Happy Gotcha Day, Sammy!

Hip, hip hooray!

It’s our sweet senior boy Sammy’s sixth Gotcha Day! 

We remember when Sammy first came to PAWS.  He had been rescued from a kill shelter, where he somehow ended up after being found in a feral cat colony.  We suspect he had been eating more than his share of food in the colony, because he weighed a whopping 21+ LBS. when we first met him.  (In case you’re wondering, he now weighs a much healthier 14 lbs.)  Check out this picture of (then) big Sammy and one of his kitten pals while he lived at PAWS:

Obviously, the picture shows just how big and round Sammy used to be, but it also helps demonstrate one of the things that utterly endeared us to him.  Sammy is one of the nicest, sweetest, most tolerant cats ever, as was clear whenever little ones like this would climb over, bounce on, and jump on him.

We loved spending time at the shelter with Sammy.  Here’s a picture of Mom Tracey’s leg (she’s camera-shy), with Sammy looking up at her:

Are you my Mommy?

 (Yes, Sammy, that IS your Mommy!)

 

And here’s Dad Kevin holding Sammy, right before he came home:

Are we going home now, Dad?

Sammy has been through a lot in his life.  His veterinarians estimate that he is somewhere between 17 and 19 years old.  He had bartonella when we first gotcha’d him.  He has arthritis, a pellet in his leg (probably from when he was in the feral colony), not too many teeth, and he is on meds for hyperthyroidism.  But Sammy doesn’t sweat all that stuff.  This sweet mancat just keeps on going, and he's happy.  And that makes US the luckiest family in the world. :)

Sammy is still a pretty good eater (we call him “the Hungry Badger”).  In fact, he loves food (his AND Moosey’s).  Sammy's other nicknames are “Smoochie Boy,”  “Mama’s Baby,” and “Dootie.”

Like his mommy, Sammy is camera shy, so photos of him looking straight at the camera are few and far between.  But here's a good one of his handsome face (nice "soul patch," dude!):

Sammy doesn’t play as much as he used to, but when he does, his favorite toys (shown here) are the trayf mouse on a string, the hex bug, and the Neko Flies Kragonfly:

Sammy's favorite toys

Sammy's favorite pastimes are sun puddle surfing, laying against things (walls, shoes, pillows, etc.), being massaged and brushed (and trying to brush himself), laying under HIS Christmas tree, family couch time, and getting a ride up the stairs (i.e. the mom or the dad carrying him).

A Collage O' Sammy

He gets along pretty well with his much younger brother Moosey, too. :)

Moosey and Sammy

   Happy Gotcha Day, sweet Sammy.  We love you, buddy!

Mom Tracey, Dad Kevin and Brother Moosey
 ---------------

We're a finalist in the "Best Cause Related Blog" category of the 2012 Petties! PLEASE VOTE DAILY for us (and your other favorite pet blogs) now through July 31 (and invite anyone and everyone you know to do the same), especially since PAWS will benefit. You can vote here (or click the Petties link in our sidebar). Thank you! :)