I’m hoping you could post these photos of Louie. He started coming around in the spring. Of course we called all of the no-kill shelters, and of course, everybody is full. I’ve tried asking around to see if anyone is looking for a cat. I even offered him to our contractor, but no dice. We live in a neighborhood with a lot of strays, and we’ve had a few heart-breakers where the cat disappeared or died right as we were lining up a home. We normally we just leave food out and refuse to get attached because of this. Louie has ignored our efforts at keeping a distance, and he has clearly decided that we’re his rescuers. I often see him sitting on the brick fascia with his nose pressed against the window, looking longingly into the house. The problem is that we already have two, and one is quite elderly. There’s just no way we can take him, and he so clearly wants to have a home. I’m hoping a Balloon-Juicer in MN is willing to take him.
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He’s very friendly; earlier in the summer he would sometimes get too excited if someone pet him too long, and he’d sometimes get a little nippy. This has disappeared with my husband, who spends more time with him than I do, and he’s getting better with me too. I’m pretty confident that once you take him home and give him time to feel safe, the behavior would go away entirely. I think he’d be o.k. with other cats, since we have one indoor/outdoor cat and he never bothers or hisses at her. I don’t know about dogs or kids since I’ve never seen him with either. He’s a pretty low-key guy though, so my guess is he’d be fine. We really like him, and we think he’d be a fantastic pet for someone.
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He isn’t neutered. My husband and I are willing to take him to the vet, and pay for his neuter, initial work-up, and first vaccinations. We thought about taking him in to get a check-up so we could give a health status, but we’re afraid of traumatizing him to the point we wouldn’t be able to catch him again. He seems healthy enough, although a little rough around the edges. We’re also willing to deliver him within about a one hour radius of N. Mpls.
If you have a potential home for this good-looking (blue!) guy, email me at [email protected] — or click on my name near the top of the right-hand column — and I’ll link you up.
WereBear
Oh, he’s wonderful! I’m in NY.
But obviously he loves people. So that’s 90% of what anyone needs in a cat.
MikeJ
Can somebody please neuter Joe Buck and Tim McCarver? With a rusty spoon?
Yutsano
Paging wifey – stat!
J. Michael Neal
I shouldn’t. I can’t. I already have three of the little freeloaders. Monster is having a hard enough time getting used to Harry.
Sorry.
Gromitt Gunn (formerly JMC_in_the_ATL)
Oh, goodness, he is absolutely beautiful. I have a huge soft spot for grey kitties. Unfortunately I am in Texas. And all full up on (feline) crazy.
WaterGirl
If that doesn’t get you, nothing will. sniff.
abo gato
OMG, he looks exactly like our Clarence. What a beautiful guy. I’m in Texas too, too far away.
geg6
Not in the vicinity, but that’s a pretty cat.
Meanwhile, here in the Burgh, my dogs are being driven to madness by the smell of the babybacks on the grill. Potato salad and grilled corn with a nice chilly Reisling and pineapple upside down cake will drive the humans to madness. Or a food coma. One of the two.
Fucen Pneumatic Fuck Wrench Tarmal
@geg6:
what?
you didn’t “dress for winter”,in august, and head to heinz field ,so you could stand around all day as an extra in the crowd scenes of another comic book blockbuster? where is your parochialism?
Edith
Watergirl,
It DOES break my heart,every time. I really wish we could keep him. We’ve tried three cats in the house before though, and it just doesn’t work with our older girl. I completely understand, JMN, but if you can pass the info along, I’d really like to find a good home for this guy.
schrodinger's cat
He looks like Happy Cat! Hope he finds a home soon. I am too far and am also in the process of moving.
sacrablue
Best of luck Edith. I hope Anne Laurie sends her special kitty mom/dad finder vibrations to Minneapolis as easily as she got them to California a few weeks ago. I know just how you are feeling. Surely, somebody in the BJ universe needs another furball in their midst.
Dee Loralei
Gorgeous boy and I’m too far away. And I am down a cat, but not quite ready for another. (sigh) I do hope Anne Laurie works her magic for you Edith and Louie.
Anyone ever read the Midnight Louie detective books? This Louie could be his brother Dusky Louie.
