Mama met a very pretty black kitty at Wayside Waifs this week. Her name is Spider. She's not scary though, just speedy.
Spider is an Oriental Shorthair mix. She has a very graceful face and a slim body. She's a year old and quite playful.
She is very sweet and has lots of love to give. She gave kisses to Mama and even nibbled her ear. Check out this video that A Tonk's Tail's mama took. If you want to give Spider a forever home, you should do it before the end of August. Until then, all black pets are half price! What a deal! UPDATE SPIDER FOUND HER FOREVER HOME TODAY!! CONGRATULATIONS SPIDER!!
We have a new family member and his name is Lowenstein.
It all started when Mama was looking at kitties on the Great Plains SPCA website. She came across this handsome fellow. The cool part? His name at the shelter was Palmer! Mama thought maybe it was a sign. She decided that she and Dad should go look at him, so they did. Mama fell in love with Palmer in an instant. He was sweet and cuddly right away. He had Dad wrapped around his paw quickly, too.
Mama and Dad decided that they shouldn't bring him home without telling Grandma and Grandpa first, so they put a hold on him. They started discussing names, too. Palmer Palmer would have been cute, but they wanted to keep up with the theme of names from A League of Their Own. They finally settled on Lowenstein. The next day they drove back to Great Plains to make it official. It was a very happy time for all of them!
So far, things have been going great. Lowenstein has been living in Mama and Dad's room. He is a champion cuddler and nuzzles Mama's face. He's just what she has needed! Introductions to the other furry family members have been slow. Harvey isn't crazy about another cat in the house and Evelyn is scared of everything. He and Dottie took to each other right away though!
Lowenstein is very small. He's five years old and was brought into the shelter as a stray. They have no idea what his life was like before he was rescued, but surely a cat this sweet lived with a family before. He's got the tiniest little meow and is never pushy. Whenever one of the other cats hisses at him, he just ignores it and doesn't let it upset him. He's taking on many of the responsibilities that used to be mine. He sleeps with Mama, talks to her, and keeps her company when she's in the bathroom.
I have a feeling Lowenstein and Mama are going to have a strong bond. He's already got her back!
Many times when I feature a kitty up for adoption at Wayside Waifs I mention the "room" they are in. This might sound funny because a lot of shelters keep their adoptable cats in kennels. Wayside has some cats in kennels, but others are in "hug rooms" or "colonies".
The hug rooms and colonies are great for bonded cats who need to be together, bigger cats who need more room to move around, and even litters of kittens.
Mom has always enjoyed visiting the cats in their own rooms. It gives her time and space to do what she loves to do best when she volunteers: cuddle kitties. As a matter of fact, that's how we first met. I was in a hug room, Mom came in, sat down on the floor, and I got on her lap. I had lots of room to move around, plus I could see what was going on in the adoption area through my door.
The colony rooms are even bigger and have room for more kitties. One of these rooms, "Catfish Cove", is where "Sebastian's Circle", the donated cat wheel is. It has a chair for volunteers to sit in and has windows on three sides so people in the adoption area and in the hallway can see the kitties inside.
Right now, there are some Siamese mix kittens occupying the room. They have room to run and play like kittens need.
Another room is "Meow Mansion". It's even got a sink in it! That's something that Squirt, a young orange tabby really enjoys!
There is a counter that is perfect for lounging, too, as Lily demonstrates.
Of course, there are always soft beds to lay in, like Veronica is doing, or room to roam, like her bestie JellyBean is doing.
If you're looking to add a furry friend to your home, go to Wayside Waifs in Kansas City and spend some time in one of the rooms with the lucky kitties who get to reside there. You'll love how comfy it is for them!
Here we go again. Mom has a new shelter love. His name is George and he's a one-year-old brown tabby. He is also FIV positive, so he's special needs and harder to find a forever home for.
For a refresher on FIV, click over to a great article by Best Friends Animal Society.
Mom fell in love with George when she saw the white stripe down his nose.
He's kind of skinny and looks like he's had a rough go of it, but that doesn't make him any less handsome in Mom's eyes.
George is very sweet and didn't hesitate to get in Mom's lap for a long cuddle session. It was just what she needed since my new Earth brofur, Harvey, isn't a cuddly kitty. She sat with him on her lap for the longest time, both of them content to just sit there.
George is also a talkative kitty and said "Hello" as soon as she walked in his room.
George would make a great pal to have around the house. He'll follow you around, keep you company, and be a top-notch lap cat! He'll need to be the only cat in the home or go to a home with other FIV positive cats. He'll also need to be kept strictly indoors and his health must be a priority.
If you think you're the right match for George, go spend some time with him at Wayside Waifs in Kansas City and see for yourself how wonderful he is!
