Mister Cat is here to stay.
Mister Cat is getting a full blog post because this is his forever home and I want to be sure everyone has met him.
Vintage patio chairs are here, I got the replacement cushions here.
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When he first showed up, he was scratched and dirty… you can see photos of him here in this post.
At the time, I wrote:
As soon as he sees me, he RUNS to me calling– hello! hello! 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 winter.
Did he decide he wanted an inside home?
He did.
My people.
He is the BEST.
He is a true companion.
He is an excellent communicator.
I am his person.
He loves shoes and catnip.
His paws are ginormous.
His purr is a rusty old motor.
Genetically, I believe he is part bear.
He is the MOST handsome man.
He HATES the garbage truck.
He LOVES petting.
Sometimes he likes to get feisty with a string or stick.
He prefers his catnip on a towel.
volume UP to hear him purring.
I feel so lucky that he came to ME.
So many strays do not have a cat lady to care for them… they brave freezing weather, lack of food, and very short and hard lives.
Unwanted cats STRUGGLE to survive.
PLEASE make sure your animals are spayed and neutered.
Get involved with TNR programs!
Trap. Neuter. Return.
Did you know that nearly 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… shelters are unable to meet the demand for caring for all these baby animals.
We can make a difference! ESPECIALLY if you are already feeding stray cats! You are halfway there! Getting them fixed stops the cycle.
I already wrote a post about how you can help your local shelter… Fostering is great because it allows your shelter to have more space and resources to help more animals… BUT there are also LOTS of ways you can help without even having animals in your home.
REDUCING stray cat populations also REDUCES cats in shelters; which in turn gives the cats-already-there a better chance at adoption.
To me, entering the shelter system is the very worst thing that can happen to an animal– ESPECIALLY cats… the dogs get out for a walk AND are given cages with access to fresh air and sunlight.
The cats at the shelter I foster through are caged in TINY spaces in a room with ZERO WINDOWS. My sweet man Webster waited in one of these cages for nearly a year.
This is UNACCEPTABLE.
If you are unfamiliar with TNR, Alley Cat Allies is a great resource.
wait for it… he is SUCH a character.
What I’m reading: SLOW DEATH BY RUBBER DUCK.
People.
ERRRMAHGAWD.
Read this book.
Chemical companies say to humans: PAY MONEY, to make your home a TOXIC WASTELAND
Rather than this ENRAGING humans, we do as the advertising instructs– we buy dryer sheets, glade, febreeze… how else will the corporate lobbyists get paid?
Yes. DRYER SHEETS ARE TOXIC… I already wrote a screed against fragrances and their toxicity, it’s the second half of this post, I LINK TO SCIENCE.
I’m banging the gong again because NONE OF THIS IS FINE.
Why do we AGREE to this bizarre equation? Why do we agree to sacrifice the wellbeing of ourselves and our families? WHY?
That is not a rhetorical question… I truly fail to understand WHY humans do not say– NOPE. GET OUT.
This makes SO MUCH no sense to me. If someone can explain, I would genuinely appreciate it because it MAKES ME INSANE.
ps– I know I owe you a kitten update… they have had issues that have melted my brain, but just in the last two days, things are FINALLY improving… I’ll tell you more soon!
pps– whoever recommended the Cat Dancer toy… THANK YOU!!! These babies were scared of every single thing I tried to show them/play with them… this was the thing that finally got their attention enough that they forgot about being too scared to play with me! they LOVE it! I am using it every day and their interest has not diminished!
June 20, 2019 @ 12:17 pm
Oh he reminds me so much of my man Sherman, with his chubby cheeky. Sherman keeps up a constant stream of murps and meows while he’s following me around. I’m glad such a sweet companion found you!
June 20, 2019 @ 12:25 pm
He’s such a handsome boy, and you are so sweet to take care of him.
June 20, 2019 @ 12:26 pm
OMG, he is scrumptious! He knew exactly what he was doing when he wandered your way.
June 20, 2019 @ 12:29 pm
I forgot to mention that I LOVE your vintage patio chairs, and I’m continuously amazed that you are always able to find such wonderful treasures. Do you search mostly on Craig’s List, or do you visit local tag sales? Thanks Victoria.
June 20, 2019 @ 12:31 pm
So happy to read this post. He’s a love. And glad the kittens are improving.
June 20, 2019 @ 12:34 pm
This past March I adopted a 4-1/2 year old brown tabby through Pet Supermarket, which features cats from our local Humane Society. She had been there for 16 months. She is a real sweetheart, loves to be brushed, talks a lot, & is a lap cat. I had lost my previous cat at 15-1/2 years last October. Life is much sweeter with a cat! 😸😸😸
June 20, 2019 @ 12:41 pm
What a gorgegous, happy kitty – thank you for rescuing him!!! I could listen to that purr for hours….
June 20, 2019 @ 12:41 pm
He is lovely! One question; how do you keep your kitties from clawing up your beautiful upholstery, fabrics and woodwork? I will not de-claw, I feel it is horribly cruel. My kitties had tons of cat scratching objects, but sofa, upholstered chair and door frame remained their favorite scratching spots.
