Its Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet week and we wanted to add our two cents. We've unknowingly adopted several less desirable cats and would like to share our experiences.
The first "less adoptable" who came into the mom's life was Robbie, a handsome silver tabby mancat. He started greeting the mom when she came home from work and eventually took up residence on her porch. She doesn't believe he was a stray, just a young kitty looking for a different home. When she took him in one very cold and stormy night, his owners never responded to her efforts to find them.
So what was his undesirable trait? He was FeLV positive. She was heart broken when he died of leukemia a short 6 years later. The other resident cats, Leia and Attila, never came down with the disease and both lived to 15. In these days of testing, he might never have found a home, even though he was fun, loving and a joy to live with.
The second undesirable was Lumpy. The mom always loved him when she visited her sister. He was quirky in just the right ways. So when her sister had to move and the apartment didn't allow animals, she asked the mom to take him. His undesirable trait? He was 10 years old!
Lumpy the Elderly.
Lumpy was a survivor who succumbed to kidney failure and cancer at 18. That tough old bird lived with the mom longer than Robbie, who was about a year old when he came to live with us. So you never know how long you have to enjoy a pet, regardless of their age when adopted.
The third undesirable you know well. That's right! Its Carl. We're sure you sympathize with us for having to live with such a horrid cat. The blight he has caused is astonishing!
Carl the Menace.
In all honesty, when the mom adopted him, she thought the trouble with black cats involved possible cat-nappings around Halloween. She's since learned the worst problem is how hard they are to photograph. To the superstitious who really believe black cats are bad luck and won't adopt them because of it, the mom has some advice. Buy an amulet, go have your blood let and leeches applied to your head. That will put your humors back in balance and will help you think straight.
Mica Minnie Moo the Shy.
Its possible Mica Moo many fit into the less adoptable category. At the root of her problems is a basic mistrust of people. She certainly would be fearful and shy, and not "show" well. She was far too young and on the streets far too long to act like a socialized cat. We're sure some people would have given up on her. Even the mom had serious doubts in the beginning, but she hated to go back on her promise to give MMM a good home. She has been more work than all the other cats put together, but maybe one day she will be comfortable around people and react just like a normal house cat. What a pay off that will be!
So here's to all the lovely, different animals out there! Remember, variety is the spice of life! Lets practice it when adopting our pets.
Everyone have a wonderful weekend! Stay safe and we're purring for all to have good weather.
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