Gretchen may be special needs, but she is absolutely not challenged! She is a one-year-old oriental shorthair mix available for adoption at Wayside Waifs in Kansas City. If you watch her walk, you'll notice that her head kind of wobbles a little bit. After many tests, the vets figured out that she has limited vision and hearing, they figure that is why her head wobbles like it does.
Gretchen doesn't let that stop her though! Most days you will find her free roaming around the cat adoption area. She loves to explore and socialize. She is quite brave! She can also be very vocal and loves attention.
Because of Gretchen's special needs, she would do best as the only pet in the home. She would do okay with kids, but they would have to be mature enough to understand her situation.
If you are in the market for a special needs kitty, Gretchen would be a perfect addition to your family!
Oh my cat! I have a doppelganger! His name is Jazz Man and he's a ten year old, very handsome, domestic shorthair mancat. He recently became homeless and is awaiting a new home at Wayside Waifs in Kansas City.
Unfortunately, his owner lost her home, so Jazz Man, along with his brofur Kiki, had to come to Wayside.
Kiki, Jazz Man's brofur.
Jazz Man is very sweet and loves to be petted. He's a little timid, but will venture out of his kennel in the cat adoption area occasionally to explore. He looks around, then will take cover under a kennel before coming out again. He gets along with other cats, but would probably do well in a quiet home as an only cat, too.
Jazz Man thinking about coming out of his kennel.
If you're thinking about adopting a new family member, Saturday is the Holiday Open House and adoption event at Wayside Waifs called "All I Want for Christmas is You." Starting at 10AM, all pets will be available for adoption for only $25! What a deal! At that price, you could adopt both Jazz Man AND Kiki! Don't forget, all pets adopted will already be current on their shots, be microchipped, and will go home with a 5 pound bag of Science Diet food.
Now, what do you think? Are we twins separated at birth?
This week's Featured Furry is a senior kitty named Phylo. Poor guy has really had his world turned upside down. He had lived with his family for 10 1/2 years when he was surrendered to Wayside Waifs in Kansas City. Unfortunately, one of his humans is battling leukemia and the doctors said it would be best if there were no cats in the home. So, Phylo is now at Wayside looking for a new home.
Phylo is about 11 1/2 years old and is a rather large domestic shorthair cat weighing in at 22 pounds. He's pretty laid back and isn't much into playing. He would make a great pal for someone who wants a cat to keep them company around the house. He doesn't get along with other cats, so he'd like to be the only kitty in the family.
Mom and I talked about it and we don't think the doctors were right in this case. We think both Phylo and his human are worse off for not being together during this difficult time. Unfortunately, that's the way things are now. Phylo looks pretty depressed and really, why wouldn't he be? I hope that his stay at Wayside is as short as possible and that he finds a caring family that will understand his situation.
Keep in mind, November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month. Petfinder.com has a great article outlining the Ten Reasons Senior Cats Rule. Take a look at the article, then come over and meet Phylo. He'd like a chance to get to know you and show you himself why he'd make a great addition to your family.
There's a quiet girl at Wayside Waifs in Kansas City who is waiting for her forever home. Jasmine is a 3 year old domestic shorthair. Most often, you'll find her on a shelf in Meow Mansion, minding her own business. She's rather shy, so you have to approach her slowly. Once she's comfortable with you, she enjoys being petted.
Don't those eyes just speak to you?
One thing she really likes is playing with a wand toy. Volunteer Kathryn commented that once after playing with her, Jasmine was very affectionate. She must have felt much more relaxed after a good play session!
Jasmine's Glamour Shot. Picture by Cathy Sherman.
Mom thinks that Jasmine may have been feral-did you notice that her left ear is tipped? It just might take a little extra time for her to settle in somewhere if she's lived on her own her whole life. She's been at Wayside for about 3 months now, so she's experienced the love and caring of lots of people though. Hopefully that will make the transition into a family easier!
I usually focus on pets that are harder to adopt or have been at Wayside Waifs for a long time, but this week I'm going to post about...
A KITTEN!
This is Butter. He is 4 months old and cute as can be. That's the problem. If he doesn't get adopted VERY SOON Mom is going to bring him home. He's the kind of cat she always talks about. She seems to think that orange striped cats are cool. She's also fascinated by polydactyl cats. Guess what? Yup. Butter has thumbs.
Thank goodness he doesn't have freckles on his nose; he would have moved in last night. So please, help me out here. Get Butter adopted quickly. I'm sure tons of families would love a 4 month old, male, polydactyl, orange tabby kitten. Get him out of Wayside before Mom does something silly and adopts him. I'm an only kitty type of guy. I can't share my Mom with Butter-I can barely share her with Dad!
This week's Featured Furry was going to be a little brown bunny named Barley, but lucky for him he got adopted!
