Soft touch January 25, 2007 ~ 11:50 am
Posted by Julie in : About a Julz, Da Cats , trackbackI was a little apprehensive about posting this because I’m not sure how it’s going to work out. I’m still a little apprehensive about it, but what the hell.
Five blocks from my house, on the way to the grocery store, is a large apartment building on a corner. My route to the grocery store varies, so I don’t always pass it, but a couple of times this summer when I went past I noticed two little cats outside of the building. When I would walk by, they would come up to get petted, a noticeable change from the other cats in the area who run away when you call out to them. I felt bad that they were out in the heat, but they seemed okay. Someone was feeding them at least occasionally, since there were empty cans of Friskies nearby, and other people were stopping to pet them.
Flash forward to last Thursday night when I went to the grocery via this route again. It was hella cold and they were huddled under someone’s airconditioner for shelter. However when I called “Here kitty, kitty,” they both came over in a flash to get petted. One of them is skitsier than the other, and wants to be petted on its terms, not so much when you reach for it, but is still very friendly. I went on to the grocery and picked up some Friskies for them, and put it out when I went back. They were on it like a fat kid on a cupcake. It was starting to snow, and I felt terrible for them, huddled out in the cold with no real shelter. I went home and told Joe how lucky he was to have a warm home.
You know where this is going, right? It’s going to be -5* tonight, and I can’t in good conscience let them be out in this. They’ll freeze. So tonight after I get home from work, Rick and I are looking for the cats. If we find them, we’re bringing them home to my place. I’ll put them in the bathroom to keep them separated from Joe, and sometime fairly soon (Saturday, maybe) I’ll take them to the vet to be checked out. I don’t know about having three cats in my apartment, but we’ll see. I just know I can’t leave them outside in this weather. I’m not that hard-hearted.
Comments
You are indeed a big softie. If you’re willing to take the responsibility for two more pets, cool, you got a big heart. If not, I’d work on getting them properly adopted.
More cats?
Dude. That’s just crazy.
Aimee~I only have one now. I have downsized. And the one I have, he is lonely.
Vince~I can definitely take one of them, not sure about both. However, I am already talking to people about adopting one of them. But this is how we’ve gotten all of our animals, either off the streets or from the Humane Society. Mom currently has four cats and a dog. (Okay, she got the dog from my aunt, but my aunt got it off the streets.)
Awwww. That’s sweet.
Awwww…I think it’s great that you are going to attempt to help them in any way you can. I also have to say that strays often times make some of the best pets. At least that was the case with our little Grey Guy.
You know, if it weren’t for the association rules, I’m afraid The Englishman and I would have a ton more pets - I’d take every last one without a home in if I could. Unfortunately, however, we’re only allowed two so I just have to settle with making donations to the local no kill animal shelter.
I would do the same thing. Do you have towels and/or a carrier to get them back to your apartment?
Sucker!
No, seriously. Good luck. Maybe you can keep one and find a good home for the other. Hopefully no “owner” will come after you. If someone does, have Rick kick them in the most sensitive part of their body, because no animal should be treated like that.
ESC~That was my feeling. You are no kind of pet owner if you let your animals stay out in the freezing cold. My first dog was a rescue animal from a house like that - they kept her chained up in the yard through all sorts of weather in addition to abusing her. If you don’t take care of the animal? You are no “owner.”
Grace~I have some pet carriers, but I also remembered I have a large Rubbermaid container full of Christmas ornament boxes. I’ll dump those out and we can transport the cats back in that. And then I’ll have incentive to finally put my Christmas decorations away.
FD~Joe was a stray - people up the street from us had kicked him out when he was about a year old because he wasn’t acting right. Yes, he was high maintenance (still is), but if it weren’t for us he never would have made his 5th birthday, let alone his 15th.
Lefty~Want a cat? I think that’s just what Ms 1890 needs - a little critter roaming around in her.
(I have refrained as long as humanly possible, but no one else is saying it and there’s a void that must be filled… Is Rick helping because he can’t stand the thought of a pussy or two out in the cold?)
I say keep the one that’s friendly, and maybe let the vet or a no kill animal shelter have the skittish one. It may need to be a farm cat or something, and will probably NOT tolerate an unknown kitty, Joe, in closed spaces, and just make Joe miserable.
My mama cat got out for a few days, and I was gonna be a bitch, and leave her out, but she was miserable. And then it got cold. Now she’s back in, and she’s hating her bigger baby kitty. I am seriously thinking it’s time for her to go to the no kill shelter. She’s just stressed out so badly here since I let her back in.
And she’s doing nothing but fighting…
I don’t know…
Thank you. Thank you for caring so much. Take lots of towels with you when you go looking for them in case they need wrapped up to get them to calm down.
I hope you find them, now I’m going to be terribly worried about these kitties. And your not crazy, your very kind.
You’re a sweetie, Julie. I think it would be wonderful to keep both cats since they’ve survived their outdoor ordeal together. Bet your Joe will like the company.
You’re really sweet… but, well, okay… three cats. One girl. I’m just sayin’.
Your cover is SO blown…there’s nothing evil about that, Jules.
You’re such a goodnik, Julz. Seriously, you are a really lovely and kind person.
Awww.. I hope it works out. I am like you and couldn’t leave those cats out there either. That is how I ended up with 3 in my house.
3 in an apartment isn’t too bad, it all depends on how well they get on with Joe and if you can keep them. Best of luck, and you know that you’ll do them a world of good, getting them off the streets and out of that cold. Goddess will thank you and bless you for it, you know. 
Yep, you have to take them in. I’ve been feeding an adult stray for about 8-9 months now, I think. Anyway, she won’t let me bring her in … too feral for that — at least for now.
But, I make sure that she has food and water each day.
She’ll rub my ankles and pat my feet, but she gets “hissy” if I touch her.
The day is coming when I’ll be able to pick her up and bring her home … I’m not a cat person and my dog will have a heart attack, but one day I want to find this creature a good home. She’s beautiful and very, very talkative.
It absolutely breaks my heart that someone would dump her out … *sigh*
Good for you Julie! I agree with some here- Keep one, take the other to a “no-kill” or find it a home. I don’t think your being soft- just human!
And if someone comes along “claiming” to be the owner of these cats- call animal control immediately! They should be accountable for what they did to those poor defenseless kitties! *HRUMPF*
Everyone~Thanks for the good wishes. I posted about what happened. I feel like I’ve been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster for the last 48 hours because of this (I’ll have two more cats…I won’t have two more cats…I will…no, I won’t), so I’m a little shellshocked right now.
Aimee~You are bad. Get out of my gutter.