He's the Most Tip-Top... Rox!!

Story by PJ, Feline Rescue Adoption Center volunteer

He's got the boxy build of a Persian, the fluffy broad face of a Maine Coon, the half-folded-over ears that suggest Scottish Fold, and the black heavy stripes of a Tabby on his chocolate-brown fur. So what breed of cat is Rox?? All of the above? None of the above?

I can't answer what Rox is, but I think I can accurately describe who he is.

Upon first glance, Rox brought to my mind the words prize fighter. Those odd little ears on his big round head, those fat black stripes zigzagging haphazardly across his great, bulky body, and his muscular swagger. Rox the Rock! No cat would dare pick a fight with in an alley. His contemporaries would hide in the air shafts at his approach! I envisioned him swaggering the streets of urbania, ignoring the slap of human feet against pavement, eyeing the activity around him with contempt. Tough guy. Miles Davis or Charlie Parker might've been inspired to create a tune just for him, something to accompany him in his journey through the urban sprawl and brawls.

If you are interested in learning more about Rox, please stop by the Feline Rescue Adoption Center or call 651-642-5900, ext.3.

Update on no-longer-sad boy, Elmo

Hey everybody, it's me Elmo!

Remember me? I'm the little guy that got hurt really bad. I guess I was found on the side of the road with all sorts of broken bones. I remember a nice lady gently picked me up and took me to a doctor who did something called surgery and fixed me up really good.

Then I came to a house where some nice people are helping me recover. They had to do physical therapy to help make my hips and legs strong again. I didn't like my therapy sessions. I kept wiggling and squirming, my foster dad kept telling me "lay still Elmo". But I guess the exercises really helped. When I got here I couldn't stand or walk, but boy, you should see me now! I said "nothings gonna keep Elmo down."

It took a few weeks, but now I'm a walkin, talkin, playin machine. Sometimes my foster mom says "slow down Elmo, you're not totally healed yet, but I say "I gotta make up for lost time", so I keep playing until I'm all tuckered out, then I curl up with my foster mom and take a nap. She often calls me a goof-ball and dad calls me "a hoot." I think thats a good thing.

One weekend we went on a road trip to a cabin in the woods. I got to sit by big windows and watch lots of birds and squirrels and lay in the sun. In the evening we curled up by a fireplace and snuggled. My foster mom whispered in my ear and said that she loves me and I'm a good boy. What a great weekend.

While we were at the cabin they had a talk with me and said that I'm a big boy now and soon it will be time for me to leave the nest and find my forever home. I didn't know what that meant. They explained to me that after a day called Thanksgiving they will help me find a home with a nice family who will love me and keep me safe and warm. A place where I can run, play with lots of toys, snuggle on laps, and hopefully have windows so I can lay in the sun and maybe watch some birds. It will be a home where I can stay forever and ever.

So, if you would like me to bring my blankie and toys to your house, please call Cathy at 651-230-3263.

Pixie's New Home

Pixie came into foster care pregnant and gave birth to 4 beautiful girls. This wonderful momma cat recently found a home of her own and we've already received great updates and photos.

Alice (her new name) is doing really well. She's SOOO comfortable around the dogs. It literally took her 2 days and she was out in the same room as them and not afraid at all. In fact, the other day, the dogs wanted to go into the dining room and Alice was blocking the doorway so they kind of made a move towards her and she just picked up her paw (to show them her 'weapon') and they backed right off. I laughed out loud. They're a combined weight of around 150 lb and she's maybe 8 lb soaking wet??

She had an upset tummy the first night and threw up on the floor but she seems to be doing better now. I'm mixing her old food with the new (a grain free one that Chuck and Don's recommended) and giving her a small amount of wet food twice a day. I had bought her a special bowl for water but she prefers to drink it out of the bathroom sink or else the dog's water bowl so I'm using her water bowl for the wet food now.

She heard a noise by the stove (I heard it, too.....it's that mouse that's so elusive). She's "ON IT" right now....very alert and attentive to the scritch scritch skritch sounds coming from (dare I say it??) inside the stove? This rodent has me baffled. It clearly sounded like he was in the drawer under the stove but I took it all the way out and Alice went in the spot where it was and there was nothing. I hope she's not the kind of cat that likes to bring her owner 'presents' at night..... ;-p

Thanks again for taking such good care of her for me. I appreciate all you (and Feline Rescue) did to ensure a happy life for her. She's become a great addition to our 'family'. Everyone just loves her. She has such a nice disposition! Did I tell you she didn't even make a peep when I drove her home? She just sat very quietly in the carrier the whole way home. She's such a sweetie!
Here's another photo I took today. My friend's 3 yr old wasted no time in picking Alice up and carrying her around like a baby. Alice was completely game for it......for awhile anyway. The little girl had to hold her piece of chocolate in her mouth to use two hands to pick up Alice. She said, "She's HEAVY!!" Yeah, right, all 8 lbs of her......ha!

