Happy Meowlidays!

Happy Meowlidays to You!

Thank you all for your love, support, and friendship. More than ever, we are so very grateful for each and every one of you. Our holiday wish for you, and for all beings everywhere, is for peace, love and  joy everlasting.

💖

Ava, Angel Gracie, Tracey, and Kevin (meowmeowmans)

(Almost) Wordless Dolly

Happy Wednesday from beautiful and adoptable Dolly. As you can see, she's all dressed up in her finery and ready to find her forever home!

Two year-old Dolly is playful and friendly, but still getting used to being at PAWS. She enjoys being petted and getting attention once she knows you, and we know she will be a great best friend to some lucky adopter! Dolly is not a fan of other animals, so her forever home should be one where she is the only pet. She's spayed, microchipped, current on her vaccinations, and negative for FIV and FeLV. Dolly is so ready to be discovered by her new BFF.  Could it be you?

Banner's Selfie

Our sweet and gentle pal Banner may be a little shy, but we totally get it. It's gotta be tough getting used to the unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells at the shelter. Even one as nice as PAWS. In spite of all that, Banner stepped right up for his selfie, and knocked it out of the park. SO handsome!

Banner is about one year old. He lived in a foster home for a few months, and did really well. He was very friendly with his foster mom, but as we mentioned, being at the shelter has been a bit overwhelming for him. We can attest to the fact that he loves being pet on the head and getting chin scritches. Banner is starting to come out his shell, and we know he will positively blossom once he is in his forever home. Could it be with you?

You can read more about (and/or apply to adopt) Banner here.

It's Sunday, which means we're hopping along in the Sunday Selfies Blog Hop, hosted by our pals at The Cat On My Head. Be sure to check it out to see who else is hopping along (or to join in on the fun)!

(Almost) Wordless Cisco

Check out our awesome new pal, Cisco. This mancat is the whole package -- not only is he devastatingly handsome, he also happens to be super sweet and friendly. We hung out with him last weekend, and a great time was had by all.

Cisco is about 8 years old, and was found as a stray. He adores people, and gets along fine with other nice cats. But he'd also be fine as an only kitty. He's neutered, microchipped, current on his vaccinations, and negative for FIV and FeLV. Looking for love for the holidays? Come meet Cisco today!

Thank you, and Sunday Selfie

We are so grateful for the tremendous outpouring of love and kindness we have received about the passing of our sweet housepanther Gracie. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you all. Gracie was a beautiful and amazing cat, inside and out. We miss her so, so much, and look forward to the day we see her again. Until then, she will live always and forever in our hearts. 

Thank you, Ann at Zoolatry, for this lovely badge. 💖

As for this week's selfie participant, the shelter cats all thought we should share this selfie taken by Angel Gracie back in the day.  She sure was lovely, wasn't she?

Thank you to our sweet and thoughtful friends (and hosts of the Sunday Selfies Blog Hop) at The Cat on My Head for remembering Angel Gracie today. We also offer our condolences to our blogging pals, Mom Ellen at 15 and Meowing and Mom Audra at Dezi's World on the passings of Jinx and Dezi, respectively.  We are so very sorry.

Fly Free, Sweet Gracie 💔

"There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” – Mahatma Gandhi

 

Our hearts are broken beyond belief. On Tuesday afternoon, our beloved Gracie made her journey to the Rainbow Bridge. She was 20 years old.

 

Adopted at the robust age of 13 (along with her sister/littermate Zoe) in September 2013, beautiful and gentle Gracie packed a whole life’s worth of love into her seven years here with us. The pawprints she left on our hearts will remain forever, and we know there will come a day when her memory brings more smiles than tears. But for now, there is only deep sadness.

 

Gracie Grace, we will love and miss you forever, darling girl. There were so many things that made you uniquely special. Like how you helped Mom Tracey put on her makeup every day, resting your paws on her thigh as she applied it while sitting on the couch. We will miss your funny, old ladycat meow, and the way you sang the song of your people with such gusto (especially when you had a vet visit). And how you would steal Mom’s spot on the couch whenever she got up. And the way you were still playful when the mood struck you. How you loved chasing the red dot, and playing with your favorite toys, like the mouse-on-a-string, fleecy wands, and especially the collar stays from Dad meowmeowmans’ dress shirts. And how you headed upstairs each night to drop the hint to everyone that it was time for bed.

 

While we’re remembering, can you remember how, when you were younger, you would instigate tussles with Zoe, you little rascal? Or how you were such a speedster, especially when it was time to eat?

Gracie and Zoe

 

In November of this year, Gracie was feeling really good, and had reclaimed a little of that youthful pep in her step. Check out this video of her (taken about three weeks ago) trotting from the kitchen to join us for some family time on the couch. Not bad for a 20 year-old with arthritis and advanced kidney disease, huh? 💕

 

Earlier in life, Gracie loved lounging in sunpuddles, but in her twilight years, she was partial to her heated cat bed on the couch. Her culinary palate also evolved with age: once a fan of turkey and giblets, she graduated a few years ago to a more refined chicken and lobster pâté. She did retain her lifelong love of tuna fish; it remained one of the things that had the power to wake her up from a solid sleep.

 

Ava is a little confused by Gracie’s sudden disappearance. Although she and Gracie were 17 years apart in age, they had a very respectful relationship, and we even caught them snuggling on a few occasions. Gracie was very good with her much younger sister; as an older cat, she didn’t often concern herself with Ava’s silliness, effectively defusing any shenanigans by walking right past.

 

Gracie and Ava

One last thing: Gracie loved her Christmas tree, and we were glad we got it set up over Thanksgiving weekend, so she was able to lay under it for one last season.


Gracie under her tree (November 27, 2020)

Fly free, sweet Gracie. We love you always with all of our hearts, and will see you again. Wait for us, okay?

XOXO

Mom Tracey, Dad Kevin, and Sister Ava

(Almost) Wordless Stormy

Okay, everybody. Gather around for a Christmas Stormy. No, that's not a typo. It's just our silly way of sharing our awesome and adoptable friend, Stormy, in the hopes he'll find his forever home in time for the holidays!

Stormy came to PAWS after being discovered as a stray. He was obviously someone's cat at one time, because he is as gentle and sweet as they come. He's a little shy at first, but once he knows you're a friend, he loves hanging out, getting pets, and sitting on laps. Oh, and making biscuits!

Stormy is about 5 years old. He is neutered, microchipped, and current on his vaccinations. He has tested postive for FIV, but it's important to remember this does not mean he can't live a long and happy life! According to Best Friends Animal Society, "FIV-positive cats can live normal lives, both in quality and duration. They just need to be monitored for infections and dental issues. But if they’re well cared for, they can be healthy, happy, wonderful pets." FIV cannot be passed to other cats through casual contact, or by sharing food, water, or a litter box. Nor can it be passed to people or other pet species.

Stormy is such a good boy. He's ready to be the bestest best friend ever to whoever is lucky enough to adopt him. Come meet Stormy today!