From commentor Freemark:
I am attaching some pictures, sorry for the quality but an old digital camera and this little girl never stops moving. The back story is this; this older kitten ran into our house 2 days ago skin and bones but as friendly as could be. I’m not one to feed homeless cats but there was no way I wasn’t feeding her. Its obvious by her friendliness and willingness to be picked up that she was living with someone but got dumped.
I’m back living with my parents as I’m going back to get my Physics degree at 44. They don’t want her and I can’t in good conscience tell them I’ll take care of her when I’m away 12-14 hours a day at school. Add that to the fact my mom just had open heart surgery. As well as I really can’t afford to get her spayed, shots, etc on my school loans but I don’t want to take her to the SPCA as her chance of adoption is 50/50. She is super friendly and quite willing to be picked up but squirms if you try to cradle her. She is a beautiful charcoal gray with golden eyes…
I live in Saginaw, PA which is just outside of York, PA.
If you have a lead, or know of a no-kill shelter in the area that has a space for this sweetie, send me an email (click on my name in the right-hand column) and I’ll put you in touch.
beltane
She is gorgeous.
Matthew Reid Krell
What a cutie. And the attitude in that last picture.
Yutsano
Should we start a spaying fund? I could help a bit with that.
Amir Khalid
Another kitteh bleg! This one’s got character, that’s obvious. Let’s hope she has the same luck as Miss Kitty.
BGK
Naive, I know, but I really cannot get my brane to fasten on the idea that someone could dump or abandon a pet. My family members are all pet people, as are my friends and co-workers (we readily cover for one another when we have vet visits). I’d go so far as to say we all spoil our pets. Also too, my neighborhood is crawling with happy dogs and cats in windows.
I wish I could run home right now and slobber on one of my cat-beasts.
Sorry for being OT, but it gets under my skin.
gbear
I just got my cat from an Animal Humane Society in the Twin Cities. Here’s a google of Humane Societies hopefully near your area.
The three cats I’ve adopted have all come from Humane Society shelters. I’ve talked to no-kill shelters about accepting animals a couple of times and they are either never accepting cats or they’re impossibly fussy about what they’ll take in. I’d rather get my cat from a place where cats with issues are accepted. If she’s as much of a sweetheart as you say, there should be someone that will want to take her home.
ETA: I realize it’s a hard decision. I’ve never had to find a new home or surrender a cat except for when my father got too absent minded to take care of cats that had belonged to my mom.
Anna in PDX
What a beauty! I would be tempted if you were anywhere near my area and I already have three cats (two from the Humane Society, one from a friend).
SBD
Wow, that cat looks a lot like the one we adopted five years ago in nearby Manchester, PA! I suspect it’s a close relative. If she has anything like his temperament, she’ll make someone a fine pet indeed.
freemark
When I think what someone did to this kitty I get rather pissed off. When she gets picked up one handed under the chest, two-handed for a child, you can tell she was very used to that like she was around children. Saying that because that is how I always see young kids carry them
She was anxious when I first met her. I actually stepped on her a few times because she wouldn’t leave my feet. I sent Anne a couple new pictures of her sleeping on the porch swing now that she has a full belly and is much calmer.
Neither I nor my parents have ever owned or cared for a cat so we are in new territory here.
Judas Escargot, Acerbic Prophet of the Mighty Potato God
We’re currently at Peak Cat, but one of them (Ubu) is also ‘blue’ like this one. Some of the neighbors have blue ones as well (Somebody’s Russian Blue must have escaped a few years back or something).
That said, I’d recommend Blue cats highly. Smart but not explicitly troublemakers. Great disposition. Also tend to be the kind that ‘talk back’ entertainingly when you talk to them.
Mnemosyne
This definitely seems to be the time of year when cats who have been surviving outside fairly well suddenly realize, “Oh, shit, winter is coming! Better find some new
suckershumans to take care of me.”And, yes, if getting her spayed and vaccinated would help get her placed, I’m sure us Juicers can come up with a little cash to help out with that.
