From commentor AdamT:
I have two cats that I love with all my heart. I have had both of them for about 10 years. I had a child 19 months ago … and guess what …. he’s allergic to cats.
I found a temporary home for them hoping to find a permanent home with someone I knew and trusted, but times up. Her landlord does not allow pets and they have to be out by this weekend.
I have to find a loving home for them. Although I’m asking a favor (a huge favor … a home for two older cats), I can’t just give them to anyone. I need to know they will be well cared for.
I’m in North Carolina, but I have a 4-day weekend coming up and I am willing to drive them anywhere within the Eastern US if I know they’re going to a good home.
The little black one is named Heewa (pronounced HEE-VA; it’s a Hawaiian word for “all black”).
The white one is named Allie.
Both are exclusively indoor female cats. Allie is declawed, Heewa is not but she is not very active with them. Both cats are extremely affectionate and pester you for attention quite frequently. Allie adjusts to a new environment immediately, but Heewa is a different story. For the first few weeks, she will hide and only venture out at night to eat. But once she adjusts, she will be fine. But she will always be skittish (she will hide when strangers are in the house).
We previously introduced a male cat into the house and they never got along (but he was an extremely aggressive cat). I don’t know how they would react to another cat …. it wouldn’t go well in the beginning. A dog would be a bad idea. They are great with kids (Allie right away, Heewa once she adjusts).
They like to snuggle in the bed at night with their owner. Heewa loves having her ears scratched. Allie always cocks her head at a 45 degree angle and is very clumsy (stemming from an ear infection she had when I rescued her). She loves catnip (like to the point of needing an intervention).
If you have any leads, send me an email at annelaurie (at) verizon.net — click on my name in the right-hand column — and I’ll put you in touch with AdamT.
gogol's wife
This is breaking my heart. The kitties are so beautiful and you obviously love them so much. But I have two semi-ferals, so I can’t consider it, it wouldn’t work. I wish you all the best in finding them a home.
Raven
Sent it on to my young friends in the triangle.
jenn
They’re beautiful! Good luck finding a new home for them!
ruemara
So sweet. That looks like my Kage. Someone, please. Think of the kitties!
Maike
I would totally take them, but a) I live in Texas, and b) I have a dog. All the best for you and the kitties.
PurpleGirl
They are gorgeous. Wish I could take them but my apartment is too cluterred right now and while I love animals, I’ve never owned one myself. Hope they find a good furever home.
schrodinger's cat
Kittehs is sweet looking, hope you find good homes for them.
Keith
@Maike: Same here, but b) I’ve already got 3, including 2 BJ rescues. I can easily see how people end up with dozens of cats, though…
jayjaybear
That’s the feline pantheon right there…Basement Cat and Ceiling Cat.
Litlebritdifrnt
@jayjaybear:
Ha ha that is exactly what I thought. I wish I could take them but I already have six and a dog. They would probably not be happy here.
Culture of Truth
So this is baby rescue bleg?
ha, just kidding. I wish I could take another one…
MazeDancer
Any BJ reader who has been thinking, gee, maybe I should try cats, so many BJ folks have kitties, this is a golden opportunity. Instant family. Delivered. Location not a problem it seems. (Having a house full of male cats with razor sharp claws – as is the situation here – is, however.)
What sweet faces. And they love to cuddle and love kids. This is a real opportunity for happy home for someone. If you have kids who have been wanting a pet, this is it.
Keith
Speaking of rescue cats, one of mine just came inside with 4 inches of drool hanging out of his mouth, and he’s running away from me. Anyone have an idea what he may have gotten into? My guess is a frog, but I’ve never seen this before so really don’t know.
Culture of Truth
I didn’t mean to make light of a serious situation. I’m sure this is difficult. I can’t take them, but in case anyone else is interested, how old are the cats?
Culture of Truth
I agree with MazeDancer — this a golden opportunity. And these are good cats. I can tell. I have a sense for these things.*
* I know a high maintenance cat because I have one.
piratedan
@Keith: keith, there are certain toads that have less than friendly secretions. Rinsing the mouth out with water is IMPERATIVE because the toxin can get into the body and cause your cat to stroke out. Also too, contract your emergency vet clinic in a great idea.
Funkula
Don’t know how likely this is to have happened to a cat (I’m guessing not very), but when I was a kid our dog started acting funny, drooling and pawing at her mouth. We took her to the vet, and she had a splintered root wedged across her palate. Apparently she’d been digging for gophers and had bitten through a root but got it stuck. The vet pulled it out with a pair of pliers.
It would be an odd cat that would end up in such a situation, but, well, some cats are odd. It’s just what I thought of upon reading the description.
WereBear
@piratedan: Excellent advice; pesticides can create the same reaction. Either way, you need to get some medical advice.
AdamT, I’m sorry such a joyous occasion led to such a sad one. Good luck; they look wonderful! (Hint hint to readers. Cats at ten years old are ONLY middle aged.)