So instead, I want to remind you all about Mya, the pretty girl kitty I interviewed a couple of weeks ago. Since she's in foster, she doesn't get the exposure that the kitties at Wayside Waifs do, so please spread the word about her!
Since this week's Featured Furry post is coming so late in the day, I'll try to make up for it by doing another two-fer! Meet a sweet bonded pair, Jelly Bean and Veronica. They are available for adoption at Wayside Waifs in Kansas City.
Jelly Bean, an all black domestic shorthair, is the older sisfur of the pair at 5 years old. She's also the shy one. Jelly Bean has the cutest little squeaky meow! Can you see her right ear? It's kind of wrinkled at the top, but I think that adds to her beauty. *blushing* It's starting to sound like I have a little crush!
Even though she's pretty shy, after she gets to know you, she'll let you pet her a little and can be quite affectionate. It just takes her a little while to get comfortable with you.
Veronica is the younger sisfur at 4 years old. She's a black and white medium-hair cat. She'll need regular brushing to keep her coat in good condition. She has amazing whiskers too-check out those eyebrows!
Veronica is more outgoing than Jelly Bean, but not without checking someone out first. It doesn't take long though, and she's feeling comfortable enough to ask for pets.
Veronica and Jelly Bean have always lived together, so they must go home as a pair. I'm sure there is the perfect forever family out there just waiting to bring two cats home! They would get two very sweet kitties that, in time, would fit right into their life!
This week's Featured Furry is a special lady named Mya. In order to capture all the details about her essence, I've decided to let Mya tell you herself! I sat down with her and asked her some very personal questions, but that's the only way to find her perfect forever home.
Sebastian: Hi Mya. Thanks for talking with me. Explain to me where you're living at the moment and why.
Mya: Although I'm available for adoption through Wayside Waifs, I'm actually in foster right now. I live with Bonnie who works at Wayside. Living at the shelter can be quite stressful, as you probably remember. I was getting pretty cranky with all the noise, other cats and commotion even though all the volunteers and staff tried their best to keep me happy. I just have a very strict set of rules I live by.
Sebastian: You're a very independent lady. Tell me about some of your rules.
Mya: I have some rules about petting me. I do enjoy petting, but not while I'm grooming myself. I'm taking time to make myself presentable and can't be bothered while I'm going about it. If I'm not busy with that, someone cat pet me, but they must let me sniff their hand first. It doesn't matter if I know you or not, or even if you were just petting me, I still want to be sure that it's okay for you to touch me. Every. Time.
Next, I can be petted or brushed, but slowly and gently. If I feel like having my back rubbed, I'll sit with my back turned to you. If I want you to scratch my ears, I'll tilt my head toward your hand. Those are my favorite things to have done and I will give you a clear signal which I would like. I also give you a clear signal when I would like you to stop. I will politely put my paw on your arm and that is your cue that I have had enough. Keep in mind, I don't want to sit on your lap, so please don't try to pick me up and cuddle me.
Sebastian: How about play time? Do you enjoy toys?
Mya: I have play sessions three times a day with Bonnie. I rather enjoy wand toys, my favorite is the Cat Dancer toy. Sometimes I don't feel like playing right away, but with a bit of positive encouragement, I get right into the game! I also like hiding in and running through the agility tunnels that are in the house. Every now and then, I like the things in my room to be changed around. If Bonnie goes a week or so without moving things, I meow at her to let her know it's time for a change!
Sebastian: You sound like a fun girl! What do you like to eat?
Mya: I have simple tastes, really. As long as you keep a bowl of fresh water and a bowl filled with kibble around at all times, I'll be satisfied. Bonnie gives me a bit of canned food in the mornings for breakfast which I have come to expect and let her know if she's late in getting it to me.
Sebastian: Tell me what you're looking for in a forever home.
Mya: I need patient, experienced cat owners. It must be a calm and quiet home without children, dogs or other cats. I need owners who will understand that I need my space sometimes and will pay attention to my ways of communication and respect my desires. I am well behaved, use my litter box properly and make a good companion. I'm front declawed so I won't scratch up doors or furniture, although I do enjoy rubbing my paws on carpets.
Sebastian: So what happens if someone wants to adopt you?
Mya: I'll be living with my foster mom until I'm adopted so if someone thinks they would be a good match for me, they would need to call the adoptions department at Wayside Waifs at 816-761-8151 to set up an appointment to come to Bonnie's house to meet me. They would fill out some paperwork and if everything worked out they would come back to pick me up here. I'm up to date on all of my shots, so a trip to Wayside isn't necessary. Oh, I even come with my own bed. I've gotten quite accustomed to it so it will go to my new forever home with me.