Today I was moving stuff around and Alice went upstairs (helped herself to the apartment upstairs) and got to meet the cat up there....who was NOT very happy to have a strange kitty entering her space! There was some growling and hissing but the cats were in separated rooms so we figured it was a good way for them to meet each other.

Alice continues to explore everything new in her surroundings. I can't open a cupboard where she's not inside it. And she insists on testing every horizontal surface (no matter how high up or how narrow) to see if her skinny little body can fit onto it. One day I saw her perched on the curtain rod......all 1/2 inch of it. Luckily, the window behind it kept her stable. She's so funny to watch & keeps me constantly entertained. She loves water and is very curious about it. Today she tipped over the entire dog's water bowl......then chased after the water as it ran down the floor. She didn't even notice that she was SOAKED by it all.

Thanks again for all you do for these animals. Alice and I BOTH really appreciate it!
Janet

Two of Alice's kittens, Chloe and Daisy are still available for adoption. Like their mother the daughters also enjoy sleeping in sinks.

If you are interested in learning more about Chloe and Daisy, please call Joan at 612-702-9636 or Cathy at 651-230-3263.

Feline Rescue's Adoption Center: A Place for all Kinds of Cats

When you have nearly 70 cats under one roof, introducing new cats to each other is a big job. After new cats arrive at the Feline Rescue Adoption Center, they spend a couple of weeks in our intake room, where they are checked out, treated for any medical problems, and spayed or neutered if they haven’t been already. This introductory period gives Feline Rescue volunteers a chance to observe and evaluate the cats to determine where in the shelter they should be placed once they are available for adoption.

The Feline Rescue Adoption Center has a number of different rooms in which to place cats while they await adoption into their forever homes. The “shy room,” for example, is home to some of our shyer and older residents. Young, active cats, often take up residence in the “back room”, where they have plenty of space to run around and interact with other cats and people.

While living with so many other cats doesn’t always come naturally to a cat, most of our residents adjust well to their new environment and enjoy the company of other cats while at the shelter. But a few cats are more of a challenge when it comes to introducing them to the rest of the group. Some cats just don’t like other cats and would prefer to go to a home where they can be the only cat. These cats spend their time at the adoption center in private rooms or kennels when the other cats are out and come out to exercise with volunteers in the common areas when all the other cats are put away.

If you’re looking to adopt just one cat, consider one of these cats who would prefer to live in a single-cat-household: Giorgio, Raja, Pearl, Sasie, Zeda, Opal, Tomasita, Mekasch, Sonny, or Juniper. With homes of their own, the true personalities of these sweet cats would really shine!

We know that sometimes it’s hard to interact with cats when they’re in a kennel. So feel free to ask a Feline Rescue Adopter to help arrange a time and space for you to spend some one-on-one time with one of these special cats.

If you are interested in learning more about any of the cats residing at our adoption center, please stop by the Feline Rescue Adoption Center or call 651-642-5900, ext.3.

Bartelby and His New Canine Friend, Woody

Always fun to hear that former FR kitties have new canine friends. We received the following note from Bartelby's new mom Tammy.

I wanted to update you and let you know he is doing great and gets along with Woody our 9 yr old black lab.

Bartles favorite spot in the house is either on the couch with his new friend or in my garden window watching the birds, squirrels, etc. I am sure Bartles would say thank you to all the volunteers and they should be proud for what they do to give these wonderful kitties like him a good life.

Thanks for all you do for these wonderful cats.
Tammy

Juniper the Great

A story about Juniper by P.J., a Feline Rescue shelter volunteer.
Juniper. Whenever I see her, I wonder why so many people turn to breeders to adopt their cats. I wonder how anyone could abandon a creature so extraordinary on the doorstep of F.R. On the other hand, F.R. would not have the glory of her presence if she hadn’t been abandoned.

Juniper’s Persian breeding is obvious. Her body is round and boxy and covered with a remarkably patterned black-upon-white cascade of luxurious fur. She does not possess the snub-nosed flat face of the classic Persian, but rather a doll’s face with a baby-pink nose and lips dominated by breathtaking chartreuse-colored eyes. She does not walk but sashays across a room, and she grooms herself meticulously. In short, she has what it takes to be a show cat, the kind of beauty any breeder would be proud to present to potential buyers.
But Juniper is not a mere show-piece. That is beneath her. She’s too special for that, and she knows it. She does not merely reside in the F.R. Flexiroom with four other cats, she RULES it. And though she might resemble a cuddly panda bear, DO NOT attempt to cuddle her! She will put you in your place in short order, believe me!

