I still remember.
Yes, I do.
I was very young, but the memories haunt.
To this day.
I was unwanted and unloved.
Somebody just dumped me at Animal Care & Control.
Even they didn't want me.
I sat right outside the front door and sweetly mewed at every purrson that came in.
I play with the children.
I rubbed up against the Moms and Dads.
I hoped for a home.
I was hungry and thirsty.
I was lonesome and afraid.
Then ... this Mom and Dad sat inside and watched me.
Their hearts were breaking because they were looking for a lost tortie.
(They didn't find her -- never found her)
They found me.
I found them.
Once they realized that their missing kitty was not there, they looked at me.
They said to one another.
"do you want to take her home"
And the humans at ACC gave them a something for me to be taken home in.
That was the beginning of my new life.
****
The life of a feral cat is not a happy one.
It is always cut short.
That is why we must do what we can to help.
We help out in our area with First Coast No More Homeless Pets, which is TNR organization affiliated with Best Friends.
Today is the 10th anniversary of National Feral Day started by the Alley Cat rescue organization.
Please purr for the ferals, and help any way you can.
******
We feel very lucky that we took Gracie in because of what we saw at the ACC, if she had been taken inside the ACC, being just a gray tabby kitten there is no way she would have stood a chance. They were so overwhelmed with animals, and after being taken to the "back" where up to 6 cats were huddled together facing their last day...it was the most overwhelming thing I have experienced. I wanted to save them all, but couldn't, and still feel despair over it. But I did save one, or did she save me.
My saving Grace.
That was such a beautiful gotcha story and I am so happy you were there to be found!
ReplyDeleteOne little soul, one at a time, that is all anyone can ask. Gracie was so lucky to find you and you her! I'm very sorry you didn't find your tortie.
ReplyDeleteI look at my kitties and I think to myself, every single one of them were thrown away! They were all found on the street... not feral but just discarded; I don't understand how people can do that!
I hope National Feral Day brings attention to TNR and helps people realize the kind of lives that feral cats have.
Beautiful story about how Gracie came to live with you.
ReplyDeleteNicki was feral, found young, though, between 8 and 10 weeks of age. Derry was found younger still, between 4 and 5 weeks. Annie was a stray and Chumley had been abandoned. That's all the info I ever had on them.
I wish with all my heart that @#$%! people would stop the backyard breeding, would spay and neuter and get their heads out of the sand about cat and dog overpopulation.
There is a group in our city that is trying to establish a low-cost spay/neuter clinic, with the ultimate goal of altering cats in feral colonies and managing the colonies. A big dream....Hope they can make it happen at some point!
Sweet Grace, We are so happy that your life turned out as it did. All of us are either ferals or dumpers and Mommy is forever lecturing folks to spay and neuter their pets...and adopt, adopt, adopt!
ReplyDeleteMister Sylvester is ESPECIALLY happy you're in such a wonderful Forever Home! He and Rupert played (for the first time) nearly a half hour last night...we think Sly was working off a little energy from thinking about his special blogging KittyGal!
We are so glad that Gracie found you. We wish all the poor homeless kitties could find their Forever Homes.
ReplyDeleteAwwww sweet and beautiful Gracie! Me and Charlie are so sad that you had such an atrocious start in life! We know it was kismet that your mum and dad were there just as you were abandoned. You were all meant to be. We are so sad too that your mum and dad never found their other kitty but we are glad that you came along to help them.
ReplyDeleteWe purr for all feral kitties the world over! We hope they find kind souls to help and to love them. Take care
x
That is such a bittersweet gotcha story. You and Gracie were very lucky to find each other! My heart just breaks when I think about all the unrescued kitties out there, but as Sue from Pitter Pats says, they're starfish. You save them one at a time, and to those ones, it makes all the difference.
ReplyDeletethat was a beautiful, beautiful story....my dream is that all the kitties will be as lucky as you!
ReplyDeleteWe're so glad you guys and Gracie found each other and she has such a loving home...In many ways, feral cats seem to "adopt" us and I feel we are better for it=a big responsibility that comes with so much love...Happy weekend, lovely friends...xoxo...J, Calle, Halle, Sukki
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, what a horrible story with a happy ending. I don't think I could go into a shelter that is not a no-kill shelter. I understand the necessity, but I'm afraid it would just haunt me. I think grey tabbies are awesome! Lucky little Gracie :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post! You made us both tear up. Here's to fewer ferals and more homed kitties.
ReplyDelete