January 2022 Adoptions
Written by Julia Persch
Gandalf
Young Gandalf spent three months at the Shelter where he charmed every volunteer with his sensitive and warm personality; but there was just not enough cuddling available for a big softie like him and not enough roaming space for a boy who had athletic, adventurous Siamese blood running in his veins.
When he finally went to his new home in Hardwick Gandalf was quite shy at first. He was anxious and hiding from noises and sudden movements in his unknown environment. But his savvy new person gave him a loving Reiki treatment after which he became much calmer and "a different cat", his true self in fact.
Since that he has been very affectionate and follows his human friend everywhere in the house: he will sit in the (dry) bathtub, on the kitchen counter, and he will enjoy lap time during tv sessions. During the night he delights in exploring his new house like a jungle cat.
His new home is full of sunshine, with lots of birds and squirrels to watch out the windows, he has the luxurious warmth of a wood stove and many indoor places to visit. He is playful, especially in the evening and he loves his fishing rod toy. He eats and drinks well and seems to be growing in the eyes of his guardian, who says "I'm so happy with him", "I love him dearly" and "he is my sweetie."
Young Gandalf spent three months at the Shelter where he charmed every volunteer with his sensitive and warm personality; but there was just not enough cuddling available for a big softie like him and not enough roaming space for a boy who had athletic, adventurous Siamese blood running in his veins.
When he finally went to his new home in Hardwick Gandalf was quite shy at first. He was anxious and hiding from noises and sudden movements in his unknown environment. But his savvy new person gave him a loving Reiki treatment after which he became much calmer and "a different cat", his true self in fact.
Since that he has been very affectionate and follows his human friend everywhere in the house: he will sit in the (dry) bathtub, on the kitchen counter, and he will enjoy lap time during tv sessions. During the night he delights in exploring his new house like a jungle cat.
His new home is full of sunshine, with lots of birds and squirrels to watch out the windows, he has the luxurious warmth of a wood stove and many indoor places to visit. He is playful, especially in the evening and he loves his fishing rod toy. He eats and drinks well and seems to be growing in the eyes of his guardian, who says "I'm so happy with him", "I love him dearly" and "he is my sweetie."
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Phoenix
Phoenix is a very lovely 2-year-old kitty with thick, plush fur, white socks and extra thumbs, which are said to be lucky.
Although she was found as a tick-ridden stray after living rough for at least several months, she had the friendly, calm, and self-assured appearance of feline nobility. There was no question in her that she was to be treasured; a completely trusting, cuddly and simply purrfect companion cat.
Her very lucky adopters are Jack, Jennifer and Lucas from St. Johnsbury.
Jennifer reports that Phoenix is amazing, so comfortable in their home and such a good cat.
She loves racing up and down their stairs, playing laser pointer and hunting her fishing pole toy. Phoenix has also been known to playfully attack Jacks feet.
Phoenix adores looking out the windows. Although she is not a lap cat yet (they are working on this), she likes being held and carried around.
Phoenix has many sleeping places and makes the rounds at night. Jennifer says that Phoenix is so much fun to play with and brings so much joy to their home. They have all fallen in love with her.
Jack agrees that Phoenix is doing really well and is very comfortable. He says: "We all love her very much and she is a great addition to our family. Thank you KAS!"
Sara
Rod Lauman, long-time KAS volunteer and Board member had been friends with Sara the cat for a long time. He told her story on January 11th:
“Sara has had a pretty incredible life adventure so far. She was surrendered at St. Johnsbury Animal Hospital with five kittens by the girlfriend of one of the gang members that were in town for a while about seven years ago. This makes her a little gangster and a survivor. St. Jay Animal Hospital called us to take her and the kittens. I took Sara and her kittens and fostered them at my home. Two of the kittens died, they had deformed backs with no tails and just didn't survive. One of the others had a normal tail, the other two had half tails and all did well. Some may remember her son Jinx, a very striking black male with a short tail that was all over St. Johnsbury for a few years. The family that adopted him just couldn't keep him inside; he was such a wanderer.
Next, she went to the old Shelter after her kittens were grown where she stayed for about a year. We had quite a number of black cats at that time and back then black cats had a hard time getting homes. It seems that has improved over the years and black cats seem to get adopted more often, at least at our Shelter.
