Our Younger Boy, Moose (a PAWS graduate)

When people learn that Tracey and I volunteer regularly at an animal shelter, they often ask how we can do so without wanting to "take all of the animals home." Sometimes we ask ourselves the exact same thing. : )

As volunteers, we have the chance to really get to know the cats at PAWS. Through regular interactions, we get first-hand knowledge of the personalities, temperaments and quirks of these kitties. It's been our experience that each cat has something that makes it special and unique. And while we love all of them, every once in a while a cat will come along who completely and utterly touches our hearts. Those are the ones we've ended up adopting.

We've already written about our cat Sammy, who is a PAWS alum. He shares our house (and our affections) with his younger brother Moose, who was adopted from PAWS a little over a year ago. (Moose, by the way, is the silly boy pictured on his back at the top of our blog.)

At PAWS, Moosey was a calm cat who got along well with cats and humans alike. In our home, he's become increasingly snuggly (he sleeps with us every night), confident and vocal (in a nice way). While not exactly best buddies, he and Sammy seem, for the most part, to like each other's company (as you can see from the second picture, we've even caught them sleeping on the couch together).

We love you, Moosey!

Prince Update...

Hey all!

I have some great news to share with you ... Prince is coming out of his shell AND has lost a good amount of weight. That's correct. This boy is adjusting to shelter life just fine. Don't get me wrong, though ... I'm sure he'd do a lot better in one of your homes... (:

I've attached some really great snapshots of our boy Prince that Kevin took this weekend. I like to refer to them as his "after" pictures. Doesn't he look great?!

Check out Prince's "before" picture, taken not long after he arrived at PAWS.

A Memory of Little Mommy, Courtesy of Sheila...

Once upon a time, back in 2004, a large number of cats (30+) came to PAWS when their owners, who were hoarders, lost their residence. All black and white, and many of them especially friendly, we found that these kitties really took care of each other. One of these cats was named Little Mommy. Although we weren't sure of her age, or exactly whose mommy she was, her gentle and nurturing way really shone through, so we just had to name her as such.

As time passed by, many of these cats were adopted, including Little Mommy (who was adopted by Maureen, a fellow PAWS volunteer).

From time to time, we would get little notes, pictures, and holiday cards from "Little Mommy" and we happily recalled the times we shared with the group we named "the eviction cats." It was a sad day when Maureen informed us recently that Little Mommy was not in good health, and undergoing a series of tests at the vet. Not long thereafter we were informed of the grim news that Little Mommy had cancer and was quickly and steadily declining. Maureen had to make the most difficult and unselfish decision she could for her little girl ... to make sure she no longer had to suffer by having her put to sleep. We were all heartbroken to hear about Little Mommy and for Maureen, who loves her animals like we do, as if they are our children.

At about the same time Maureen was dealing with all of this, a cat was brought into the shelter that bore a striking resemblance to Little Mommy. Her name is Sheila. Going into the playroom -- where she lives with a number of other cats -- I took one look at her and said to my husband, "Boy, does she remind me of Little Mommy." While she may look just like Little Mommy, Sheila is very different personality-wise. She is very cautious around the other kitties and can take somewhat of a defensive stance when she feels cornered. I think she might be feeling a little insecure in a room with so many other kitties.

Don't get me wrong ... this doesn't mean Sheila doesn't know how to have a good time. In addition to playing and jumping up and trying to pop catnip-infused soap bubbles, Sheila really enjoys watching "Cat TV." I've attached a video of her chasing some on-screen fishies. I bet you're going to love it!

Every time we look at Sheila, we will think of Little Mommy ... just as we will with every cat who comes to PAWS that reminds us of a kitty who passed on and stole a little part of our hearts.

The Belly Rub Club

Whenever he's feeling especially relaxed, our own cat Sammy will lay on his back with his feet in the air and his belly exposed. We love it when he does this, and not just because it makes us laugh. It also makes us feel pretty certain that Sammy is happy here, because such behavior in cats is most often an expression of trust and contentment.

So it's really no surprise that most cats in a shelter environment don't expose their bellies. With so many unfamiliar animals, people, sights, sounds and smells, it must be difficult to feel comfortable enough to "let it all hang out." And that's why we're so amazed that there are presently multiple cats at PAWS who not only show their bellies, but who like to have them rubbed. We've written about two of them -- Neko and Socks -- before.

The third member of the club is Sherwood (pictured above). This handsome, black kitty (with small splashes of white on his chest and tummy) is about three years old. He is incredibly sweet, and that he trusts people and cats enough to expose his belly is astounding in light of his recent history. This poor little guy was found abandoned in the public bathroom (with a litter box) at Sherwood Island State Park. When he first came to PAWS, he was extremely frightened and rarely strayed from his hiding place under the desk of one of the shelter staff members. It wasn't long, though, before Sherwood's loving personality was on full display. Now he loves people, gets along well with the other cats in his "open" room and of course ... he loves his belly rubbed. :)

Perhaps Sherwood, Neko and Socks are a little more easygoing than most felines, or maybe they're just unfazed by life at the shelter. Or maybe ... they just like having their bellies rubbed. In any case, their behavior illustrates well something we've written about in past blog entries ... that all cats have different temperaments, behaviors and personalities. It's great fun to discover them all.

Houdini Continues Casting His Spell

Considering his official status as a "fraidy cat" when he first came to PAWS, Houdini's transformation has been nothing short of magical. Check out our little buddy striking a pose!

Previous posts about Houdini:

Houdini Update

Abracadabra! Another Houdini Update

Houdini and Bootz ... More Amazing Progress!

Update on Bootz and Houdini...

Bootz and Houdini

Socks Will Keep You Warm All Year Long...

This handsome tabby cat with intriguing markings is a tremendous love bug. He gets along well with most of the other kitties in his room AND loves a good lap. Don't let Socks' large size scare you off ... he's one of the sweetest and most gentle cats we've had the pleasure of meeting. : )

Gizmo is a Sweet Boy

This sweet and gentle boy is the quintessential picture of serenity in a room he shares with a bunch of younger, more exuberant cats.

When Gizmo was first introduced to this room, he seemed a bit overwhelmed by his unfamiliar roommates and his new surroundings. During those first few weeks, he could always be found sleeping under the cat tree in the corner with his back to the wall. I'm guessing this was to make sure that the other cats -- and people -- couldn't sneak up behind him. During Gizmo's "wallflower" stage, Tracey and I had to lay on the floor and weave our arms through the bottom levels of the cat tree just to pet him. While he loved the attention, it wasn't enough to get him to move from the security of "his" corner.

You can imagine our delight in recent weeks when he began venturing from his safe spot. He now walks through -- and sometimes sits in -- the middle of the room! As you can see from these pictures, he's gaining in confidence with each passing day. Throughout this transformation, Gizmo's sweet nature has remained constant. I believe with all of my heart that he'll continue to grow, especially once he has the consistency that comes with having his own people to love and his own "forever" home.

To see another, more candid photo of Gizmo, click here.