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Thursday, September 22, 2011

Adopt A Less Adoptable Pet Week: Divas


This is post #11 in the series. You can read post #12 at A Tonk's Tail...er, Tale...
I welcome Michelle Cour as guest blogger once again.
Hey there, Halley here!  My name was formerly Luna because I had a crescent moon shaped patch of light fur on my dark fur. One of mom’s roommates used to call me Lunatic and unfortunately the name fit, so I had to get my attitude adjusted and stop being such a diva. I whined a lot at the shelter and wanted tons of attention from everyone, but nobody wanted me. I missed my family I had for 11 years and had to come to Wayside Waifs because my owner had to report for basic training. It would be fair to say I was rather cranky, and some people called me a diva.
Photo by Michelle Cour.

I’m Hannah (formerly Josie). I loved free time out of my kennel and I’d purr like crazy for anyone who took me out and gave me loving, but then I’d swat them when it was time to put me back. I didn’t get it that my behavior discouraged them from letting me out, which I loved. The worst was when I slapped a nice lady who fed and cared for me because I was mad she brought kittens to live next door to me. I wasn’t getting enough attention already, and kittens are huge competition for a scrawny 10 year old like me. I wasn’t very friendly and made little effort to meet adopters. Lots of people called me a holy terror.
Photo by Michelle Cour.

I’m mom. I adopted these two. They needed and deserved a home, and I knew their behavior was most likely due to the stress of living in the shelter so long, more than 6 months. Halley was 11, a tortoiseshell which many people don’t find attractive, and black too; 3 strikes against her. Hannah also a senior was skinny and swatty. I’m an experienced cat owner so took a chance knowing life in a shelter can turn even the sweetest cat into a diva. Hannah has only swatted me once, more than a year ago. Halley whines far less often and learned to share my attention with Hannah and Harrison, my male cat.  We’re all good!

No happy ending so far for Annabella, who’s available for adoption at Wayside Waifs. She’s also 10 and wouldn’t have been given up but for the failing health of her owner.  She’s an example of a cat who sometimes behaves like a diva, but actually is a very nice cat. She acts territorial about her kennel, (hey, it’s all she has left after losing her person and her home) so is particular about who can visit her at her kennel and how they interact. She also doesn’t like the Comfort Crew changing her litter or cleaning the kennel. She hangs out in the sunroom while they work and grouches if they put her back in her kennel. If they leave the door open, she goes back in on her own, especially if they leave a few dry treats for her.
Photo by Cathy Sherman.

I’d encourage anyone who’s an experienced cat owner and open minded to consider Annabella. It’s tough on some cats, with different volunteers and adopters walking through all the time. It’s too busy and noisy a place for some, so they can begin to act out. When our “diva” cats go to their forever homes, we almost always get a note or email how the cat’s personality changed once they got in a stable quiet place with a person of their very own. And the adopters? So happy they chose them.

I sure hope somebody adopts Annabella from Wayside Waifs very soon! Too much time in a shelter can make any cat a little grumpy, but once you get settled into your forever home, you start enjoying life a whole lot more!

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