Leda and Katie

One thing I have learned this year is that, while for most people summer means relaxing, warm weather, and fun, at an animal shelter summer is a very difficult season. In the first place, summer means kitten season. This is the beginning of the craziness, as there are kittens practically hanging from the rafters. If that were the end of it, it wouldn't be so bad--busy, yes, but kittens are pretty easy to find homes for. Everybody loves kittens.

But that's not the end of it. Summer also brings an increase in the adult cats that come in. Strays are out and about more, and are brought in. People drop off the backyard momma cat that just had kittens (rather than bringing the kittens in, and spaying/releasing the mom). People move, and the animals are hung out to dry. People just decide they're now simply too busy for their pet. At the shelter we are surrounded by loving, lovable, playful, active, healthy adult cats who did nothing wrong, but ended up with the short end of the stick.

Too often, it's heartbreaking. Recently, a pair of lifelong pals was brought in, Stonie and Ashes, aged 8 and 10. Their humans got divorced and neither wanted to keep them. They were both wonderful cats, healthy and affectionate. Then one morning, without warning, Stonie passed away in the cage that they shared. He was only eight years old, and in good health. He just didn't wake up. We can't prove it, but we really think Stonie died of a broken heart. And now Ashes is left at the shelter, having lost first her home and now her brother.

Every now and then, though, someone walks through the door and magic happens, and it gives you the heart and courage to keep working through the sadness.

The same day that we learned about Stonie, we also learned about Katie. She had been adopted previously but was returned to the shelter because she had been found to be diabetic. The shelter doesn't have the resources to care for a diabetic cat, so there were only 48 hours to find Katie a home before her sugar levels would reach a point that she would need to be put to sleep. It was quite a blow to volunteers who were already reeling from the news about Stonie, and the overall stress of the summer months.

Miraculously, it happened. A couple who already owned another diabetic cat and a three-legged dog saw a post that a volunteer had put on Craigslist. The next day they drove over an hour to come to Pittsburgh and pick Katie up, with vet appointments already lined up to get her the help that she needs. Absolutely breathtaking. I know more than one volunteer shed tears of joy and relief when we found out that Katie had been saved.

(Unfortunately, since then we have learned that we have another diabetic cat, Winston. His case is not quite as urgent, but his time at the shelter is limited unless we can find him a home.)

And, on a more personal level, I posted a while ago about Leda, who was passed up by adopter after adopter unable to recognize how loving she was because she was just so scared. I'm happy to say that on Monday Leda found a home. A woman had seen her at the store a few days earlier, and specifically wanted to adopt an older cat. The woman thought about it for a few days and came back to see her. I explained how Leda was so affectionate through the cage door, but she would be scared to come out, and very scared when she first went home. The woman understood, and was touched by poor Leda's shyness. Happily, she decided to give Leda a safe and loving home. We exchanged emails, and I am hoping to hear how Leda comes along. I don't have the satisfaction of showing Leda myself that she has nothing to fear anymore, but at least someone will.

Batting .999 Is Disappointing

Yesterday I found out for the first time that one of my adoptions at PetCo turned out badly. Dewey, an adult male cat I adopted out, was returned to the shelter because the owner thought he cried too much and wanted too much attention. I didn't see the surrender questionnaire, but another volunteer at the shelter said it sounded like the guy just didn't realize that an animal needs attention.

Every adoption counselor there has stories of adoptions they did that didn't end well, and everyone knows that you can't catch everything, you can't foresee every problem. But still, I can't help but find myself straining to remember all the details about the adoption...were there warning signs I ignored? Did I not talk to the guy enough, get a good enough feel for his personality and what he thought having a pet entailed?

I know it's certainly not a worst-case scenario. Dewey is fine...it sounds like he was lonely for a little while at the guy's house, but he wasn't hurt, wasn't abused. But, you go through these adoptions and want so badly for each one to work out. You want each home you send them to to be a good one. In your mind, you know that it's just not possible to bat a thousand, but it's a pretty big bummer the first time you have irrefutable evidence that you're not.

Leda

I haven't posted in a while...no, it's not because I've been in mourning over the Pens. Honestly, any post-season where the boys manhandle the team that killed them last year, the Rangers, AND the Flyers...well, that's a fabulous post-season in my book.

I've run up against my first truly personally-heart-string-pulling case at PetCo this week, Leda. This poor girl was surrendered by people who had her for four years, "Because they had a baby." Not that she didn't like the baby, or was mean to it, or started peeing everywhere because of it, just that they had one. The sad part is that when they gave her up, they knew she was a shy cat, prone to being scared. Well, this poor girl has been absolutely terrified from day one with us. She doesn't have an ounce of mean in her, but she has plenty of scared.