Interrobang
Have you tried allergy mitigation? Wiping cats down with a slightly damp cloth a few times a day really does cut down on allergic people’s reactions to their saliva and dander. Also, and I’ve seen this personally several times, a lot of allergic people who have cats find they “desensitise” to their particular cat(s) after a while, so while other cats may bother them, their own doesn’t, or doesn’t as much.
I’m just putting that out there on the off chance you might be able to keep all three of your little family members…saves on the heartbreak.
Suffern ACE
@Keith: I’m guessing that he did something to either lose a tooth or shift one such that he can’t close his mouth. Hopefully you catch him soon.
MazeDancer
If AdamT finds a need to keep cats in a separate room, temporarily, with door closed, while looking for home, consider feeding them the highest quality food possible. Including raw. Either from pet food store, or just raw organic chicken. But at least Wellness or a premium no grain, no by-products, not grocery store brand. And no dry food or pouchy stuff.
Cats are obligate carnivores and anything that’s junky and not meat gets detoxed through their skin. And really, people who are allergic to cats have been able to tolerate mine a little better because the cats are well fed.
Also get a air purifier for your kid’s room. They ain’t cheap, but they help.
And Interrobang is right, people do desensitize. I am sometimes allergic to other people’s cats, but not my own. But it takes a while. It took me quite a bit to get used to the latest one that showed up. But I’ve now adapted. With a toddler, that might be hard. I understood what was happening, and managed the suffering. Kid not the same.
Culture of Truth
Heewa, is that you?
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
I’m full up, unfortunately, but we have several very good rescue groups in the Triangle area. I’ve dealt with Franklin County Humane Society and PurrPartners within the last couple of years. Also, some vets will help you find a home. I know Triangle-Tower has done so in the past.
Calouste
@Culture of Truth:
Say what?
TaMara (BHF)
Pretty kitties. Hope they find a good home.
edgefigaro
Your black cat looks like mine. He is only a year and a half old.
tesslibrarian
Oh, I wish my kitty boys could stand such beautiful ladies in their midst, but I would worry about Allie, as my Mal is a bit of a bully, and Dunc is neurotic about any attention I give other cats.
They are lovely, and I’m so sorry you can’t keep them. Your son will have no doubts about how much you truly love him when he hears about this when he’s older, though. I hope you can find them a good home, and together.
satby
I’m alleegic to all animals and I do rescue. Current census is 7 cats and 5 dogs. Isolation zones (i.e. bedrooms off limits), allergy mitigation as above, and I’ve gotten my life back on Singulair, which comes in a children’s chewable and is approvedeven for toddlers.
satby
FYWP won’t let me fix typos. Anyway, try all that and frequent dusting/vacuuming and the little guy may be less reactive. I also acclimate to my own cats while still allergic to other ones. Good luck.
Lyrebird
Sent to a MD/DC lover of cats who might forward to others…
Culture of Truth
@Calouste: LOL
Tonal Crow
Oooo, love cats black!
Painlord
If they are in North Carolina, then they might be close to the fabulous Wake County SPCA…and they might be able to help find a good solution.
Heck, how fabulous is the Wake County SPCA?
ABBA Fabulous.
Even if you’re not in NC, you should watch that video…if it doesn’t bring tears of awesome to your eyes, well…
-Pain
metalgirl
I’m in the triangle but have a pit/lab mix dog that would not welcome them :( Fingers crossed that you find them an awesome home!
asiangrrlMN
Heewa and Allie look so sweet. I put out a cat-signal on teh Twitters and with my NC peeps. I really hope they get placed soon.
JustPeachyAndYou
Can’t take moar kittehs — our Queen of the Universe would make the B&W pair her 6th and 7th subjects, which is too much excitement to contemplate.
@Keith: I agree with PirateDan and SuffernAce — catch drooling kitty any way you can and look at the mouth for damage, and also check heart rate (is it racing more than it should, even though you had to chase the cat around) and breathing (short, panting breaths, does it smell like anything other than tuna). If anything looks Not Quite Right, a quick trip to the vet is in order — poisonous things caught early make it much more likely the cat will survive. I speak from personal experience when I tell that a trip to your regular vet this afternoon is a lot cheaper than the emergency vet at 2:00a.
AdamT
Update:
After putting a massive guilt trip on my family, I drove my cats up to Indiana this weekend to a retirement property my folks have on the Ohio River. It’s not the ideal situation because no one is living there full time yet, but they should be within a year. My aunt lives down the road, so she will drop in on them every few days. My mother looks for any excuse to get up there, so this will give her more reasons to go.
Not ideal in the short term, but it is a permanent home. Once they are up there full time, then it is a perfect situation (except they’ve got a dog …. oh well).
Thanks to everyone who put forth effort to help me out.
This is the view they’ve got of the Ohio River. They’re living a better lifestyle than I am right now.
Picture #1
Picture #2