Giving Sanctuary
-Helen Morrison
It isn’t a happy thought….the shelters all over the USA or the world, for that matter…that are overrun with cats and kittens. Sadly, some shelters must decide who is adoptable and who is not. And among those they deem “potentially adoptable”, which animals are then truly adoptable, and which may not be, after all. It is a very tough position to be in…heart-breaking, indeed.
Here in Vermont, our shelters are no kill. But they still must make those tough decisions. Who will they take? Whom will they turn away? Who are adoptable? Who do they decide immediately are barn cats, because they just don’t have the time or space to work with those cats who are borderline adoptable, undersocialized, or even appear not adoptable, for health reasons, for age, for behavior?
And then there is Kingdom Animal Shelter. We do take older cats, we do take cats who have health issues, cats who may have behavior issues, cats who seem feral at first. There is Goldie, who is 15 years old, a bit frail but beautiful with her long white fur. She is blind and at least partially deaf.
-Helen Morrison
It isn’t a happy thought….the shelters all over the USA or the world, for that matter…that are overrun with cats and kittens. Sadly, some shelters must decide who is adoptable and who is not. And among those they deem “potentially adoptable”, which animals are then truly adoptable, and which may not be, after all. It is a very tough position to be in…heart-breaking, indeed.
Here in Vermont, our shelters are no kill. But they still must make those tough decisions. Who will they take? Whom will they turn away? Who are adoptable? Who do they decide immediately are barn cats, because they just don’t have the time or space to work with those cats who are borderline adoptable, undersocialized, or even appear not adoptable, for health reasons, for age, for behavior?
And then there is Kingdom Animal Shelter. We do take older cats, we do take cats who have health issues, cats who may have behavior issues, cats who seem feral at first. There is Goldie, who is 15 years old, a bit frail but beautiful with her long white fur. She is blind and at least partially deaf.
There is Tyler, a four year old stray, living on his own down on Bay St. He had all sorts of wounds, is blind in one eye, is FIV+, had some strange parasitic worms and bacteria that caused some kidney damage. We took him in and loved him and worked with him. And he has now found his forever home.
There is Amahl, with us for a year and a half, feral at first. But with patience and just the right person, he is blossoming, wanting petting from his volunteer person, winding in and out of her legs.
Pixie & Audrey
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Katsura & Mama Bear
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And there are the four girls abandoned in a foreclosed home, Pixie, Audrey, Mama Bear, and Katsura, thought to be feral but are now wanting petting and treats. In any other Shelter, they would have been immediately relegated to barns and might not still be alive. Katsura is now approved for adoption and will go home soon.
Many of these special needs cats do not get adopted easily. But eventually, the right person comes along for them. In the meantime, we continue on with them, make them as healthy as possible, work with them, love them, get attached to them. We have a number of these cats right now….more than usual. But that’s okay. Sanctuary Cats.
The wonderful thing about our Sanctuary Cats is that every now and then, they magically become Adoptable Cats. Someone comes along who is just right…and the person and the kitty are made for each other. And that is a day for celebration. We just have this incredible sense of warmth and relief.
But even when that doesn’t happen, they have a home, they are safe, they are loved. That is very very special.
Many of these special needs cats do not get adopted easily. But eventually, the right person comes along for them. In the meantime, we continue on with them, make them as healthy as possible, work with them, love them, get attached to them. We have a number of these cats right now….more than usual. But that’s okay. Sanctuary Cats.
The wonderful thing about our Sanctuary Cats is that every now and then, they magically become Adoptable Cats. Someone comes along who is just right…and the person and the kitty are made for each other. And that is a day for celebration. We just have this incredible sense of warmth and relief.
But even when that doesn’t happen, they have a home, they are safe, they are loved. That is very very special.