FROM CAT CHAT WITH CAREN AND CODY: Today is National Pet Day, which was founded by Colleen Paige – an Animal Welfare Advocate and Pet Lifestyle Expert – in 2006 to celebrate pets and the joy they bring into our homes. She also created the day to shine a spotlight on the plight of the many types of animals which are in shelters all over the planet. Today we are celebrating it by sharing with you a wonderful guest post written by our friend Annie, from 2 chaos cats.
In
light of National Pet Day, I’d like to raise awareness of all the wonderful,
abandoned animals that desperately need a loving home.
I
wanted a cat since I could think, but it was never the right time. Shortly
after I moved in with my boyfriend, we heard of an abandoned 3-week old kitten.
We didn’t have any prior experience with cats and I used to dream of a British
Shorthair, but it seemed to be fate, so we adopted him.
Mr.
Mau was way too young when he became part of our family. There’s a critical
period in kitten development — between four and 14 weeks of age— when a
kitten’s personality is shaped by his or her experiences. During the time with
their mother and litter mates, kittens learn important lessons such as bite and
scratch inhibition — how to use their teeth and claws cautiously — as well as
other perceptual, motor, and social skills.
Mr.
Mau did not get this opportunity. He learned most of what he knew from us. So,
slowly, he started to act like a little human. He slept on his back, went to
cafés with us and had breakfast with us at the table. He literally sat on a
chair with his paws on the table! Spending time with him was such a blessing!
1,5
years later, he got hit by a car. Coming home to an empty apartment was too
much to bear, so we went to the shelter for the first time.
Momo was found emaciated, roaming the streets with a gift ribbon around
her neck. She was battling the flu but seemed very interested and curious. We
instantly fell in love with her, took her home and nursed her back to health. She’s
a little diva, strongly voicing her opinion. Once she trusts you, she’s the
cutest little snuggle bug though. She eats things like plastic, ribbons and
human hair so we couldn’t let her go outside by herself. We couldn’t leave her
alone all day while we were gone either - so we went back to the shelter to get
her a sister.
Cleo
was found on a parking lot. She was only 10 weeks old and had crushed hind
legs, so she had to wear an external fixture for about two months until her
bones grew back together. The vets really did one hell of a job! Her hip is a
little underdeveloped and she can’t sit properly - other than that, she’s
healthy and good-spirited. She constantly asks for cuddles, meowing until you
drop everything to give her the attention she wants. Sometimes I even feel her
curling up on top of my head at night to sleep on the upper part of my pillow,
right next to me.
Seeing
how good both cats seem to do with us warms our heart every single day. Who
knows where they might have ended up if we hadn’t adopted them? On the other
hand, it saddens me to think about all these animals still sitting behind bars,
waiting to be loved. Shelters are overcrowded. But they are full of healthy,
sweet and smart animals who were surrendered not because of their behavior but
generally due to the issues of their guardians. Visit your local shelter before
buying a cat. You might find the perfect cats – like we did!
