Monday, September 20, 2010

Pet Finder's Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable Pet Week, Sept 19-25th


As a breeder, I thought about how I should talk about adopting 'less adoptable' cats, knowing that one of my greatest fears is that one of the kittens I bring into the world will somehow end up in a shelter, dumped there without me knowing; turned over with no history, no explanation of any behavior or health issues so that even if it does get adopted, the new owners may not take care of it either...

In fact, that happened to me once but luckily the story has a happy ending, but part of it was because I pursued finding this kitty...The original owner had two kitties from me, a mother and her daughter. The daughter kitty developed a urinary tract disease called FIC (Feline Interstitial Cystitis). The owner kept in touch with me and cared for her cats well, with help and advice from me.

Then she suffered a series of nervous breakdowns and was hospitalized on occasion and eventually moved in with her son and daughter-in-law. Through all of this, she had friends take care of her cats when she was unable to.

But on the last time she was hospitalized, her son took the cats to the shelter and just dumped them. He didn't tell them of the FIC or give them any information as to how to get in touch with me (as I would have arranged for them to come home to me).

When she got out of the hospital, she was devastated and afraid to call me as she knew how much my cats meant to me. But after many months, she got up the nerve to contact me. She told me that they had adopted them out, but of course they couldn't tell her to whom.

I was sad though could not be angry, except with her family, but fortunately in the town she lives in there was just one shelter. But it had been over a year since they were relinquished to the shelter and I wasn't even sure if they had really been adopted or if that was some story her son made up to make her feel better.

I wrote to everyone on the shelters contact list...AND one of the veterinary assistants at the shelter hospital had adopted them and she called me! My heart rested easier! We talked and talked, and the cats are happy and healthy and their new owner now knows how to get in touch with me should they have problems!

...And the next two kitties could have just as easily ended up in a shelter, too, as their owner was having their home foreclosed on and was having to find someplace to live. But she contacted me, saying she was needed to give up her cats to be able to afford to live and finding a place that accepted pets was difficult.

She flew Skiddy and Trevor back to me and they were both older with health issues and I thought I would have them for the rest of their lives, as I couldn't ask someone to take on caring for their heart and asthma issues.

But a woman contacted me a year or so after they came back home to me, and she was looking to adopt a Cornish Rex through rescue and I told her about them, not really thinking she'd want 2 old cats with major health problems...

But she came to meet them and me and decided to adopt Trevor, but I was reluctant to let Skiddy go as she was frail and I thought Trevor could still have some good years left...As it turned out, about 6 months after she adopted him, he was diagnosed with nasal carcinoma (he had lived most of his life in a home with heavy smokers!) and had to be euthanized before a year had passed.

Skiddy remained with me and lived out her days in comfort and ease (she was painfully shy, so she was my 'guest bedroom kitty' and she was happy and content there)


SKIDDY


TREVOR

Then everyone who has been following Curlz and Swirlz for a while knows of Nani...Nani of the Pink Kitty Wig fame and who will always be my 'Avatar'...


Nani has a rescue story of her own to tell, too. I did not bring her into this world but brought her into my home to be a future momcat. She was a very successful show cat but when she retired to become a mommy, we found out she had developed HCM, the inherited heart disease that took Pixie and Luxor from us.

Her breeder did not accept responsibility for her, and so I spayed her and was fortunate to find a young man who was willing to adopt a second Cornish Rex and care for her health problems...but 12 years later I get a call from this man, now married to a woman with multiple dogs and cats and he said Nani was aggressive with the cats and he needed to give her up.

Again, I was glad he contacted me, instead of turning her into a shelter. I didn't bring her into this world, but I was there for her, this time paying for her flight home to me as he refused to accept that 'penance' for not giving her a furrever home.

When I got her back, she had multiple setbacks--she developed fatty liver disease and was difficult to treat due to her severe heart condition. But she pulled through that, and was happy taking 'Skiddy's' place as the guest bedroom cat, because yes, she would stalk and fight with my cats, too...but I wouldn't have given her up because of that!

As it turned out, a couple nearby that have a cat from me, had a friend who was looking to adopt a Cornish Rex, but because of her involvement with small dog rescue, she wanted one that no one else would adopt...

Oh my, could I let Nani go? Knowing her heart problem was so severe that she could succumb to it at any time. Could I feel ok about her living with kids and dogs and would she be happy?

