December 2023 Adoptions
Written by Julia Persch
Sam
Back in September a big, handsome fluff-ball named Sam was surrendered to the Shelter. He had been passed down three times by older gentlemen owners who either died or became disabled, so that they couldn’t take care of him anymore.
But this 6-year-old Maine Coon settled into the Shelter routine quite easily, waiting for good things to come, especially food and playtime! He wasn’t keen on other cats, so he got his own room with a view out front, far away from the other kitties. And within all that fluffy fur he was a big hunk, needing to be on a diet.
Sam was the kind of cat that would gaze deep into one's eyes, wanting to be close to his human. He flirted, rolled on the floor, and purred up a storm for his caretakers to take him home, but it took a few months for him to find his new family.
Sam was adopted by Kaitlyn and Michael in Williston VT on December 1st.
They had applied in the beginning of November and asked if they could take him home after Thanksgiving holidays since they wanted to be travelling. Their situation seemed a perfect fit for Sam: A younger couple without other pets, who surely could give him a forever home. The adoption team agreed to wait until they could pick him up.
Kaitlyn’s first update showed that Sam had landed with his bum in the butter!
They had applied in the beginning of November and asked if they could take him home after Thanksgiving holidays since they wanted to be travelling. Their situation seemed a perfect fit for Sam: A younger couple without other pets, who surely could give him a forever home. The adoption team agreed to wait until they could pick him up.
Kaitlyn’s first update showed that Sam had landed with his bum in the butter!
On December 8th Kaitlyn wrote:
Sam is very busy, so time got away from us. He must scare off the birds, stalk the dragonfly teaser, pounce on the catnip bag, scratch all the towers (and some rugs), all while leaving time for his two favorite things: sleep and food.
I was hoping he had picked a favorite spot to show you, but he is still slowly claiming all of the house as his own! He seems to be adjusting well, though he is still a bit skittish at times and he growls at birds outside on occasion. He is very playful and loves to attack his teaser wand you sent him with, from the partial cover of boxes. He favors the scratching post and throw-rugs, but he is still testing his limits with us by throwing in the occasional couch-attack. He already has access to the whole house, and he seems to favor hanging around Mike and I just in case we decide to feed him. The three seasons room seems to confuse him. He does not seem to like the surround sound noise or the cold, but he has been out to meow at the birds and watch the squirrels a few times.
Sam is very busy, so time got away from us. He must scare off the birds, stalk the dragonfly teaser, pounce on the catnip bag, scratch all the towers (and some rugs), all while leaving time for his two favorite things: sleep and food.
I was hoping he had picked a favorite spot to show you, but he is still slowly claiming all of the house as his own! He seems to be adjusting well, though he is still a bit skittish at times and he growls at birds outside on occasion. He is very playful and loves to attack his teaser wand you sent him with, from the partial cover of boxes. He favors the scratching post and throw-rugs, but he is still testing his limits with us by throwing in the occasional couch-attack. He already has access to the whole house, and he seems to favor hanging around Mike and I just in case we decide to feed him. The three seasons room seems to confuse him. He does not seem to like the surround sound noise or the cold, but he has been out to meow at the birds and watch the squirrels a few times.
He seems to be strangely afraid of our stairs; not the actual lower floor, but the bottom step with its cloth covering. The first time we thought he may have seen a daddy long-legs spider to attack (he did already chase and hit a fly that got in). The next few times he explored the basement, he clearly just gave the bottom step a few good thwacks before scurrying over it and running upstairs. He seems to like laying at the top of the stairs looking out, so it doesn't seem to be the front door. He also has no issues claiming couches and beds, so it shouldn't be soft things. I'll let you know if we figure out what this quirk really is.
He goes to the vet on Monday to meet his new care team, and to get help with his diet in general. He seems a little dehydrated despite the multiple water dishes and cat fountain. We are also still learning the best time to feed him. After the late feeding, he is very active on our bed and pillows around 4am, giving gentle but unwelcome knuckle-nips and face prods. Before the late feeding, he will look at us, look at a wire, look at us again, and then actively chew the wire until Mike or I get up. We are going to try some bitter spray soon on all the lamp and laptop wires to deter the wire chews. As for the nips, we are slowly adjusting the timing of the later feeding to try to promote sleeping or playing through the night instead of trying to convey his hunger to us.