WereBear
@Dee Loralei: Dee Loralei’s comment made me think you should put up his poster in writer’s groups.
The connection might help.
Sarah in Brooklyn
I put this up on Facebook, hope that’ll help.
Mnemosyne
Awww. I have a soft spot for gray cats — my late great Boris was that beautiful shade of blue-gray (though with a silver undercoat). But we, too, have a full house and live too far away.
Edith
Thanks Sarah, for the posting on Facebook. We’re probably willing to drive further for a good home, but I didn’t want to open it up too much. If you know someone within a couple of hours of the Twin Cities we’d be willing to go.
ruemara
And, I’d like to point out, that is a lovely Russian Blue, who’s as loving as they come. Plus, BJ is a great source of wonderful cats. I heartily endorse adopting this little stray peanut. Hope he finds a home soon and you’re a good egg, Edith.
amphodale
I’m lurking from mpls and I posted this on Facebook as well. We’ve got two already and can’t get a third at the moment :/
Dee Loralei
@Edith: Ever want to visit Memphis? Louie looks like my littlest kitty Gabriella. She’s looks like a Russian Blue and has those green eyes too. She and Moses the Siamese shared a Grandmother who was a white Persian. MapQuest on my Iphone is trying to give me millage, but I only have two bars so it’s taking a long time, LOL.
Edith
Dee Loralei,
If you’re sure you want him I’d be willing to meet half-way. Send your info to Annie, and we can get in touch.
J. Michael Neal
I would happily volunteer to do any driving necessary. I have nothing but time, and I find driving by myself to be relaxing. With a cat, who knows. I regularly drive up to Duluth in the middle of the night, for no reason other than to turn around and drive back. I’d be willing to go up to about 8 hours away from the Twin Cities.
debit
He looks like an absolute doll, but I am over my limit, petwise.
Mnemosyne
@ruemara:
Boris was part Russian Blue and part Persian, so he was pretty much genetically determined to be the sweetest, most loving cat ever. Here he is on YouTube after getting his teeth cleaned.
I love our current cats, but they’re not Boris.
WereBear
@Dee Loralei: In case it helps:
After a loss, how long before we get a new cat?
Short version: I don’t think it’s quite necessary to “get over” one cat before we find another (or they find us.)
I lost my Bubby ten years ago; and I’m still not over it. But it doesn’t mean I can’t love other cats :)
Dee Loralei
@Edith: I’m really not emotionally ready yet. JMichael thanks kind sir for your offer to play taxi driver. I am sorry and I do wish I was ready, he looks a right charmer.
Dee Loralei
@WereBear: Thanks, I know that of course. My beloved Delilah, the best golden retriever to ever live in the entire universe for all time past and future, died much too young when she was 5 1/2 years old ( Lymphoma) and I got two more golden puppies 6 months later I love bunches, and I still have a Delilah sized whole in my heart. And I love your site. Did you ever get that Purina gig, or whatever it was we all went and voted for you for? And if you didn’t boy did they screw up.
But Edith, I will talk to the other family members and show them Louie’s picture, because I kinda dig the idea of a Dusky Louie, because I loved those silly Midnight Louie Mysteries. Please take up any other offers Anne Laurie finds first though, okay? I don’t want that handsome boy to go without a forever home because I’m still hurting and hung-up.
Mnemosyne
@Dee Loralei:
It will also depend on how emotionally ready your other cat(s) are. We ended up getting another cat quite a bit sooner than we had planned after Boris died because poor Keaton was so bored and lonely being an only cat that he was driving us nuts. Conversely, one of my friends at work lost one of her two cats but the remaining cat seems to be enjoying having the house all to herself, so they’re probably going to let her stay solo since she’s already elderly.
MazeDancer
Dee Loralei & Edith:
Minneapolis to Memphis is 820+ miles and about 14 hours. It’s basically straight South.
Now a relay of cars could do it. Maybe there are enough BJ pet maniacs along the way. Certainly there would be plenty of people willing to chip in for gas. I’ll buy the carrier and no spill cup. I’ve driven across country with my kitty happy on lotsa towels in a biggish carrier. It can be loud. But a cat can go 14 hours without food easily. Not ideal, but with a forever home at the end, it’ll be okay.