But they lived close by, and they came to meet her and fell in love with her. I said ok, we'll give it a try, but that they would just be 'fostering' her and I would take care of her medical care. Nope, they wanted to take that on, too!!

They gave Nani a loving home for over a year, before her heart gave out, and they found her lifeless at the bottom of the stairs one morning. We all morn her loss, but we all feel glad that we 'made her acquaintance' and that she had a happy life in her 'golden years'...

Here's some links to posts about Nani, including her Memorial post:
http://furrydancecats.blogspot.com/2010/02/fenway-nanjizal-bay-of-furrydance-july.html
http://furrydancecats.blogspot.com/2010/02/help-nani-win-photo-contest-pleeze.html
http://furrydancecats.blogspot.com/2010/02/nanis-winner.html

So, there are my 'Rescue' stories on four kitties I accepted lifelong responsibility for. I kept my promise to be there for them their whole life. It is part of my contract that if for ANY reason, someone has to give up a Furrydance cat, that they contact me so I can bring her back to the home they were born in.

I think most people who have filled out my 4 page adoption application and waited many months for a kitten and I have gotten to know well BEFORE they get their cat, know how much my cats mean to me. But people change, lives change, divorce happens etc etc and oftentimes the pets come out on the losing end, too!

I have lost track of 2 cats due to divorce, and I still keep looking for them, googling names, searching facebook, calling the references they listed on their adoption applications...to no avail. But I will never stop thinking of them or checking on Petfinder and craigslist and stay active on all the Cornish Rex Yahoo groups just in case they show up there...but in 21 years of breeding cats, those have been the only 2...

I always get sad when I see Cornish Rex in rescue, because to me it often signifies that the breeder was not there for that cat, either because the person giving it up did not notify them, of they had no interest in taking the cat back, or did not keep in touch with the person they sold the cat. I have also been involved in rescuing 3 cats that I did not breed, because the breeders were not 'there' for their cat. And I was able to rehab and rehome all three and keep in touch with their families still!

Once I started looking around on Petfinder, looking for just one special needs kitty to talk about, one that kept being overlooked...it was pretty overwhelming how many kitties in need there are!

So, I narrowed my search to Cornish Rex, and while there were 14 Cornish Rex seeking homes, this one boy, Grover, touched my heart with his story and thought I would 'present' him here on my blog as so many of our followers are taken with this breed, and just because he is a purebred, doesn't make him any less needy of a furrever home.

Here's Grover's story (from his Petfinder page)


GROVER was found as a stray wandering the streets, so his past or WHY he was on the street is an unknown. That he survived is a miracle since he is deaf, is a naturally thin cat with a thin coat. He is not drawn to other cats and he seems to prefer men.


The Old Man is a fussy eater, and will only drink water from the bathroom faucet. He will perch there until you turn it on for him. He is a very loving and curious cat who enjoys being with and near you at all times.

He is quiet until he feels ignored -then he sounds a LOUD voice. We are seeking a calm home for this loving 7ish year old boy! He is fully vetted and in good health minus a few teeth - well minus all but TWO teeth! Look on the bright side, lower cost on dental bills!

If you think you might be interested in this Cornish Rex in need of a furrever home, here is the link to his Petfinder page:

CLICK HERE TO MEET GROVER

20 comments:

  1. Oh it is so heartbreaking to know for a fact..as I have always, that there are cats in dire need of help and of love. My heart breaks for them. Thank heavens for breeders such as you and all the other kind cat loving people put there who either adopt a cat in need or who, like me for now, support feral cat agencies. When the time comes for another kitty, I shall adopt a less adoptable baby.

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  2. Grover looks like a sweet boy!! We hope he finds his furrever home soon.

    While there are lots of kitties in shelters, we have friends here on the webs that breed and if it is done for the right reasons and they are responsible then we are in favor! Good for you for taking in your kids and helping find homes for other needy cats!!

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  3. This just shows that even breed cats can be "less adoptable." Grover sounds like quite a character - I bet he would be a great companion for someone!

    When my human brought me home, she signed a form that said, among other things, that if anything happened to her, that I could come back to the breeder. Paws crossed, that will never be necessary!

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  4. Oh, these stories were sad, but also happy that you were able to get them back and make sure that they were properly taken care of. That is a wonderful thing.

    And oh, Grover what a sweetheart he looks like - we hope he finds his forever home soon. We hope that for all the kitties and doggies who need it!

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  5. We really enjoyed your post today, Teri, and especially enjoyed reading about Nani, as we're new followers and didn't know the story.

