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| Sasha |
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| This is why I can never get any work done! |
A blog for our furry companions, inspired Alaska, my first foster kitten. Check out 2000spaysandneuters.org for more adoptable cats!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Persia Pics
Hi Readers,
I've got some more great video footage for you guys, but while it's loading, I'll leave you with these adorable pictures of Persia. Isn't she wonderful?
P.S. - I'm trying to figure out who my audience is so I can better focus this blog. I've been thinking of writing a few articles on dealing with shy, scared, and aggressive cats drawing from my own experience. Please let me know what you think or what you'd like to see! Feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail at joezoey@gmail.com. Thanks!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Sherri and Persia Video
Hi Readers!
Persia purred for the first time today. She and Sherri and both so sweet. Check out the video below.
I brought them to a couple of adoption events so far, but surprisingly, nobody has expressed interest. They're such perfect cats!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
New Foster Cats!
Hi Readers!
Sorry it's been a while, but change is a brewin around here. Last Wednesday, I brought Persia to her first adoption event, and funny enough, it happened to be her last adoption event. No, she didn't misbehave. In fact, she was absolutely lovely, and a nice gentleman adopted her. She's now living out in Queens and from what I've heard, she's adjusting very nicely to life there. Of course, she was still quite shy at first, but eats out of her new dad's hand and accepts touching. Yay Persia!
I've got two new cats now, one is a Maine Coon named Sherri. She's an absolute sweetheart. Most Maine Coons I've met before have tended to be quite energetic and a tad crazy, but Sherri pretty much lies in one spot all day and stares at me. It's quite endearing. She does shed all over the place though, so I had to give her a bath and daily brushing. She still provokes my allergies though, so I've had to kick her out of my bed a few times. Sorry Sherri!
And this is the other cat, the newest addition to the foster family. Look familiar?
If she does, that's because she and Persia are related. In fact, she's Persia's mom! They look pretty much identical, except that Alaska (the mother) is quite a bit rounder. She's also a LOT nicer than Persia was at first, though Persia is definitely getting there with her new family.
I'll be bringing Sherri and Alaska to an adoption event tomorrow at the Petco on 86th St and Lexington Ave. Hopefully we can find them their forever homes, these two girls are too sweet!
P.S. - Cats aren't typically known for guarding homes, but my Sasha is an exception. She's constantly on the lookout for flies, or annoying little flying things. Today she caught her first one! And then she ate it... =x
And this is her eating some catnip.
Sorry it's been a while, but change is a brewin around here. Last Wednesday, I brought Persia to her first adoption event, and funny enough, it happened to be her last adoption event. No, she didn't misbehave. In fact, she was absolutely lovely, and a nice gentleman adopted her. She's now living out in Queens and from what I've heard, she's adjusting very nicely to life there. Of course, she was still quite shy at first, but eats out of her new dad's hand and accepts touching. Yay Persia!
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| Persia, adopted 4/11/2012 |
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| Sherri |
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| Alaska |
I'll be bringing Sherri and Alaska to an adoption event tomorrow at the Petco on 86th St and Lexington Ave. Hopefully we can find them their forever homes, these two girls are too sweet!
P.S. - Cats aren't typically known for guarding homes, but my Sasha is an exception. She's constantly on the lookout for flies, or annoying little flying things. Today she caught her first one! And then she ate it... =x
And this is her eating some catnip.
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| Sasha getting high |
Monday, April 9, 2012
Pictures!
Dear Reader,
Sorry for the radio silence, but I come bearing good news. Persia is almost unrecognizable. Four days ago, she basically tried to rip my hands off when I pried her from the balcony window. Yesterday, she cuddled with me all day as I did my studying and then ate out of the same can of Soulistic as my adopted cat Sasha. At Persia's previous home, she dominated the other cat, which is why her foster mom decided to get rid of her. However, she actually stands down to my Sasha, which is frankly quite surprising since Sasha is just about the smallest and gentlest cat ever. Seriously, this is her.
Her head's about the size of my dog's foot, and Cassie's pretty small for a chow chow. Anyway, if Persia's been acting submissive to this cat (which she has), then she's obviously not an aggressive cat. I think she was just scared, for whatever reason, but the good news is, she's now more confident, calm, and even affectionate. Anyway, I realize that I probably write too much, so instead I'll leave you with a bunch of pictures.