I habitually clean the Flexiroom that Juniper rules on my volunteer mornings. It has taken me several months to get any response from Juniper other than growling, snapping and hissing if I came within a foot of her. She responds in kind to her feline roommates, but fortunately, they can hold their own. I put a plan in place to bond successfully with Juniper: PRACTICE PATIENCE. I began by sitting on the floor, making eye contact and talking softly to her, staying well out of her personal space. I made sure she watched me as I replaced her water and kibbles and put clean blankets in her sleeping quarters, enduring her occasional growls and swats and talking softly all the while, telling her I loved her. I tossed her toys I thought she’d enjoy, making sure she watched me as I picked them out. After awhile, she responded to my attention by slowly blinking those beautiful eyes, and her growling became less frequent.
Two weeks ago, a miracle happened. Juniper approached me sitting on the floor, crawled into my lap and planted a kiss on my nose. She followed this up with a habitual growl, but the kiss was worth it.

Juniper now gives me permission to scratch behind her ears. She closes those eyes of hers and purrs like mad. When she’s had enough, she lets me know with a growl and sometimes a swat. But I don’t mind. Her love and acceptance is the high spot of my day.

If you are interested in learning more about Juniper, please stop by the Feline Rescue Adoption Center or call 651-642-5900, ext.3.

Wishing for the Sun, Moon and a Star???

The Celestial Kittens should be ready to be adopted next week. They are all boys. Sun is the fluffy orange, Moon is the fluffy cream and Star is the short-haired black. Their foster mom has lots of stories to tell. Her college-age kids actually made extra trips home to play with the kittens!

REPORT #1: Star is related to weasels. He is always going under and through the smallest spaces. He still loves to hide around the corner and jump at you when you go by. Star found a box of Kleenex. He likes pulling them out and then running away with a tissue. He is also death to small pieces of crumpled paper. Our big cat Bandit has in fact licked him a couple of times so he must smell either bad or good. He is the highest energy kitten.

They all found the roll of tp in the bathroom. It is very dead now.

Sun loves hair. Especially wet hair that his paws slide off. So he climbs up, rolls on the top of your head and then slides off. He is still the most outgoing of the 3, but they all come when called and want to be with people even if they are just playing. If Sunny or Moon are alone, they give a big cry and then come running to join you when you call them. Sunny lives dangerously. He ran over Bandit twice one night.

Moon is less reserved. He loves big strokes down his back. Moon and Sun have some premature ending to nursing issues. They can get fixated on sucking on anything before they crash. The good part is that they do purr when they suckle. The bad news is that they keep each other and Star up. We’ve heard Moon purr a couple of times now. Sunny still does the most.

They all passed the 4 year old child test. They had a visitor last week who is a good 4 year old. Both Moon and Sun fell asleep while she held them. (Not by the neck so it wasn’t the “sleeper hold”.) Star let her sit by him and pet him while he was sleeping. They all played nicely together and the kittens weren’t worried about her at all. And vice versa.

The funniest thing is actually our Moo cat. He has started to chirp at them. He sounds just like his mom used to. So he has essentially adopted them and doesn’t mind them at all. He even tries to play sometimes. Moon patted Moo in the face a couple of times and wasn’t even reprimanded.

They are pretty silly. And getting bigger and faster than ever.

REPORT #2: The kittens are getting big. They are an excellent litter. They like people and want to be in the same room most of the time. However, they are willing to play with each other in the same room and not demand undivided attention. The kittens love to stand on their back legs and wave their paws and be big scary monsters. This is particularly useful before they drop and attack shoe laces.

The kittens do like to watch TV and try to pat the moving objects. When I let them out each morning, they all come over and want a Good Morning cuddle before eating and running like mad creatures. They are typical babies, they go hard and then go to sleep where ever they are. Sometimes they sleep with people, sometimes near people and sometimes on the stairs!

Their personalities are showing more and more. Sun is the extravert. He loves to snuggle in hair and sit on your shoulder. My daughter – the Expert, says he is not a tabby because he is marbled rather than striped. The swirls on his sides are not the regular tabby pattern. Sun likes big pets down his back. Sun is pretty much a Gumbi kitty, very relaxed and laid back.

Star is the most daring. He is always exploring over and under everything. He is the most energetic of the three. Star likes face pets while being held like a baby. He also likes sitting on your knee and watching TV. He is excellent at camouflage and ambushing you and his brothers as you go by.

Moon’s color continues to be debated. The Expert says buttermilk and cream. I’m still found of fawn and cream. He has big ears with giant tuffs. Moon likes to chase his tail more than the others. He is the Jell-O or ragdoll type kitten. Sometimes, I swear he has no bones. He is probably the most laid back of the 3 and will be a great couch pillow when he gets older.