Kitties!!!

Today was a huge, emotional day with lots of ups and downs.

I found a Russian Blue on the shelter's website last night and decided to go adopt him today. I've been wrestling with getting a new kitty (or two) since I lost both of mine. I'd had them for years, and I still miss them. It's strange not having a kitty around, but I didn't want to feel like I was replacing them.

Well, I went to the shelter today, and I pretty much lost it when I walked into the kitty room. There were so many of them, in cages just big enough for their litter, food, water, and a place to lay down. They were all looking at me, pawing at me through the bars, and head-butting the bars. I was in tears before I even got to the one I'd picked (Blue Moon).

Right above Blue Moon's cage was this beautiful grey tiger kitty who kept looking at me with this hilarious head tilt, like an owl. I pet him, and he glommed onto me, but I was there for Blue Moon. I felt horrible leaving him.

I went to the desk to fill out the application for Blue Moon, and it turned out payment was due right away, not when he was fixed and given shots (the website was wrong). Ack! I had a half-hour to give them the money, or it was going to have to wait until Brent got out of work at six. I called Brent three times, but he was in a meeting. The lady said they'd keep my application, but if someone else paid for him, I'd lose him. Okay, no biggie. It was only a few hours, so what were the odds?

I sat in my car crying for a long time. It was heart-wrenching to see all of those kitties and hear the dogs barking. Plus, the last time I was there was the day Gomez had to be put to sleep, just over two years ago. Brent finally called back, and I told him what had happened and did that gulping ugly-crying on the phone for a bit. Then I came inside and cried some more. Thank goodness it was my day off.

Brent came home just before six, and we went there right away. Since the shelter was having a "two for one" special, we decided to get Blue Moon and the kitty above him (Axel). When we walked in, the lady told me, "Murphy's Law. Someone adopted Blue Moon this afternoon." I really wanted a grey kitty, so I was a little disappointed, but then I said, "I'm glad he got a good home, and this means THREE kitties will be saved today." So that was good. :)

Brent went into the cat room with me, and I was still a bit shaken, but it was better having him there. He was talking to all the kitties as I pet Axel. Brent laughed at the owl-ish head tilt and said we definitely had to get him. I noticed a lot of the cats were missing, though. As I kept petting Axel, Brent was petting and talking to a really sweet long-haired black cat. She was beautiful. Her name was Winter, and that pretty much sealed it (we love winter nights). I saw someone else looking at Axel and talking to him, so I ran to the front of the shelter and gave the lady their cage numbers so she could reserve them immediately. ;)

She told me Axel is a staff favorite, and he's been there for 55 days. That amazed me! He's so wonderful. It made me feel like he was meant for me. Plus, he's already neutered, so they just have to give him his shots and then Brent can pick him up tomorrow between 2:00 and 3:00. (Thank goodness Brent has a job where he can leave if need be and then just work from home or go back to the office later.)

I told her the cat room seemed sort of empty. I didn't see one of the other grey cats in there either when I went back, a pretty manx I'd seen earlier that day. She said it had been a busy afternoon and told me they'd done five adoptions (including mine) since 5:00. Holy cow! That made me feel a little better, even though I hated leaving all those other animals.

The vet does rounds at noon every day, so he's going to check both of them for upper respiratory infections. If Winter is sick, she'll come home tomorrow too so we can take her (or both of them) to the vet. Then, once she's over it, the shelter will coordinate with the Humane Society to have her spayed (since that's part of the adoption fee). If she's fine, then the shelter will bring her to the Humane Society to be spayed and given shots, and then we can pick her up there on Monday. Both cats get microchips too.

After we left the shelter, we went out to dinner. I hadn't been able to eat all day, and I still wasn't hungry, but I needed something. Then we went to Meijer to get two cat carriers, two litter pans, litter, food, treats, and toys. It feels so good to see cat toys on the floor again. ;)

We're going to keep Winter's name, but we're renaming Axel. I'm not sure what it will be yet. I want to snuggle with him and try some out. That little owl look he does is so funny, but I don't want to name him Owl. We'll figure it out together. :)