Persia's going to be ready for a new home soon, so if you're interested in adopting her or another one of our adorable kittens, please visit http://2000spaysandneuters.org/. Wish her luck!
Sorry for the radio silence, but I come bearing good news. Persia is almost unrecognizable. Four days ago, she basically tried to rip my hands off when I pried her from the balcony window. Yesterday, she cuddled with me all day as I did my studying and then ate out of the same can of Soulistic as my adopted cat Sasha. At Persia's previous home, she dominated the other cat, which is why her foster mom decided to get rid of her. However, she actually stands down to my Sasha, which is frankly quite surprising since Sasha is just about the smallest and gentlest cat ever. Seriously, this is her.
Her head's about the size of my dog's foot, and Cassie's pretty small for a chow chow. Anyway, if Persia's been acting submissive to this cat (which she has), then she's obviously not an aggressive cat. I think she was just scared, for whatever reason, but the good news is, she's now more confident, calm, and even affectionate. Anyway, I realize that I probably write too much, so instead I'll leave you with a bunch of pictures.
Persia's going to be ready for a new home soon, so if you're interested in adopting her or another one of our adorable kittens, please visit http://2000spaysandneuters.org/. Wish her luck!
Thursday, April 5, 2012
One hell of a day
Today was one hell of a day. Well, it actually all started with last night.
Alaska had stayed in her carrier all day yesterday, and while conventional wisdom told me not to bother her and wait for her to come out and explore of her own accord, my instinct was telling me that she just needed a little encouragement. Of course, it helped that I'd been winking at her throughout the day, whenever I could, and she had started to wink back. Winks have much the same meaning for cats as they do for humans - both imply trust, affection - but winks carry far more weight in cat language. In fact, it's widely accepted that winks are a cat's kisses. Why is that? Enemies, especially predators, do not attack with their eyes closed, so shutting one or both eyes, if even for a second, is quite a strong display of vulnerability.
After a few careful attempts, I was able to put my hand on Alaska's forehead. Still quite apprehensive of how she would react, I gently stroked her for a good half an hour before I felt confident enough to move her. I plopped her onto my mattress and let her crawl under the sheets. She curled up next to me and seemed comfortable. From what Joan (from 2000 Spays and Neuters) had told me, nobody had ever touched her or shown her love before. I felt excited, like I was treading on new territory, and needless to say, I was happy that I'd trusted my instincts.
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| Alaska, watching Weeds, 4/4/2012 |
In the middle of the night, I was awoken by a bloodcurdling scream, and something bolted from under the covers and ran into the cat carrier. It was Alaska, of course. I can only imagine what she'd been dreaming about, but I really felt for her. We all have things in our past that we're running from (well I do, at least), and whatever was haunting Alaska, it must've been absolutely terrifying.
The next day, I had an easier time coaxing Alaska onto my bed for some snuggling time. Although I'd made a ton of progress with her, and she obviously trusted me enough to let me pet her for as long as I wanted, she still remained a very fearful cat. Every time I approached her, she would hiss at me, but I knew by now that it was almost second-nature for her, and I also knew that I shouldn't show fear or back off - that would only reinforce the hissing behavior. Getting my hand on her forehead was the biggest obstacle, and there aren't any fancy tricks for accomplishing that. You really just have to go for it, even in spite of the hissing, and she'd immediately calm down from there.
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| Alaska, 4/5/2012 |
Everything was going fantastic, and I couldn't wait to tell Joan about this other side of Alaska. I'd even been able to trim her nails, which looked like they had never been touched. They were razor sharp.
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| Persia, nails trimmed, 4/5/2012 |
Then, I went to take a shower. I could've sworn I'd closed my bedroom door - I always make sure to do that - but when I came out, Alaska was nowhere to be found. I searched everywhere, and then I realized the balcony window was open. I peered outside, and sure enough, she was curled up just out of sight. By then, I was terrified, but I didn't even want to consider the possibility of what could happen. I knew I had to be extra careful, or she might bolt, and then I'd never forgive myself.