Our former Board member Deb adopted her and Sara spent five or so happy years at her home. Deb got some health issues last spring and had to surrender her cats when she needed to move. Deb did a fabulous job with Sara.
She then went to another home where she was bullying the resident cat and had to come back to the Shelter after a couple of months.
Her next life chapter now begins with Aaron from St.Johnsbury. He is a total animal lover as well as a vet tech and I am sure she will get the best of care. Sara will be the only cat in the house with an occasional visit from his older friendly dog that lives with his parents in Colchester.
Sara will always be my little gangster and foster girl. Aaron says I can come by and visit her anytime.”
On February 2nd Rod wrote:
“Sara is settling in well at her new home with Aaron. He went on a ski weekend, and I am tending to her while he is away. She is her playful self and doing very well! I took a few photos of her…”
Rod Lauman, long-time KAS volunteer and Board member had been friends with Sara the cat for a long time. He told her story on January 11th:
“Sara has had a pretty incredible life adventure so far. She was surrendered at St. Johnsbury Animal Hospital with five kittens by the girlfriend of one of the gang members that were in town for a while about seven years ago. This makes her a little gangster and a survivor. St. Jay Animal Hospital called us to take her and the kittens. I took Sara and her kittens and fostered them at my home. Two of the kittens died, they had deformed backs with no tails and just didn't survive. One of the others had a normal tail, the other two had half tails and all did well. Some may remember her son Jinx, a very striking black male with a short tail that was all over St. Johnsbury for a few years. The family that adopted him just couldn't keep him inside; he was such a wanderer.
Next, she went to the old Shelter after her kittens were grown where she stayed for about a year. We had quite a number of black cats at that time and back then black cats had a hard time getting homes. It seems that has improved over the years and black cats seem to get adopted more often, at least at our Shelter.
Our former Board member Deb adopted her and Sara spent five or so happy years at her home. Deb got some health issues last spring and had to surrender her cats when she needed to move. Deb did a fabulous job with Sara.
She then went to another home where she was bullying the resident cat and had to come back to the Shelter after a couple of months.
Her next life chapter now begins with Aaron from St.Johnsbury. He is a total animal lover as well as a vet tech and I am sure she will get the best of care. Sara will be the only cat in the house with an occasional visit from his older friendly dog that lives with his parents in Colchester.
Sara will always be my little gangster and foster girl. Aaron says I can come by and visit her anytime.”
On February 2nd Rod wrote:
“Sara is settling in well at her new home with Aaron. He went on a ski weekend, and I am tending to her while he is away. She is her playful self and doing very well! I took a few photos of her…”
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Tinkerbell and Jiminy Cricket
These special snuggle buddies are babies of mama cat Magnolia who is still available for adoption. All of Magnolia’s kittens turned out to be super sweet just like her and have found beautiful homes.
Foster mom Pat described them:
Tinkerbell is very petite but no shrinking violet and can hold her own with her three brothers anytime. Tinkerbell also loves to sit in your arms and be petted and she certainly can purr loudly for such a little girl. Jiminy Cricket is a total lap kitty who starts purring before he even jumps up on your lap. He is a very calm and gentle boy and loves nothing more than being with you.
These happy-go-lucky kitties were adopted in the end of January by Kelly and Amanda from Waterbury VT.
Amanda wrote on January 28th:
First night is going so well so far! Jiminy has worn himself out after playing and is hanging out in his heated bed while Tinkerbell is still playing. They’re settling in nicely and are the sweetest kitties! Thanks so much again!
And on January 29th:
“They have taken over! They both slept in between us last night and follow us all around the house, so they are definitely settling in. Sending more pictures of cuddles and playing!”
Kelly wrote on February 7th:
After getting to know them a bit more, we’ve decided to rename them Fig and Theo. They’re still doing great and have been such a nice addition to our home.
So much to share! They’re such delights and their personalities are really starting to shine.
Fig is a feisty, adventurous little soul who is such a softie. If you’re sitting down, she will be in your lap in a second. She loves to snuggle and be held, and I’m definitely noticing she’s becoming super attached to Amanda - she’ll start to climb up Amanda’s back and perch on her shoulder while she’s working on her laptop.
