born to the stray, feral, and other unfixed cats who live outside in our neighborhoods… TNR prevents the suffering of kittens born to a very hard life!!
If you love animals, please get involved with TNR programs!
Trap. Neuter. Return.
If there isn’t one near you, BE THE PERSON WHO STARTS ONE.
Don’t JUST be an animal lover!
Be an INVOLVED animal lover!
I just did these two boys!!
I caught BOTH of them in one cage! Had them fixed and their ears tipped and sent them back to their clan… who will keep me busy for the next however-long-to-catch-them-all.
Because AN OLD CAT LADY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE.
We’re like The Knights of the Round Table, but with pajama pants and oversized handbags.
❤🐾💕amo feles pavitant finguntque 🌱🐯🐒
April 9, 2018 @ 10:26 pm
Victoria – I know I have already told you that you are my hero and you are the main reason I fostered my first litter last fall and had a lovely “rip my heart out” day to show for it (3 times since no one took all three which is exactly what they should have done to spare me three days of TEARS). You gave me all the info I needed to take the big leap and appreciated so much the time you took but I never mentioned that the group I decided to work with was TNR!!! It is all they do. I have had a sweet girl in my house for 3 months now that I was asked to see if I could “turn” her because she was “on the fence” as far as being feral. They took her kittens and adopted them out and had her spayed and she was only a kitten herself. Without boring you with paragraphs of details – you need to know that this cat who would never let me come near her unless I was on the floor eye level with her NOW stares me down if I have a book in my lap because it is in her way and she cannot make herself comfortable in my lap with a book there!!! Took a very long time and more patience than most people might have but this cat is quite possibly a foster FAIL. I just want you to know that YOU make a difference and I cannot thank you enough for pushing me off that ledge!!
April 10, 2018 @ 7:55 am
I am ugly crying.
ALL THE LOVE.
April 9, 2018 @ 11:19 pm
Thank you!! You are making a difference-and entertaining your fans. 😸
April 10, 2018 @ 9:12 am
I’ve been able to resist the power of FLUFFYOMGTOOCUTECUDDLEMOSTERS and adopt adult cats. I live my kitten love through you and your fosters! We too have a feral that we call our “outside cat”. She just showed up in our horse barn one winter and we started leaving food out for her. After 3 years we still can’t get near her. We’ve made a little progress, she no longer runs away when she sees a person and we see her watching us from high perches in the hay barn.
April 10, 2018 @ 11:13 am
Speaking of cats….Freddy Mercury with is own version of the cat shirt. “Theses Are The Day’s Of Our Lives”
April 10, 2018 @ 12:36 pm
OMG! This made my day…the GREAT Freddie Mercury/cat lover!!
April 10, 2018 @ 11:35 am
I have been curious. When you foster a cat do you have to find homes for them by yourself? I think you have such a big heart to foster the cats that you do, but I don’t know how you give them up to others. There so many cats and dogs that need loving homes. God bless you for your big soft loving heart.
April 10, 2018 @ 8:14 pm
I love your dedication to the animals. I always adopt the older cats from the shelter because of the kitten energy that is difficult to deal with (but so cute). Since I can’t adopt all animals that are in need, I’ve taken to sponsoring various animals for adoption and donating to the medical care of treatment for some at various shelters who otherwise would be euthanized because of their condition.
April 10, 2018 @ 11:42 pm
You are wonderful and inspirational 💕
April 11, 2018 @ 12:36 pm
Unfortunately, our barn cats lose the battle to coyotes on a frequent basis. Other farmers in the area are in the same predicament. Our lone tomcat must wage battle on the rodent population all by himself. And he is an excellent mouser. He disappears from time to time to visit his girlfriends and hopefully create the next generation of mousers. Shelters won’t adopt if you are going to put them outside and even Barn Cat Rescue won’t adopt to me because I live on a busy road. I can either get replacements from other farmers or craigslist. I hope no one traps my boy, he needs to pass those hunting genes on to the next generation.
April 12, 2018 @ 12:51 pm
Not cat related question—how do you get those lovely curls in your hair?? Naturally or with curlers or an iron? I love them!
June 20, 2019 @ 1:05 pm
I am so glad,
I am sure Elvis approves. 💕
June 20, 2019 @ 1:23 pm
I love you, VEB. Bless you and the wonderful, enlightened cat work you do, and the fact that you say what needs to be said with no thought for popularity.