I adopted fattycatty 3 years ago in July from the animal shelter when she was 11 years old. I was watching the local news and the people from the shelter were doing their featured pet of the week segment when Jenifer McAndrews, the local anchorwoman, offered to pay for the adoption of a cat because the shelter was overcrowded.
I wanted to go immediately but I didn't. I thought I'll let some kid take advantage of the offer. I waited until the end of the day and I called the shelter to see if anyone had adopted a cat - no one had. I made a beeline for the shelter because she had put an end of the day deadline on paying for the adoption.
I walked into the shelter and I told them to give me the oldest cat they had. This surprised them and they asked me why. I told them that I was disabled and I didn't have the energy to take care of some crazy cat - I needed one that would just lay there. They sent me to the cat room to make sure that I wanted fattycatty. (not her name at that time) I went to her cage and she was just laying there - a beautiful, calico cat.
In the cage with her was another cat. He was absolutely begging me to take him home. He was obviously a much better pet. I went back to the front desk and I told them I couldn't make my mind up - to just surprise me and put a cat in a carrier and I would be happy either way.
The director of the animal shelter was standing there and she jokingly said, "I give you a two for one deal if you take them both."
Much to her surprise, I told her to "load 'em up."
"Seriously," she asked.
"Yes, I'll take them both if you will let me have them." That is how I ended up getting 2 cats for free that day.
I didn't realize how fat that fattycatty was until I picked up the carrier to take her into the house. (shelter employees had loaded them in the truck for me) I was shocked! I could barely carry it up my stairs. (remember I'm disabled and I was doing very badly at that time). Fattycatty was so traumatized by her adoption that I was sure that she was going to die every day for about 6 months. I have video of her on youtube of her actually lying down to take a drink of water. She was too fat to stand up! She had been a one owner cat for the first 11 years of her life and in the space of days she had gone from a happy home to the shelter to my house. She was not adjusting well at all - and her weight didn't help.
The other cat, Andykitty, was the perfect pet. Unfortunately I didn't have the energy for a perfect pet and I found a woman who was suffering from empty nest syndrome and gave him to her. She still thanks me everytime she sees me. 
While Andykitty lived with me he tended to fattycatty's every need. He bathed her and he looked out for her. He was a very good friend.
After Andykitty left I had to start bathing fattycatty. She was so fat that she couldn't clean herself up. I had to do it for her. She is eat up with arthritis so I can only pet her head. She weighs about 16 lbs now, which is about double a normal cats weight but she can jump in my lap and run around like a normal cat. She is not shy. In fact she is very aggravating when she doesn't get her way - much like me.
She can YOWL so loudly and miserably that you would think she was dying if you didn't know better. That's a good thing though. It means she has adjusted and she has no problem letting me know when something doesn't suit her. She has at least 5 beds in my little apartment and she loves to chase "pounce "- her favorite treat.
I have a couple of videos of her in my video section as well as a few more on youtube. I can't get them to post today for some reason though.
No comments:
Post a Comment