    We're glad all these cats had love and proper care for their final year(s); thank you for being a responsible breeder. We don't know much about breeders in general, just that there are too many puppy and kitten mills out there, and too many "backyard" breeders (in our opinion) contributing to the overpopulation and euthanasia problem.

    Would that all unwanted cats and dogs could find such wonderful humans and homes.

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  6. Arghhh! Blogger gave us an error and ate our comment!
    We said that we wish all breeders were as caring as you.
    Grover looks a sweetie. We hope he gets a loving forever home.

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  7. I never knew there was such a thing as 'less adoptable'. I would have been there in a heartbeat as I've always had a squishy heart for hard luck cases.

    All of my cats currently (3 of my own & two Bengal fosters) were hard luck cases. They come here when all that's left is the cold metal table where they are gassed or given 'the shot'.

    As many, if not all fosters' know, this is our lot. The true heartbreak is not being able to save them all. Many must be surrenedered to Bast and into her loving arms we pray find their way.

    Thank you Teri, once again, for reminding us that not all pure breed breeders are scum bags. The lengths you go to for your animals and others' is remarkable. I vote you a modern day Heroine and I salute you!

    Glad also to call you 'Friend' and occasionally bring a smile to your face.

    Stacy

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  8. oh poor Grover. I hope that someone will fall in love with him and give him a permanent home.

    I know in theory that if I was ever given up my breeder said she would take me back, but we have lost contact with her so don't know how we would ever find her. Although, my human says that that shall not happen to me. Besides, she has Best Friends in her will for us if no one can take care of us.

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  9. How lucky those first two kitties were! I can't stand the idea of my kitties being away from me, so they go wherever I go.

    I don't know many breeders as here they tend to be money making machines. I loathe them. So meeting one with ethics who loves her kitties is interesting.

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  10. We are both unwanted-by-breeder-kitties". An ya know what? We are happy for it.

    We found great forever home BECAUSE we wern't puurfect!

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  11. Thanks for being such a wonderful and responsible breeder! Anybuddy who gets a Furrydance kitty is very lucky!

    I hope Grover will find his Forever home soon.

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  12. Teri, you are a wonderful mom to all your kitties! I wish I could take Grover, I wish I had room and money for all the homeless animals in the world, but one can only do so much. We do the best we can.
    Good luck with finding him a good home, I know you will.
    xoxo

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  13. Thank God there are peole that can have kitties in their home to have the best life can offer with consistent loving slaves.
    This is something we cannot do for various reasons. That being the case, mom and dad give to three local charities for homeless kitty care.

    We loved your stories, MissieTeri. Kitties need a lot of love and deserve the best care. What a great relief to find the two kitties that had been dumped were in a good home. Boy that makes us happy.
    Mom knows that anxiety. She always worries about stuff like that, hoping they have a good home. I think that would be the most difficult time about being a breeder, hoping the homes were good ones - no, REALLY good ones.

    Skiddy Trevor and Nani were so beautiful, and they looked happy.

    bonks for a happy week-end, we hope you have a bonkspiff time at the Ohio wingding. bronks to Brighton!

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  14. It is breeders like you that others should strive to be. You set a wonderful example.

    Mommy surrendered a kitty to a shelter, many many years ago, and she still bitterly regrets it.

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  15. These stories left me very emotional.
    I have been through many situations grants (domestic cats) and sometimes were no dropouts. Always brought them back until we get new homes.
    Adopt is a sign of love. Adopt a cat with special needs is an act of supreme love.
    Congratulations on you being a conscious creative and so special!
    A kiss

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  16. Teri, we think you are awesome for loving all of your kitties, and helping them out when the situations they live in become hopeless.

    We truly wish that every abandoned kitty had a chance of a loving home and we wish that the shelters were empty.

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  17. This is a very heart warming blog, one of the best posts ever too!

    Prayers for the 2 you can't find & prayers that Grover & the other kitties all find wonderful forever homes.

    Oh, and thanks for the well wishes, Bear is doing great now!

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  18. all of ours are rescues..and slightly un-adoptable lol...two have brain damage, one from anesthesia, one from being beaten, one has aggression issues, the others are pretty chill...i always went for the unadoptable ones...even our fish were always the blind ones

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  19. Teri, I was in tears for most of your post!! It touched me very deeply. I am soooo glad I know you and that you are a dear friend of ours. Thank you for writing and sharing your stories.

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