Mnemosyne
@Judas Escargot, Acerbic Prophet of the Mighty Potato God:
My late great Boris was part Russian Blue and part Persian. Best. Cat. Ever, and a great conversationalist.
Soylenth
@Anna in PDX: also in pdx, was thinking the same thing :)
freemark
@Mnemosyne: I think this one is too young to be so jaded. At least I hope so.
jenn
Beautiful cat! Good luck finding her a forever home – & thanks for fostering her in the meantime!
jenn
Forgot to add that if you set up a spay/vet fund, I’m in too.
Culture of Truth
I found a similar looking cat in the street the other day. So friendly I assume it belonged to someone. Still, I wonder. Skinny, no collar.
David Hunt
There’s a special corner of Hell reserved for people who abandon pets. Right next to the sections reserved for child molesters and people who talk at the theater.
TaMara (BHF)
@freemark: Hmm, well, I’m sure with this crew on the job she’ll find a good home, but since you’ve never had a cat and she seems to have captured your heart, let me give you the lowdown on cat care since you’re worried about being gone all day.
1. Spay (I’m on board with the others on helping $$)
2. Clean litter box once a day. (scoop, scoop, done)
3. Give kitty nice indoor home to wander around in
4. Skritch her morning before you leave, again when you get home and let her sleep and study with you (for her they’ll be the same thing). Feel all your stress disappear.
5. Make sure she has fresh water and a full bowl of food.
Repeat daily.
Honestly, that’s about it for cats. I left mine for the last 5 days and all my pet sitter had to do was come in and clean the litter box and make sure the water was still ok.
I mean, sure some cats like to play…mine can’t be bothered. I am the staff and their only job is to mess up my paperwork when I’m working at home.
R-Jud
ZOMG. Blue cats are my weakness. If you were in original York rather than York, PA, I’d be up to collect her first thing in the morning.
As it is, I have relatives and FB friends in the next county over, so I’ll post this. Hope she finds a home soon.
Mr. Poppinfresh
That cat is indeed at least partially a Russian Blue, since he looks like my own shelter-adopted purebred fattycakes. They are indeed whip-smart, and only moderately obnoxious about it. Most of all, they are ridiculously people-centric and chatty; mine loves it when we have a bunch of friends over, because he spends the night lap-hopping and chirping at everyone.
Whoever adopts that cat is winning the cat lottery.
Kristine
Also here to pitch in for the spay/shots fund.
freemark
Paws of PA has emailed me a voucher for a vet in Dover, PA (yes that Dover, PA). It is approximately $160 for spaying, vaccinations, and FIV test. The local SPCA will also do micro-chipping for $25.
I’m not sure how to set up something for donations, probably check with Anne.
Jane2
@freemark: I’ve got some spare cash for the vet fund. As TamAra points out, cats are pretty low maintenance, and can be a great comfort when you’re semi-suicidal at the prospect of completing 3 or so week-long assignments before 8 a.m. the next morning.
Ann Marie
I might be interested in taking her in, if no one else can. Two caveats: (1) I live in Philadelphia and I don’t drive; we’d have to find some way to get her to me; and (2) I have two cats already, so I’d need to have her checked by a vet to make sure she doesn’t have any disease she could communicate to my cats (i.e., feline leukemia and some others). I will pay for the vet to check her out, and for the spaying if she comes to live with me. I’ll send Anne Laurie my e-mail.
MazeDancer
@freemark:
Yes, contact Anne Laurie. Set up a PayPal account. We donate to it. You keep us posted on kitty’s progress.
Or if you book an appointment with a vet and explain the situation then we can call the vet and individually credit card a donation directly to them. (16-20 people at 10 bucks each for example.) They are probably use to rescue things.
If there is any way you and your family can keep kitty, it’s very healing and happy making to have a bundle of love around purring.
ETA: Or Ann Marie may have a new little one! Yay!
