Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Here we go again...

We are fostering two cats for a rescue in Hawkesbury that is full to the gills. 

Meet...


...Cocotte...

...and...


...Beatrice!

Sigh. I am pretty sad about these two. The other day, the rescue was notified that these cats would be euthanized or tossed in the street that night if they weren't taken away immediately.

They belonged to a pair of elderly sisters who hadn't told the landlord about the cats. When he found out, he said they had to go. Apparently the options were "toss in street" or "euthanize." The whole story is a little sketchy.

Operation Spay & Neuter in Hawkesbury asked me if I would foster them (I had previously offered up an empty "room" in our downstairs barn.) So they are with us for now. Gordon took them to our vet tonight for vaccines and exams.

Cocotte is 7 - 8 years old, spayed and in good health. She could stand to lose a couple of pounds!



I really like her. She's got backbone and personality! She loves to be petted and brushed. She has a playful demeanour, but is calm and quiet. She'll tolerate some lap time but she would rather sit next to you. She's a pretty dilute calico. She was a bit despondent the first few days she was here, but she is coming out of her shell now. She was a very good girl at the vet's this evening. 

But Beatrice, poor Beatrice... She is a long-haired calico. When the ladies from OSN picked her up, she was so matted it was like she has a turtle shell on. It was just a hard mass all around her body, and she could barely move. On top of that, she is almost completely blind. The ladies who had her said she has "shown up" two months prior and apparently did not know or did not care that she was blind and badly matted. The OSN ladies spent two hours shaving off Beatrice's mats... she is moving around well now! I can only imagine how much better she feels.

Our vets says she is 15 - 16 years old. She so reminds me of our Julius when he was in renal failure (the blindness, funny gait, etc) It would not surprise me if she turns out to have kidney problems. The vet is running some blood tests on her.

Clearly Beatrice may not be the most highly adoptable cat but the people who have met her this week have really fallen for her. She is no shrinking violet! She gets around well without her sight, eats like a horse, and likes fresh catnip and catnip toys. She enjoys being petted and gently brushed. My friend Sharron picked her up and cuddled her to her chest for some time and Beatrice was very happy with that. I've been enlisting people to come to spend time interacting with the cats. It is so good for cats and humans alike!

Poor Beatrice has  been declawed on the front. Both cats are spayed, and as of this evening, vaccinated.

So here I am, hoping against hope that someone will adopt these girls. They are not at all bonded so they don't have to go together! Cocotte hisses at Beatrice any time she comes near here, and Beatrice could not give a rat's ass about Cocotte... trust me on this! :)

It all makes me (more) despondent about humanity and how awful people can be to animals. I mean, who tossed out Beatrice two months ago before she came to the elderly sisters? ANd Cocotte is just a sweetheart. And you know these two are a drop in the buckets. There is a ridiculous number of unwanted cats (not to mention other animals!)

Still, I am trying to focus on the good people, like the ones who have come this week to cuddle and play with these two. My friend Christine brought her son Finn and they gave gentle attention to both girls (and brought toys and treats!) My friend Tina, Sharron and Kathleen have all come to spend time with these two cats so they aren't so lonely in the barn room. There are lots of good people in the world.

So I guess I'm hoping these two both find the loving homes they deserve. At 17, we really have all the cats we can manage/afford, and I would love to see these two in their dream homes. Sigh...

11 comments:

  1. Beatrice reminds me so much of our late puss, "Girlie". Girlie was such a loving kitty, right to the end of her 19 years. I sure wish we could take Miss B. but our cat house is rather full these days.

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  2. So many animal shelters are full and needing more room. So sad. I would take an older cat and but I've got my Mom's 16 year old Sam and helping take care of his medical needs right now. It makes me so mad to see how people treat animals. Thank goodness for wonderful people like you! Hugs!

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  3. It truly sickens me how cruel humans can be to animals hope they find happy forever homes . We just saw more feral kittens about the area we mush have at least 10 generations of them here the problem is no one here will take them if I live trap them all the shelters are way to full and wont take them we cant afford to have them as the vet bills for our cat and dog are already costly each year. It is a crying shame that these poor animals have to go through this . Thanks for sharing and for helping them . Have a good week !

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  4. Oh poor dear Beatrice. Thank goodness she's been shaved and declawed and feeling better. I love them both and my heart goes out to them. You and your husband are wonderful to take them in for now; bless the helpers and visitors who're helping these two kitties to settle in.

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  5. oh how I love Cocette! (I think I misspelled her name).........praying they find furever homes, if not, I know you will take excellent care of them. They are beautiful! catchatwithcarenandcody

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  6. Bless you for taking these two in. They are so sweet looking. How sad that they ended up in the shelter...and almost on the street.

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  7. That is so sad about these kitties. I am glad you are helping them.

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  8. If you were not on another continent, I would take Beatrice in immediately... I fell in love with her... I keep my fingers crossed that she finds a nice family.

    PS I got an e-mail, and feel very relieved! Thanks, Natalie!

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  9. Gosh, they have landed in a soft place. Good thing.

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  10. I live quite far away too but I know I would just love Beatrice.

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  11. Heartbreaking, but so glad you are fostering them and giving them a chance to get adopted into a loving home. Just lost my 20 year old heart-kitty and Beatrice with her determined look reminds me a bit of him. It's possible with her being partially blind she may have wandered off from a loving home at some point. It's such a big world when you are a little kitty and they are so easily lost. Regardless, she is safe now! Tammy

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Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!