A FURever Home Friday Happy Tale

In late November 2011, the hearts of the PAWS volunteers and staff were filled with joy as our sweet kitty friend Carter left for his new forever home. We still remember this special boy quite fondly, so you can imagine how excited we were to learn that he is living the high life with a friend of one of our fellow volunteers (Paige)! And even MORE excited when Paige passed along this beautiful message from Alison (Carter's Mom):

I am not, nor have I ever been a cat person and yet, here I sit, the owner of a cat, whose name is Carter.

Throughout my life, I've always identified myself as a 'dog' person. Over the past few years, I used to check out the PAWS dog gallery like other people might search eBay looking for a good deal. After a long dog-sitting stint and much consideration, I realized that I didn't have a lifestyle that would be fair to a dog and sort of half-heartedly gave up on the idea of having a pet. And then my neighbor, a PAWS volunteer, asked if I ever considered adopting a cat.

And the answer to that question, was a resounding no. However, I began to change my mind after a couple of talks about the benefits of cat ownership. Soon, I found myself presented with a few pictures of some cats my neighbor thought I would like. Among those pictures was a cat with a perfect black nose, and black and white markings that kind of reminded me of a cow and not just because he was a little chubby (although he was). I knew that I might just give this cat thing a chance.

Carter had been abandoned about 6 months before I adopted him. Left alone in his pet carrier at a vet's office, there was a note that explained the reason for leaving him was that he was sweet but afraid of people and instead of meowing, he chirped. When I met Carter he was a bit depressed and not easily adjusting to life with the other cats at PAWS. Somewhere during that first meeting, I knew that this cat was meant for me.

Over the past year, Carter has adjusted well to living with a dog person. Each day he gains more confidence and reveals a playful side that I never would have thought he had in him during that first meeting last November. He is still a little chunky but we're working on that. The note was right, he does chirp, but I'm not sure how that is a detractor. While he is somewhat shy of people, he mingles on his own terms when I have company.

For my part, I have joined the ranks of pet owners who take copious pictures of their animals doing something random that probably only I think is cute, forcing friends and family to look at them. Even worse, poor Carter was subjected to having to not only wear a Halloween costume this year but to round out the holiday humiliation, he was also the star of my Christmas card. I could never imagine how much having this little creature in my life would add to it, but I am thankful that Carter is mine, chirping and all.

Thank you on behalf of Carter and myself to all the volunteers at PAWS, for all you do for animals every day.

Thank YOU, Alison, for opening your heart to the "cat thing," and for loving Carter so much (and so well).

Be sure to check out our next FURever Friday post for a roundup of a whole bunch of recent adoptions. Have a great weekend, everybody! :)