Theo is also a snuggle bug who is turning into my little shadow. He’s super goofy and chill, and you can also hold him in your arms for a good hour and he’s so happy - he fell asleep in my arms the other night! He’s definitely a mischievous little thing and LOVES when you’re cooking. He’ll meow to be picked up and loves watching while you’re preparing everything, and he’ll also try to steal bites when you’re not looking.
After getting to know them a bit more, we’ve decided to rename them Fig and Theo. They’re still doing great and have been such a nice addition to our home.
So much to share! They’re such delights and their personalities are really starting to shine.
Fig is a feisty, adventurous little soul who is such a softie. If you’re sitting down, she will be in your lap in a second. She loves to snuggle and be held, and I’m definitely noticing she’s becoming super attached to Amanda - she’ll start to climb up Amanda’s back and perch on her shoulder while she’s working on her laptop.
Theo is also a snuggle bug who is turning into my little shadow. He’s super goofy and chill, and you can also hold him in your arms for a good hour and he’s so happy - he fell asleep in my arms the other night! He’s definitely a mischievous little thing and LOVES when you’re cooking. He’ll meow to be picked up and loves watching while you’re preparing everything, and he’ll also try to steal bites when you’re not looking.
They’re both so playful and love chasing the caterpillar toy we got them, along with chasing after spring toys. But the cutest thing of all is how attached they are to each other - if they are ever in separate rooms, Theo will meow, and Fig will come running to him no matter what. They’re always snuggling and playing with each other! I’ve never met cats before who were more affectionate with each other and other humans - the second you start petting them, they’re both purring so loudly. We’re so grateful to have them!
Willa
Willa is a 16-year-old lady kitty who was found skinny and homeless on the streets in St.Johnsbury. Kind people picked her up and surrendered her to the Shelter.
Seeing a gentle senior cat abandoned and in rough shape always tucks on the heart strings. We don’t know what happened to her, but she must have been a cherished pet once, considering her sweet character.
At the Shelter we found her a cozy warm corner where she took long, long naps, ate many small meals, and slowly recovered from her hardships. Given her age, deafness, and some health issues, we searched for a foster home and found Barbara and Burgess in NH up to the task. Six weeks later Willa had become a vital part of the family and was adopted.
Willa is a 16-year-old lady kitty who was found skinny and homeless on the streets in St.Johnsbury. Kind people picked her up and surrendered her to the Shelter.
Seeing a gentle senior cat abandoned and in rough shape always tucks on the heart strings. We don’t know what happened to her, but she must have been a cherished pet once, considering her sweet character.
At the Shelter we found her a cozy warm corner where she took long, long naps, ate many small meals, and slowly recovered from her hardships. Given her age, deafness, and some health issues, we searched for a foster home and found Barbara and Burgess in NH up to the task. Six weeks later Willa had become a vital part of the family and was adopted.
Barbara wrote in January:
As I pet Willa, I think that her fur is now silkier and nicer too. Probably since she eats better. All in all, she seems happy and has us trained pretty well. There is no way I can sleep beyond 6 am, when she wants her breakfast.
She has been able to tell us what she wants. Usually around 6 am she starts meowing and I get up to feed her. She may even come upstairs to get me.
She demands a tiny bit of half and half in the morning, when I make my coffee. She stares at me and won't eat anything until I give her some, just a tiny bit, but it seems to agree with her. I guess I know who's boss! We certainly enjoy having her and are so glad that we got her.
The hardest part is getting Willa to look at a camera. Since she is deaf, I can call and chirp all I want, but she doesn't look up. :)
As I pet Willa, I think that her fur is now silkier and nicer too. Probably since she eats better. All in all, she seems happy and has us trained pretty well. There is no way I can sleep beyond 6 am, when she wants her breakfast.
She has been able to tell us what she wants. Usually around 6 am she starts meowing and I get up to feed her. She may even come upstairs to get me.
She demands a tiny bit of half and half in the morning, when I make my coffee. She stares at me and won't eat anything until I give her some, just a tiny bit, but it seems to agree with her. I guess I know who's boss! We certainly enjoy having her and are so glad that we got her.