June 20, 2019 @ 12:59 pm
First, THANK YOU for saying how horrible it is to declaw… for anyone reading who is unaware, it is NOT “just” claw-removal… they take off the entire first joint of the paw which can cause all kinds of pain, especially later in life.
Now, scratching! my fosters (especially the adults) LOVE the corrugated cardboard scratch pads… https://amzn.to/2WWY78G they make “holders” for them (to make them upright) but I just buy the refills and put them right on the floor… I buy the big/wide ones and they sit on one end and go to town on the other.
They last a long time and just flip when one side gets shredded… PLUS you can put it right next to whatever they normally scratch. I have not had one foster who preferred furniture. BUT habits are hard to break, so maybe try sprinkling some catnip on the scratcher if your kitties remain unconvinced?
June 20, 2019 @ 7:38 pm
Sigh, I have all sorts of posts, sideways, tall, laying on the floor, cardboard, sissal, etc. with catnip sprinkles which Boo uses but STILL loves to also destroy carpets, door frames and two upholstered chairs. It’s very lucky for him that I love him a lot and I know if he had gone to the wrong household, he would have been declawed. He is the sweetest, loveliest boy but he has the devil gene about scratching and I’ve had him since he was a kitten. Love your posts!
June 20, 2019 @ 12:41 pm
Dis is wonderful! Is sweet man Webster still with you (and his kittons)? Please say yes!
June 20, 2019 @ 12:44 pm
I love his “toupeé”. His actions are almost dog-like and that makes for a wonderful companion. Thank you for giving him his furever home.
June 20, 2019 @ 12:48 pm
You and your Old Man Cat were meant to be! Thanks for being you and never holding back on important things we all need to know about.
June 20, 2019 @ 12:59 pm
First, THANK YOU for saying how horrible it is to declaw… for anyone reading who is unaware, it is NOT “just” claw-removal… they take off the entire first joint of the paw which can cause all kinds of pain, especially later in life.
Now, scratching! my fosters (especially the adults) LOVE the corrugated cardboard scratch pads… https://amzn.to/2WWY78G they make “holders” for them (to make them upright) but I just buy the refills and put them right on the floor… I buy the big/wide ones and they sit on one end and go to town on the other.
They last a long time and just flip when one side gets shredded… PLUS you can put it right next to whatever they normally scratch. I have not had one foster who preferred furniture. BUT habits are hard to break, so maybe try sprinkling some catnip on the scratcher if your kitties remain unconvinced?
July 29, 2019 @ 9:37 am
Hi,
This is late, but Mister Cat reminds me of a stray we adopted. Usually when an intact male cat showed up and we fed him often enough to be able to trap him, once we had him neutered, WE NEVER SAW HIM AGAIN!
This one stuck around, but he’d hiss at us so we nicknamed him the mean cat. One day he just ran up the steps to our kitchen, and that was it, he was our cat! He was a wonderful cat, playing with kittens we’d take in, never peeing in the house, and he was loving. Except for climbing up the screens and bending them so that they’d slowly buckle and he’d ride them to freedom, he was great. He must have gone through 8 screens until we figured how to stop him from climbing up. Anyway, thank you for all you do for cats. I live in S. FL and could not live where it gets cold and I’d be worrying about cats outside.
By the way, logs make excellent scratching items. We look for long enough ones so that the cats can really stretch out; they need to lie flat and be stable, and if yo find one like that, your cats will remove the bark (it’s a bit messy, but they love it so).
June 20, 2019 @ 1:03 pm
SO happy you have another forever cat! I love that he chose you. Would you post an update on Webster? Last I heard there was friction between him and the other cat in the household. I fell in love with Webster and want him to be perfectly happy!
June 20, 2019 @ 1:13 pm
I love Mr Cat! So happy you found each other!!
June 20, 2019 @ 1:24 pm
Mr. Cat is adorable! And so lucky you two found each other!
June 20, 2019 @ 2:56 pm
So, what was it about Mr. Cat that made him a keeper, over all of the others who have crossed your pathway?
June 20, 2019 @ 3:34 pm
He is wearing a little hat like they put on horses in fly season. It only covers the ears. Very endearing. We lost our cat of 24 years last year. I am still working on the Boss to see if this family of six people can get a cat.
June 20, 2019 @ 4:04 pm
He looks like a VERY happy cat. I noticed his paws right away–so big and soft! I’m so glad he found you. And I’m so impressed with your work for all the cats. Kudos.
June 20, 2019 @ 4:49 pm
He looks so happy! I am a big supporter of TNR. I had TEN cats who were hanging out at my house – 2 litters from one mama – TNRd. I still have 2 of them (some took off, some went to neighbors, etc. and 2 stayed here). They still do live outside at my house – one would come in, but one freaks out, and I can’t separate them – but they have a heated house, all the food they can want, and a summer “cottage” on the cushioned bottom shelf of my potting bench, covered and out of the weather. We have a local non-profit that works tirelessly to TNR, foster and adopt out kittens and cats. I know they make a huge difference!
June 20, 2019 @ 4:58 pm
Have you heard of the working cat programs? They adopt out cats that can’t be placed in traditional indoor homes (due to behavioral issues) to live in yards, garages, barns, and such to help with rodent control. I just adopted my first one about a week ago, and convinced my neighbor to do the same. They would certainly have been euthanized otherwise.