I reached my hand out towards her, all the while reassuring her. Good girl, Alaska. Everything's gonna be okay. I got a hold of her, and felt a sigh of relief as I lifted her back through the window. Suddenly, she transformed into this savage, wild cat and viciously attacked my hands. I count myself extremely lucky that I'd trimmed her nails just moments earlier, but even still, the damage was substantial. Click through to see the pictures; they're not pretty.
She can't hear me now, but she seems at peace. Give your furry companions some extra love today. They deserve it too.
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| Alaska, 4/5/2012 |
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Day 2
Dear Reader,
Persia seems to be a nocturnal kitten. I heard her roaming around my room last night, calling for her mom. Meanwhile, my own kitten, Sasha, hid under the covers in my bed. She sleeps there every night, but I also get the feeling that she doesn't like Persia very much...yet.
By morning, Persia was back in the cat carrier and has refused to come out the entire day. She still seems quite scared and it may take weeks, even months for her to come out of her shell, but I think she'll get there. Let me tell you the story of Sasha.
November of last year, I decided that I wanted to get a companion for my dog, Cassie. At the time, we were living in a sublet in Washington Heights with 3 other people who all loved animals very much. They had 3 rescue cats and one yorkie, who was cute, but very dumb. (sorry Winnie!) I knew I was moving out in January, and Cassie was probably so used to having other animals around, I didn't want her to be lonely when I was out working or studying.
I found an adoption event hosted by a group called Anjellicle Cat Rescue and went to check it out. They had quite a few cats, but apparently none of them were definitely dog-friendly. I ended up volunteering with the cat rescue and a month later, they found the perfect kitten for me. She was a tiny little white and orange domestic shorthair being fostered by Deb Twiss. I met the kitten for about two minutes before making a verbal agreement to adopt her - I tend not to put a whole lot of thought into major commitments.
A few days later, Deb delivered her to the apartment where I was staying at the time. It was a huge apartment, with a long hallway, and my room was at the very end. Deb put Sasha on the floor and she ran off. Deb had to leave, so I walked her to the building entrance. When I got back to the apartment, Sasha was nowhere to be found. I searched for about half an hour before realizing she'd hidden in a corner under my bed.
For the next couple of weeks, until I moved out at the beginning of January, Sasha rarely left her safe place beneath the bed. I coaxed her out with food twice a day, and occasionally she'd hop on top of my bed to stare out the window. She never left my room. She'd hiss at the other cats if they wandered into my room, but she seemed fond of Cassie. However, she didn't seem to fond of me, and I'll be honest, that was quite disappointing.
Persia seems to be a nocturnal kitten. I heard her roaming around my room last night, calling for her mom. Meanwhile, my own kitten, Sasha, hid under the covers in my bed. She sleeps there every night, but I also get the feeling that she doesn't like Persia very much...yet.
By morning, Persia was back in the cat carrier and has refused to come out the entire day. She still seems quite scared and it may take weeks, even months for her to come out of her shell, but I think she'll get there. Let me tell you the story of Sasha.
Sasha, January 2012
November of last year, I decided that I wanted to get a companion for my dog, Cassie. At the time, we were living in a sublet in Washington Heights with 3 other people who all loved animals very much. They had 3 rescue cats and one yorkie, who was cute, but very dumb. (sorry Winnie!) I knew I was moving out in January, and Cassie was probably so used to having other animals around, I didn't want her to be lonely when I was out working or studying.
I found an adoption event hosted by a group called Anjellicle Cat Rescue and went to check it out. They had quite a few cats, but apparently none of them were definitely dog-friendly. I ended up volunteering with the cat rescue and a month later, they found the perfect kitten for me. She was a tiny little white and orange domestic shorthair being fostered by Deb Twiss. I met the kitten for about two minutes before making a verbal agreement to adopt her - I tend not to put a whole lot of thought into major commitments.
A few days later, Deb delivered her to the apartment where I was staying at the time. It was a huge apartment, with a long hallway, and my room was at the very end. Deb put Sasha on the floor and she ran off. Deb had to leave, so I walked her to the building entrance. When I got back to the apartment, Sasha was nowhere to be found. I searched for about half an hour before realizing she'd hidden in a corner under my bed.