Also, Minneapolis to Memphis is a straight flight, no stops. Have even changed planes in Minn to go to Memphis. Left over from Delta buying NWA. In October, Louie could be flown down and it wouldn’t be that long a trip. (Just don’t do it when it’s hot) Again, funding could be contributory.
And if Dee Loralei isn’t the person, and there is someone out there who sees Louie and says “My boy”, maybe there is something similar or even more creative we can join forces and work out together. Think big. At least this is a problem we might solve. Unlike so many others these days.
And how hard for you, Edith, to not be able to keep him. Bless you.
MazeDancer
@Dee Loralei:
SO VERY SORRY I WROTE THE ABOVE POST about getting Louie to Memphis.
I didn’t see latest post from you. I was too busy researching carriers so had the post window open a long time and didn’t see it. And can’t edit it.
So very sorry. Apologies. And understand emotions. Lost one of my kitties recently, too.
You’re ready when you’re ready. Any time is the right time.
Edith
I totally understand Dee Loralei. If I hadn’t already had cats living with me when my old meezer died four years ago, I’d probably still be without a cat. She was my tenth birthday present, and she lived to be twenty. She’d been a part of two-thirds of my life when I had to have her put to sleep. We’d been through some really hard time together too. I still miss her, almost every day. Thanks J. Michael Neal. I too, loved driving alone late at night, until my herniated disc put a stop to it. I loved the drive on 94 going east for calming my mind, I’m not sure quite why.
Dee Loralei
@Mnemosyne: She misses Moses a lot, but has stayed mostly hidden in the two weeks he’s been gone, only coming out to eat. She’s even more feral than he ever was. I think another cat right now, might keep her hidden for longer than she’d be naturally inclined to on her own. She’s been getting lonely and coming out more for company. Or maybe another cat would draw her out into the family quicker, it’s so hard to know. We brought them into the home together and so they never needed to bond with us in the normal sense. Though of course each of them did a bit, they just relied more on each other than any of us. So I don’t know what to do.
WaterGirl
@MazeDancer:
All the news has been so overwhelming lately that I feel better just hearing you say that.
WereBear
@Dee Loralei: Thanks for the nice blog compliment. The Purina gig? No, they chose a man who lives in NYC and has ONE CAT. I’m sure he’s a nice fella, and I wish him all the best. I’m not corporate material; and that’s not even counting the fact I have a sneaking suspicion they just wanted someone with the most Facebook friends :)
I put up the post in case you hadn’t seen it. I get the most wonderful feedback on the series of posts I put up after our 13 year old, Puffy, had to be put to sleep. There’s not a lot about pet mourning out there; I’m so pleased people find my posts helpful.
Dee Loralei
@MazeDancer: You are also so sweet to plan the logistics . God I love this place, the commentors are just as great as the front pagers.
See Edith, if it isn’t me, Dusky Louie will find a forever home here and we’ll make sure he gets there.
Dee Loralei
@WereBear: Yea, I’ve been a pet owner for a very long time,like 1966) I remember in the early 80’s I cancelled a date the night one of my cats had been put down, because I was all horribly teary and 1) the guy thought I was a bit weird for loving a cat so much,2) he thought I was blowing him off. And 3) I felt compelled to apologize for my feelings. A week or so later, I saw him out and he asked me out again, and I told him that I had no interest in dating a guy who would not understand my feelings for a family member, no matter how many legs they had! And I vowed then and there that I would never ever again apologize for my feelings about an animal. I call that my Paprika Rule, in honor of the ginger cat who slobbered when he purred.
Paddy
@Mnemosyne: Just FREAKING adorable!!!
Jane2
I’d love to help on a kitty road trip! I’m used to hundreds of miles of yowling/pouting/surly glares/sleeping.
sfinny
I also would be willing to drive as transport. I’m in the metro NY area, but would be happy to meet another person half way if there was a place near here. According to The Google it is 20 hours from Minneapolis to New York. I recently did a trip to Greensboro (11 hours) easily in one day.
Emerald
Edith, if you can’t find someone, try blegging for Louie on one of the Daily Kos pootie diaries, posted every day. Or even try a separate diary. Bet it would hit the wreck list.