Sebastian: Thanks for taking the time to tell me about yourself, Mya! You're quite a gal!
Check out Mya's YouTube video to see her in action:
Want more piccies of this beautiful girl? Check out her album here. I hope Mya finds her forever home soon. Even if she's not the right cat for you, all of us who have gotten to know her hope you'll spread the word about her!
Big thanks to Mya for answering all my questions, Bonnie Still for fostering Mya and providing the piccies of her, and to Lisa Richman, Wayside volunteer, for providing the video.
Last week's featured Waif was adopted on the following Saturday, so I hope luck continues this week and the same thing happens for Miss Virginia. Every time Mom sees her, she thinks of the Train song "Meet Virginia". Do you know what song I'm talking about?
She doesn't own a dress
Her hair is always a mess
If you catch her stealin'
She won't confess
She's beautiful.
Other than the part about her hair always being a mess and stealing, the first verse of that song really fits. Virginia is beautiful. Of course a proper ladycat like her would never steal, she probably wouldn't even sneak extra treats if she had the opportunity. That wouldn't be very ladylike. Virginia is quite the lady. She likes to be petted, but only for a little while. When she's had enough, she lets you know. Also, she's not a lap cat, but is quite happy to sit next to you and have you talk to her.
Virginia has been at Wayside Waifs for a few months now. The volunteers there don't know why she hasn't been adopted yet. She really doesn't have that many demands.
She would prefer to be in a quiet home without children.
She gets along with most of the other kitties at Wayside, so another cat in the home would probably be okay.
She likes to play with ribbon toys.
The volunteers are doing their best to get her adopted by doing things like decorating her kennel and wearing buttons with her picture on them. She's an older lady at 8 years old, but I think that's a benefit! At this age, she's a cat who knows who she is and what she wants.
I would love it if you would help to spread the word about Virginia! She's a great gal who needs to have a life outside of the shelter.
Hi pals! I'm trying something new with my blog, a weekly feature where I highlight a pet who is available for adoption from Wayside Waifs. I hope this keeps Mom from getting lazy with helping me with my blog!
My first weekly feature is a handsome mancat named Jimmy 2 Toes. He's Mom's new "shelter love" so we need to find him a forever home before she starts getting any thoughts about bringing him here to live with us.
Here are some facts about Jimmy 2 Toes, or J2T as the volunteers refer to him:
He is 1 & 1/2 years old.
He has been at Wayside before, but was returned after his family discovered the children were allergic to cats.
He is front declawed.
He gets along with other cats.
His adoption fee is $50.
Jimmy got his name because he only has two toes on his back left foot as the result of some kind of accident. It doesn't seem to cause him any pain though and he gets around just fine.
He does seem to be bothered a little by his recent declawing, though. (He was declawed by his adopters.) He sits up on his haunches quite often and this could be his way of taking the pressure off his front feet. The volunteers call it his "prairie dog imitation" and it is kinda cute looking!
J2T is a really cool cat. He enjoys being petted and loves to hang out with you, but he's not crazy about being held. I can't imagine not liking a good cuddle, but that's just me, I guess! He's pretty playful too. Here's a video that Ryker's mom filmed and my mom narrated:
Please spread the word that Jimmy 2 Toes is looking for his forever home, he deserves a loving family.
Video used with permission of LLRichman.
UPDATE: JIMMY 2 TOES WAS ADOPTED ON SATURDAY, JULY 2ND!!
Recently when Mom was volunteering at Wayside Waifs, another volunteer brought in some fleece blankies she bought at a STEAL! Her idea was to make some no-sew blankets-you know, the kind that are tied all along the edges. They were going to be especially for the kitties waiting for adoption. Mom thought this was a great idea and so did a couple other volunteers. They got right to work in the sun room at Wayside.
They wanted the blankies to be purrfectly kitty-sized, so they took each blanket and cut it into four blankets. Then they took the different patterns and put them together so they would look nice with a solid color on one side and stripes on the other.
They giggled and laughed the whole time they were making the kitty blankies. None of them knew what they were doing, but boy did they have a good time! Even one of the available cats helped them.
This is Simba holding down some material for Lindsay. He checked out all the blankets and made sure they were comfy enough for the kitties.
It took a long time, but soon they had four blankets done and they all gave the blanket they made to a special kitty. Simba got the one he helped Lindsay with. Mom gave hers to Anderson.
Aren't volunteers the best? They all love the kitties very much and make sure they have something special, something that is just theirs, while they stay at Wayside Waifs. In fact, Anderson is going to get to take his blankie home with him when he finds his forever home-Mom said so!
This is 
It took a long time, but soon they had four blankets done and they all gave the blanket they made to a special kitty. Simba got the one he helped Lindsay with. Mom gave hers to 