The hardest part is getting Willa to look at a camera. Since she is deaf, I can call and chirp all I want, but she doesn't look up. :)
She likes someone to sit in the recliner so she can sit in a lap there. She must have had a recliner in her previous life. I need to make her a ramp, as she uses a short cat house by the sofa and a heavy file box by the recliner, to get on the furniture.
She has vomited a couple times, but not much and I give her medicine for it. Other than that, she sleeps a lot during the day and is more active afternoons and evenings.
I bought her a scratching board, but she doesn't seem to ever scratch. I put catnip on it and she just licks the catnip. She does have tiny nails but in the two months we've had her they have barely grown. I guess that's good news for our furniture!
She has vomited a couple times, but not much and I give her medicine for it. Other than that, she sleeps a lot during the day and is more active afternoons and evenings.
I bought her a scratching board, but she doesn't seem to ever scratch. I put catnip on it and she just licks the catnip. She does have tiny nails but in the two months we've had her they have barely grown. I guess that's good news for our furniture!
Riley
Riley had lived the life of a stray and doorstep cat around a fish diner in St. Johnsbury. Locals would feed him and allow him to stay in their apartments, but it was time for him to find a real home.
When he was picked up by a Shelter volunteer from his latest refuge, he was curled up on a bed snoozing with the resident dogs, and ohh so handsome.
He turned out to be about 5-years old, a big cuddly baby and a cave cat. He felt most comfortable in a warm, dark hiding space, just peeking out from time to time to look out for snuggle opportunities. Then he would turn into a big purr machine.
Alice from Danville VT felt he would be the right addition to her family and a potential new friend for her pup Sebastian, a professional therapy dog.
Riley had lived the life of a stray and doorstep cat around a fish diner in St. Johnsbury. Locals would feed him and allow him to stay in their apartments, but it was time for him to find a real home.
When he was picked up by a Shelter volunteer from his latest refuge, he was curled up on a bed snoozing with the resident dogs, and ohh so handsome.
He turned out to be about 5-years old, a big cuddly baby and a cave cat. He felt most comfortable in a warm, dark hiding space, just peeking out from time to time to look out for snuggle opportunities. Then he would turn into a big purr machine.
Alice from Danville VT felt he would be the right addition to her family and a potential new friend for her pup Sebastian, a professional therapy dog.
On February 17th Alice wrote:
Riley is home!
Riley arrived at his new home January 11th, a cold, clear day. For his first week or so, he stayed in my study. For most of the time, he hid in my supply closet, coming out for meals. He did allow me to stroke him, acknowledging his pleasure with purring. Gradually, the door opened, with a gate protecting him. Then one morning, I found him roaming the house. He had hopped over the gate! The barriers came down. Both animals (Riley and Sebastian the dog) were fully aware of each other.
Now, Riley has acclimated to the location of his litter box (thankfully relocated near the utility closet). And to his meal schedule. Most importantly, Riley and Sebastian are living in parallel with some interaction. They have had no episodes of aggression. At this point, they will occasionally sniff at each other, or find themselves briefly beside each other on the love seat with me as I watch Netflix. At night, Sebastian sleeps beside my bed and Riley spends time on top of the bed. We three are a work in progress, definitely moving in the right direction.
The photo shows the two, resting in their respective beds, after their evening meal.
Riley is home!
Riley arrived at his new home January 11th, a cold, clear day. For his first week or so, he stayed in my study. For most of the time, he hid in my supply closet, coming out for meals. He did allow me to stroke him, acknowledging his pleasure with purring. Gradually, the door opened, with a gate protecting him. Then one morning, I found him roaming the house. He had hopped over the gate! The barriers came down. Both animals (Riley and Sebastian the dog) were fully aware of each other.
Now, Riley has acclimated to the location of his litter box (thankfully relocated near the utility closet). And to his meal schedule. Most importantly, Riley and Sebastian are living in parallel with some interaction. They have had no episodes of aggression. At this point, they will occasionally sniff at each other, or find themselves briefly beside each other on the love seat with me as I watch Netflix. At night, Sebastian sleeps beside my bed and Riley spends time on top of the bed. We three are a work in progress, definitely moving in the right direction.
The photo shows the two, resting in their respective beds, after their evening meal.