The place is full of cat lovers from all over. If they can’t find Louie a forever home, nobody can.
(And, um, have you tried him indoors? Maybe he’d get along with your other kitties better than the last did, especially if it’s only temporary. I fear for him living outside. He’s just a gorgeous boy. Nevertheless, Ceiling Cat bless you forever for your wonderful efforts.)
Andy
These folks on Balloon Juice just don’t fucking stop, I love you. I’m a bitter person who is pursing a doctorate in psychology who has really tried to figure this all out before. But your concern for this cat has given a new perspective for me. Thank you. We really dig Louie. The last cat that tried to make us their home was Phil who died in Edith’s arms after going into convulsions and then finally passing at the emergency clinic. Phil survived for over a month in a boarded-up home a couple doors down from us. I was asked to extract “a cat” by the slum-lord who didn’t know her head from her ass. I’ll also mention that I’m military trained, and that even animals, such as cats, display abnormal environmental (obviously) cognitive issues when subjected to environment ‘duh… blah, blah, blah. To make a long story short. Phil did in fact have neurological issues that the Vet. said were basically impossible to deal with. Whether they were a result from starvation, or from Phil getting into some kind of poison. ‘Oh yeah, and these knuckle-head fucks that lived in the house (presumably Phil’s owners) stole all the copper gas lines a day after they were evicted. The city and MFD had to dig a trench on the boulevard in the middle of the night to shut-off the gas main. A longer story short. The Vet. said that the gas exposure may have also been a factor (which was latter told to me by a neighbor was even too high for even the fucking fire dept. to work in) and may have caused the neurological issues he/we saw in Phil even after our delicate attempt to hydrate and feed him. We have his ashes and plan to find a nice sunny spot in our flower garden for him.
I have read Balloon Juice daily for a couple of years now, and I feel like I know many of you personally. Edith has read you for even longer (she turned me onto you guys). Everything I read is from the heart, from everyone. This is a very unique community here. I’m especially blown away by the response for this cat (that’s why I’m writing this), and Anne you rock for doing this stuff. I guess what I’m trying to wrangle over is the fact that there are indeed some extraordinary and good people left. Perhaps this is something that we need more reminders of these days, but we shouldn’t have to remind ourselves of it. This is how people naturally are and should be, right? You guys are fucking cool!
Mnemosyne
@Dee Loralei:
It’s so hard to say — when we got Annie (now our middle cat), one of the only reasons her fosterer let us take her for a trial run was because we already had a cat and a previous adoption to a home with no other cats had been disastrous. Since Annie had lived with a feral colony for a while, she seemed to feel much better having another cat around who could vouch that we were not planning to eat her or something.
Of course, Keaton is Mr. Charm & Personality and is beloved by humans and cats alike, so that helped calm her down, too. Keaton is The Most Interesting Man in the World in feline form.
RandyH
He sure is a pretty cat. I’ve got two 5-year-old boys and live in Nevada, but he will definitely be a good boy for whoever adopts him.
He just puts a smile on the face though. He’s a good one.
R-Jud
Doing my morning catch-up reading. If I weren’t six time zones away, I would come and get that guy today. I miss my big, cuddly boy cat so hard, and Louie looks like he’s cut from similar cloth.
Le sigh.
Yutsano
I talked to wifey. She’s about 80% on snatching him up for herself. If not she spread the word around about sweet Louie. So a miracle could happen here very soon.
THE
Russian Blues have amazing soft fur too.
Moesha
Reaching out to friends in Rochester, MN to see if they’re interested, and asking them to ask around as well.
Jane2
@Yutsano: The other 20 percent comes when she looks into his sweet furry face in person.
CatHairEverywhere
Let us know what happens. He reminds me of the adorable Russian blue I had when I was a kid. Four cats and two dogs are all we can handle right now, though. Plus we live halfway across the country (to the west) from you.
Wazmo
Drat. I’m in the Twin Cities area, and I could have fostered him. unfortunately, resident cat (a rescued Red Persian) is declawed (he came that way from the rescue) and it was communicated that he doesn’t get along with other cats.