She's starting to relax a little--when her cage door is closed and the store is quiet, she comes up to the door for all the loving you can give. But as soon as you open the door or try to pick her up, she panics. It's killing me. I wish there was some magic wand I could waive to let her know that she's safe...whatever she may have gone through to make her this way, she's safe now. Of all the great cats I've met in the few months I've worked there, this is the first one that has really made me wish I could take someone home. From day one when I picked her up and she let me trim her claws even though she was shaking like a leaf, she had me good. If there was any way humanly possible for me to get another cat, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but it's just out of the realm of possibility right now.

Sigh.

So...if anyone out there knows of someone who is kind and patient and would love to give this poor, terrified sweetheart a place where she will be safe and loved, send them this way!

The Amazing People I Know

I took LT home last week to DC. We're doing a decent job of things, but she is having a really tough go of it with her family in some respects. It's hard on me, and I'm not even the one who has to have the difficult and hurtful conversations, although some of the stuff is pretty harsh and pointed right at me. My xylophone friend is strong and brave; I am proud of her.

MT is once again proving her qualities as an amazing human being, fostering SEVEN kittens for the ARL until they are old enough/big enough to be fixed and put for adoption. The littlest one has an eye injury, and weighs all of 11 ounces. The patience and dedication that MT shows in caring for and cleaning up after such a herd of babies is nothing short of inspiring. And she still somehow finds time to care for her own three cats and hang out with her odd friend C.

I'm so very happy to say that GJ is finally running into some happiness and luck. She spent a long time being a sympathetic and supportive ear to my difficulties, all the while going through a pretty rough patch herself. All I hope to do is return the favor! Her door/email/phone is always open, no matter how rotten her days have been. I hope with all my heart that things keep looking up for her a bit. (But I do hope the Wings blow the Cup.) And I wish her safe driving coming to the 'Burgh this weekend!

MG has always been my biggest cheerleader and venting partner. She knows what she feels is right, and fights for it unashamedly, especially when it is a friend. She has been pulling for me in my law school journey for years--well before I even knew for sure that I was on it! Her advice has been freely given and invaluable, as well as her support.

sM and I have had an uneven path in our friendship, but his encouragement and example have been integral to the future that I now eagerly work towards. Sometimes it takes a new voice reminding you of what you are capable of to make you really see it, and he provided that voice, as well as a picture of what someone can be when they follow their heart and passion. He always take the time to see how you're doing, which is especially impressive these days for a few reasons.

AK (not your AK, MT) is an endless source of entertainment. Even though we haven't hung out in a while (mainly because I'm a ridiculously busy bastard)--she's been around as a constant source of levity and friendship. I swear, we WILL get together before I move!

MD, Maker of Lutes, McGurk (I know a lot of "M" people...), AJ, and all my other Pamela's family are just that, a family. I don't see them as much anymore, but I can show up at the back door at any time and get an immediate round of yells and hugs and high-fives and general silliness. I love you guys!

To all of you, and to everyone else who has been there for me and inspired me and comforted me and let me comfort them and made me laugh and showed me new restaurants and recommended great movies and taught me things and made me confident and made me humble, I raise my office coffee mug in a toast.

Thank you.

Lessons of the Day

1) Administer medication to cat BEFORE cleaning cage and putting down fresh paper, food and water.

2) Tigger is pointy.

Here Kitty, Kitty

So, I woke up the other day and decided I had too much free time on my hands, and got a second job.

Right.

No, really.

Last night was my first day, helping out with adoptions at the Waterfront PetCo through the Animal Rescue League, which I've been volunteering at. It's fairly simple, a few hours a few times a week; take the guys out, play a bit, clean their cages, try to whore them out to shoppers. Like 'em young? Old? Long-haired? Short-haired? Chubby? Skinny? Declawed? I'm a kitty pimp, really.

Actually, there is a whole list of reasons we can deny an adoption if we think someone is shady or the cat won't be in a good home. There is certainly an optimum environment that we would like to see the cats go to, and I've heard stories of adoption counselors who are supremely picky about approving adoptions. But here's the deal: Right now, THEY ARE LIVING IN A CAGE. They're not happy there. They don't get the attention or exercise they need. Even the sweetest cats get cranky being stuck in a small metal box, with strange people and animals passing by all day long.

So, it's really a big judgment call. Does everyone care for their pets the way I would? No. But also, do I care for my pets the same way others do? No. I have declawed cats. Growing up, we let our cats outside. One of my cats doesn't have a chip implant. When I was little, I distinctly remember constantly harassing the cat and dog we had; it was endless fun. I've worked on farms with tons of cats living outside fending for themselves, and I've known lots of dogs who were poorly trained, ate everything in sight, or rarely came in the house.

These situations are far from optimal when you think of a house pet. But do I think any one of these animals would have been better off in a cage? No. Not to say that I'll be there giving out cats to any slack-jawed or adopting-on-a-whim twit that crosses my path, but it's a huge judgment call, and...ah, I'm a bit nervous about making it!