We are also considering giving him a new actual name instead of just the nicknames he already has (though he very much looks like a Sam to me). We want to make sure he truly feels like our cat instead of us simply caring for someone else's and we want his name to feel unique!
We are also considering giving him a new actual name instead of just the nicknames he already has (though he very much looks like a Sam to me). We want to make sure he truly feels like our cat instead of us simply caring for someone else's and we want his name to feel unique!
Trix
On Halloween in 2022 a black cat jumped into the open car of a family of KAS volunteers who were enjoying a "trunk trick or treat" event at their church. The kitty was very friendly and quite determined to go home with them. She also was in rough shape, very skinny, full of ticks and looking like she needed some tender loving care. She was named Trix and brought to the Shelter the next day.
Trix was calm and affectionate. She had the shape and noble presence of an Egyptian temple cat. At times, she could be very lively, much like a kitten. She wanted to be with people all the time and didn’t like to be confined when folks were around.
At first sight she seemed to be a young cat, but some puzzling medical conditions made her rather seem like a senior cat. In the following weeks she needed medical care for anemia, liver disease and a sudden lameness of a leg. By chance a volunteer noticed that Trix was very nimble in climbing straight up the wire screen of her door, 6-foot-high, to get a better view of what was going on. And when she dropped down, she was hitting a wall shelf… This adventurous girl clearly needed a foster home to stay safe.
On Halloween in 2022 a black cat jumped into the open car of a family of KAS volunteers who were enjoying a "trunk trick or treat" event at their church. The kitty was very friendly and quite determined to go home with them. She also was in rough shape, very skinny, full of ticks and looking like she needed some tender loving care. She was named Trix and brought to the Shelter the next day.
Trix was calm and affectionate. She had the shape and noble presence of an Egyptian temple cat. At times, she could be very lively, much like a kitten. She wanted to be with people all the time and didn’t like to be confined when folks were around.
At first sight she seemed to be a young cat, but some puzzling medical conditions made her rather seem like a senior cat. In the following weeks she needed medical care for anemia, liver disease and a sudden lameness of a leg. By chance a volunteer noticed that Trix was very nimble in climbing straight up the wire screen of her door, 6-foot-high, to get a better view of what was going on. And when she dropped down, she was hitting a wall shelf… This adventurous girl clearly needed a foster home to stay safe.
In January 2023, foster volunteer Pat took Trix home to her senior house in Peacham, where she soon became the darling of the community. The house was perfect for residents with cats, with spacious apartments for individuals, a communal area, and a mud room with two doors to keep the cats from escaping. Trix turned out to be a socialite. She loved visiting the neighboring apartments within the house. She made special friends with a lady who loved kitties but wasn’t physically able to take care of a pet. Trix was friendly with all visitors and liked to play with a group of young children who came regularly for playtime. She got enamored with a maintenance man and jumped straight into his arms for cuddles when he came by to fix things in the house. Trix was utterly charming. And she became Pat’s soul cat.
Because of her medical conditions she remained a foster cat for a whole year and being treated by our Shelter vet Dr. Sally. But when Trix’ health had completely recovered, Pat officially adopted her in December. Pat had fostered a 12-year-old cat that turned out to be 3-4 years old after all… just like magic!
Alicia and Lexie
Alicia and Lexie are a bonded pair of mother and daughter, 8 years and 6 years of age.
They are incredibly gorgeous and friendly lap cats who like to be cuddled and brushed.
These beautiful calico girls were surrendered to the Shelter because their owner had passed away, and his partner couldn’t keep them anymore after a year of tending to them. They had been treated kindly all their life, were very easy-going and made friends with every person they met.
It wasn’t a surprise that they only spent a few weeks at the Shelter!
