Cat Adoption and Remembering Old Friends

When my cat Brody passed away during spring break this year I was heart broken, but I knew he wouldn't be the last cat I would live with. Two weeks ago the Monsons went to the Animal Rescue League to "look". Maybe adults can go to the ARL just to "look" and leave without adopting, but I don't think very many families with little children leave the ARL empty handed. I know we didn't.

Since this wasn't our first ARL rodeo, I had a few requirements.

1) We were not going to the ARL to rescue a cat. We were going to adopt a cat for Charlotte. There's a difference. We've rescued old cats who weren't probably going to another home. Our first cat Chip was nine when we rescued him. But simple math dictates that old cats do not live as long as younger ones. Few live to be 20 like my old cat Snoopy. He was awesome, and I wanted a feline friendship for Charlotte that would have a good chance of lasting until she left home for college, too.

2) If possible, we were going home with two cats. In some countries it's illegal to adopt only one animal: it's seen as cruelty to sentence an animal to a life of solitary confinement. I think that viewpoint is a bit extreme, but I know two cats can be more content than one. I have also found that if you have three cats at the same time, then one is always left out during napping and playtime.

3) If we were to come home with two cats, they would have to be males. We know an old vet who said he tried for years to get female cats to live in harmony, and he couldn't do it. He told us he finally started listening to his patients' owners, and he discovered that neutered males will always (eventually) get along.  We have had four males cats in the last decade (not at the same time - remember the old cat rule), and eventually the boys all came to an understanding.

4) We were going to the ARL with an open mind. The first time I went with Daphne to really adopt an animal - we were days from moving into our first house - we went looking for the biggest dog Daphne could find. Daphne was raised to believe it's not a real dog if you have to bend over very far to pet it. Instead, we came home with the aforementioned Chip. The cat had cried out, and even though she had no experience with cats, Daphne fell in love with the old guy (kinda like me). You just don't know who you're going to fall for at the ARL.

At first I had hopes for the Bonded Buddies program: two animals who have already bonded must be adopted together at a reduced fee. But none of the pairs met my above requirements. So, we went into a "meet and greet" room, and the volunteers brought us male cats to meet. We met a lot adult cats (three years old or under), but none of them could have cared less for Charlotte. To be fair, Char's a rambunctious child, and the cats are in a less than ideal situation, but I was looking for a connection.

Even through Daphne had no interest in one, we tried a kitten. "Lightening" was brought in, and he danced, hopped, leap, sprinted, abruptly stopped, rolled across the floor, and then repeated himself. BUT, he paid attention to Char. When she wiggled her fingers at him, he smelled them. When she tried to pick him up, he didn't run away. Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have a winner.

Here's the newly named "Bobo" sleeping in my ratty old recliner chair:

BUT, one of the cats we "interviewed" was billed as a hugger. Daphne has missed her sleeping buddy Theo for over a year now, and a cat that puts both arms around your neck and purrs... seriously. Although he paid no attention to Charlotte, he was all over Daphne when we met him.

After the decision was made to adopt the kitten, I asked Daph if she wanted to meet the hugger again. He was only three years old, and when he met Daphne a second time he hugged her again, but harder. I could hear his purr from across the room. Daphne teared up a bit, and that was that.

Here's Earl:

We had to keep the boys separated for awhile, but kittens are very fast, and by the second day they met in the hallway. It didn't take long for them to become Monson Bonded Buddies.

Now, I had nothing to do with the adoption of Earl. He was Daphne's choice - without a doubt. Earl has proven to be true to his first impression. He is a lover, and he hugs you as long as you let him. He's not Theo, but he fills a huge gap for Daphne very nicely.

But let's get back to my old cat, Snoopy. Earl looks so much like him, it's like I got a great friend back, too.

Earl:

Snoppy (circa 1985):

The similarity is kind of spooky, but I'm not complaining.