CatHairEverywhere
I want to second, third or whatever the comments that cats are very low maintenance, much more so than dogs, and if you have never lived with a cat, you are missing out, especially when it comes to blue kitties. I had one throughout my high school years, (Rudolph the Gray-Nosed Kitten. He was a Christmas present when I was 10) Rudy was such a smart, cool, affectionate boy, and I was so sad when it was time for him to go to the Rainbow Bridge. Cats are a great source of stress relief, and they are especially good at snuggling up and helping people recover from illness. If you decide you can’t keep her, I hope she goes to a wonderful home!
Ann Marie
I forgot to add that if someone else takes her, or freemark finds a way to keep her, I would be happy to contribute to the costs of spaying and immunizations.
Lunarkitty
I’ll second the comment about cats & illness. My brother found a kitten on the street Christmas Eve one year & I took her in. 9mos later a friend found a kitten in a dumpster & I took her too. I only had both for about a week & they weren’t too sure about each other yet when I got the swine flu. Those cats spent the whole week laying on me all day every day. It was the beginning of them getting along. I know you’re gone long hours, but cats don’t need much. I routinely leave mine alone for the weekend & they’re fine.
jayjaybear
She’s beautiful. I’d take her if I didn’t already have three cats and a dog. But if I were to bring another animal into the house, there’d probably be a general mutiny and that’s not good for anyone…
Softail
I’m in for the spay & shots fund.
Liz
Oh, what a beauty. She definitely looks part Russian Blue. We adopted our kitteh from a shelter years ago, and he looks a lot like her.
Blues are great cats. They frequently attach to one or two people and love being near those people. Very social and interactive with their people. Ours will carry things around the house, and sometimes bring us stuff.
Liz
Also wanted to chime in — cats are very easy to take care of. You can leave a cat alone while you’re at work all day and it’s fine. Ours just sleeps while we’re gone. He hangs out with us at night while we watch TV or geek on the computer. About 15 minutes of playtime with the laser pointer is great if you can do it, but not required.
WaterGirl
Please let us know whether Ann Marie takes her or if there’s a way/place to contributed.
Allen
As an aside, I really want to thank the poster on the previous cat bleg for pointing me to “The Way of Cats” blog, very informative. I have noticed a new cat in the neighborhood, a very ample Ginger Tabby that has a collar and a tag but I haven’t been able to get close enough to get a phone number. Hope it has a home with the rainy season coming up here in Orygun. At least cats don’t wander far.
pkdz
@Liz: Love Russian Blues. Our cat Leo died about a week ago. He used to sit next to my laptop and wait for me to come downstairs after tucking the children into bed. Russians attach to their people, that’s for sure.
seaboogie
@freemark: Dude, I think that you’ve just been adopted by a cat, and a great one by the look of her. It doesn’t matter if you or your family know about cats – she’ll teach you. Probably busy typing up her “to-do” list and figuring out how the printer works right now.
When my Dad and Step-Mom got together we had a 12 year old cat and my Step-Mom was very anti-cat since she grew up on a farm and cats were strictly outdoor creatures. We patiently explained to her that Puss had been in the family longer than my little sister and we were a package deal. Fast forward 12 years and you would find my Step-Mom roasting a turkey every month – half for the cat because it was her favorite food and half for them. She even had a professional portrait taken of that poor decrepit soul at the age of 24 just before she passed, and what you couldn’t see behind the black velvet backdrop that she was posed against was the fact that my Step-Mom was holding her up because she was listing hard to starboard from a brain tumor. Couldn’t talk about her for years without SM breaking into tears. To sum up: cats are awesome, and they’ll teach you – and my step-mom should have been far more concerned about taking on three teen-agers!
Timmeh
Wow – if you were in the Boston area I’d be driving over to pick up the kitteh. Beautiful cat and I hope she finds a wonderful home.
dark patriot
im also interested in donating.
ADS
Happy to pitch in for this sweetie.