R.I.P. Ariel Marie

Ariel Marie is now at the Rainbow Bridge.

She was at the shelter where I volunteer for just a short while. I can't tell you why exactly, but I fell in love with her. I never had the chance to pet her as she hadn't gotten her blood work done to be tested for various diseases and I didn't want to risk exposing my kitty at home to anything. She was always a little crabby and it took her a while to begin eating after being left there.

She was in the room called the "Kitty Den", a place not open to the public. She wasn't officially up for adoption because she was being boarded. Her family had lost their home and was not able to keep her. The shelter took her in with the understanding that after some time, she may be put up for adoption. Unfortunately, that wasn't able to happen.

When I went to the shelter this past week, I asked another volunteer about her and if she had been adopted. That's when I got the sad news. Apparently, Ariel Marie had quit eating and upon examination, she had many sores in her mouth that weren't healing. This reminded me of my kitty in Wichita who passed away in June. He had the same symptoms before he went to the Rainbow Bridge. In fact, that may be part of why I instantly took a liking to Ms. Ariel Marie. She bore a slight resemblance to my Rosie boy.

Rest well, Ariel Marie. I hope you and Rosie met at the bridge and are chasing bugs together until I am able to meet you there.

Introducing Annie

There's a kitty at Wayside Waifs that deserves the spotlight. Her name is Annie and she's been at Wayside longer than any other cat there. She's been there almost a year now and nobody is really sure why.

Annie is a sweet cat who was abandoned. She was taken in by a neighbor, but the neighbor was not able to continue to care for her. That is when she made her way to Wayside. The neighbor had wonderful things to say about Annie, like the fact that she was affectionate, a lap cat and gentle when playing. The time I have spent with Annie reveals that she is very calm, shy at first, then, with time, more trusting. I imagine that after being abandoned and moved, followed by living in a shelter for almost a year, building trust will take some time with her. I fully believe that the time invested to earn her trust would be completely worth it.

Many of the volunteers at Wayside are very close to Annie and try their best to match her up with the right adopter. Brainstorming sessions seem constant. There is even a video of Annie playing.



Her new home should not have children, as she doesn't care for kids. If there are other pets, they would have to be the type that would give her plenty of space. However, the ideal situation would probably be a home where she is the only pet. Annie is a little chubby, but with a stable home that includes play time for exercise and a healthy diet, I think she will slim down. If you are in the market for an addition to your family, you should check out Annie on the Wayside Waifs website, or even better, come in to meet her in person!

I know that there is somebody out there who is perfect for Annie. That person will be patient, understanding and compassionate. Are you that person?

Sebastian: A Sensitive Soul

On February 24th, during my regular duties as a volunteer at a local animal shelter, I fell in love. With Sebastian. I am a feline socializer (I pet homeless cats) and he was in one of the Hug Rooms. I read his card on the outside of the door-7 year old male, front declawed, owner surrender-and went in to give him some attention.

I sat down on the floor and he immediately wanted in my lap. I, of course, obliged and let him curl up on me while I petted and talked to him. He was so very sweet and affectionate. He would lean up against me and touch me softly with his paw. I would stroke his fur and tell him what a good kitty he was. He looked at me with such sweet sadness in his eyes I almost couldn't stand it.

I went home that night and thought of nothing else. I talked to my Mom, who just talked about the cost of adopting and owning a cat. I talked to Lee, who told me I should adopt him since I always seem so lonely. I talked to the property manager to discuss the increase in my rent. Two days later I went back to the shelter (in the middle of the day) and said I wanted him. We completed the paperwork and I went into the Hug Room and told Sebastian that when I came back that evening for my volunteer shift, he would get to go home with me!

Our first few days, or nights rather, were difficult. There was a lot of moving about and meowing from him causing little rest for me. After about a week, we had worked out a schedule and things were starting to run more smoothly. I would leave the door cracked open for him at night so he could patrol the apartment. The blinds would be left up with the curtain drawn so he could still look out the window. I filled his food bowl at bedtime so he wouldn't run out of kibble in the night and need to alert me to the emptiness of the dish. Because of these things, I was able to get a full night's sleep, sometimes with a kitty curled up with me.

We had some other issues as well. Every other day, I would give him treats. On those days, Sebastian would vomit. Like clockwork. I thought maybe he would get used to them and it would work itself out. After living with me for about two weeks, he had his first trip to his new vet for a general check-up. I told the vet about the puking and she determined that he had a sensitive stomach. She directed me to feed him the appropriate food for this problem and I quit giving him treats. Since then, he has kept everything down. What a relief for me, as cleaning the carpet was not my favorite thing to do!

Every night, as I lie in bed watching Golden Girls on TV, Sebastian sits on my lap and we spend some quality time together. I noticed quickly that he always seems to have a worried look on his face. I wonder how his previous family could have given up such a gentle, sweet animal. I try to assure him that I will never let him down, that I will always love him and he can relax knowing his forever home is with me. It seems that not only does Sebastian have a sensitive stomach, but he also has a sensitive soul. It is now my job to protect that soul and the kitty body that it inhabits. I do so with pleasure. I am in fact writing this post with him sitting on my lap and enjoying it immensely. I take my job as his guardian very seriously and I plan to make him proud to call me his human.