Alicia and Lexie are a bonded pair of mother and daughter, 8 years and 6 years of age.
They are incredibly gorgeous and friendly lap cats who like to be cuddled and brushed.
These beautiful calico girls were surrendered to the Shelter because their owner had passed away, and his partner couldn’t keep them anymore after a year of tending to them. They had been treated kindly all their life, were very easy-going and made friends with every person they met.
It wasn’t a surprise that they only spent a few weeks at the Shelter!
Alicia
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Lexie
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On December 23rd Alicia and Lexie happily went home with Katherine and Joe from Clarksville NH, who were absolutely thrilled to make them part of their family. During the conversation with the adoption team, it was obvious that the girls would be treated like princesses and thoroughly spoiled. The house would be transformed into a playground for felines with cat trees and highways and their humans would be their living recliners 24/7…
On December 26th adoption counselor Rod gave an update:
“I spoke with Alicia’s and Lexie’s adopters today. They traveled well to their new home; it was an hour and a half drive. Lexie did make a bit of a mess in the carrier, but they said she was worth it. They settled in right away and were exploring their new home as soon as they got out of their carriers. They both slept in their bed the first night. Kathy said that both girls are trying to lay on her at the same time which is a bit heavy! They are very happy with their girls!”
On December 26th adoption counselor Rod gave an update:
“I spoke with Alicia’s and Lexie’s adopters today. They traveled well to their new home; it was an hour and a half drive. Lexie did make a bit of a mess in the carrier, but they said she was worth it. They settled in right away and were exploring their new home as soon as they got out of their carriers. They both slept in their bed the first night. Kathy said that both girls are trying to lay on her at the same time which is a bit heavy! They are very happy with their girls!”
Randy
In October, friends of a KAS volunteer found a baby kitten near their house. They gave us a call and tended to the wee one until it could be taken to the Shelter.
Little Randy was so adorable that some volunteers could hardly keep themselves from putting him in a pocket and taking him home; unfortunately, they already had a house full of cats…
Being a single kitten at the Shelter isn’t great fun. It can be scary and lonely. But after 10 days Randy was able to go home with foster mom Alicia, so that he could find human and feline friends alike to play with.
Randy
In October, friends of a KAS volunteer found a baby kitten near their house. They gave us a call and tended to the wee one until it could be taken to the Shelter.
Little Randy was so adorable that some volunteers could hardly keep themselves from putting him in a pocket and taking him home; unfortunately, they already had a house full of cats…
Being a single kitten at the Shelter isn’t great fun. It can be scary and lonely. But after 10 days Randy was able to go home with foster mom Alicia, so that he could find human and feline friends alike to play with.
Alicia and her son Jake are great cat-lovers. When Randy had grown big enough to go to a permanent home, he had already made himself indispensable. Alicia adopted him on December 14th.
On January 12th Alicia wrote:
“Randy a.k.a. Ransom, came to us as a foster kitten when he was seven weeks old. He was sweet and got along with the three resident cats already here. He is a jumper! He can do a vertical jump with all four feet at least 1.5 feet in the air when he jumps for his feather wand! He also loves to run from room to room with his plastic springs. From the time he was a young kitten he would sit on the kitchen table and watch us doing dishes or cooking meals. It still seems a favorite place for him; he loves to be in the middle of things. We are so grateful he likes living with us. I couldn't imagine giving him up when he was old enough to go. Thanks KAS. We love the little guy!”
On January 12th Alicia wrote:
“Randy a.k.a. Ransom, came to us as a foster kitten when he was seven weeks old. He was sweet and got along with the three resident cats already here. He is a jumper! He can do a vertical jump with all four feet at least 1.5 feet in the air when he jumps for his feather wand! He also loves to run from room to room with his plastic springs. From the time he was a young kitten he would sit on the kitchen table and watch us doing dishes or cooking meals. It still seems a favorite place for him; he loves to be in the middle of things. We are so grateful he likes living with us. I couldn't imagine giving him up when he was old enough to go. Thanks KAS. We love the little guy!”