For the next couple of weeks, until I moved out at the beginning of January, Sasha rarely left her safe place beneath the bed. I coaxed her out with food twice a day, and occasionally she'd hop on top of my bed to stare out the window. She never left my room. She'd hiss at the other cats if they wandered into my room, but she seemed fond of Cassie. However, she didn't seem to fond of me, and I'll be honest, that was quite disappointing.
Cassie and Sasha, December 2011
To be continued...
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Day 1
Dear Reader,
Welcome to my very first blog, a place where I will chronicle the journey of my first foster cat, Persia. But before I go into that, a bit about me. I'm Joe, I live in an apartment in New York City, specifically Hell's Kitchen. I absolutely love animals, and I'm the proud father of Cassie, a cream white chow chow, as well as Sasha, a beautiful domestic shorthair. I'm 20 years old, currently taking classes at Hunter College, and I'm thinking of majoring in anthropology. Aside from being passionate about creatures of all sizes and shapes, I take a very vested interest in the future of our planet, and right now, I believe that how we choose to use and allocate our natural resources is the most important issue facing us.
But enough about me, let's talk about Persia. Yesterday, I met with Joan Berg Victor from 2000 Spays and Neuters, a cat rescue group based in NYC. She told me she had the perfect cat for me, a beautiful white kitten currently being fostered with her mom by a nice lady uptown. Persia had recently began acting aggressively towards the lady's cat and was also becoming protective of her mother. Joan believed it was best that little Persia find a home separate from her mother.
I'd recently had to relocate my puppy to my mom's place in Queens temporarily. It's a long story, but let's just say that one of my roommates was the main reason. In any case, I felt a void in my life and was all too happy to open my door to Persia.
So today I went up to the tippy top of Manhattan, a place called Inwood. I had fond memories of hiking in Inwood Park a couple of times in high school. I was also quite nervous about meeting Persia, I had never fostered a cat before and didn't know what to expect. Her current foster, Gloria, greeted me at her door. She told me she had successfully trapped the kitty in the bathroom. I found that odd, but I soon found out why it was necessary.
We opened the bathroom door and I immediately saw two wide eyes peering out at me from behind the toilet. Poor kitty, she must be scared. Even though she was hiding, I could see how gorgeous she was. I reached out a hand to stroke her, which I'd done countless times volunteering at cat rescues in the past. I was rewarded with a loud hiss and an attempt to take my hand out with her sharp claws. Uh oh, this was gonna be more difficult than I'd expected.
It took a good half hour, some clever maneuvering, and a healthy dose of courage to finally get Persia from behind the toilet to the cat carrier. I reached for the handle on top of carrier, but Persia promptly let out a loud hiss and swiped at my hand through the window on top. It was a near miss, but my heart was racing now. Thankfully, the carrier came with a shoulder strap, or I might not have survived the trip back.
We made it home, and I felt Persia loosen up once I set her down on the floor in my room. She was no longer hissing at me. I left he carrier door open, and after a while, she wondered out, hopped around my room a bit, and settled down in a cardboard box under my study table.
I sat down and started winking at her, determined to gain her trust. Eventually, I mustered the courage to reach out a hand and pet her. She accepted my touch. Though I'd done this countless times with other cats, this time it was different. Her previous foster told me she had never even been able to touch Persia. I'll admit, I was quite terrified, but a wave of relief washed over me as she closed her eyes and seemed to enjoy being stroked. Excited, I called Joan and told her about what had just happened. We agreed, she'll be alright.
]I tried to pet her a while later and sure enough, she was back to trying to take my hand off. After a few more attempts, I decided it was best to give her her space. I had already gotten a rare glimpse at the sweet kitten underneath, that was good enough. With enough TLC, I know she'll get there someday. I said a prayer for her and if you're reading this, I hope you will too!
Welcome to my very first blog, a place where I will chronicle the journey of my first foster cat, Persia. But before I go into that, a bit about me. I'm Joe, I live in an apartment in New York City, specifically Hell's Kitchen. I absolutely love animals, and I'm the proud father of Cassie, a cream white chow chow, as well as Sasha, a beautiful domestic shorthair. I'm 20 years old, currently taking classes at Hunter College, and I'm thinking of majoring in anthropology. Aside from being passionate about creatures of all sizes and shapes, I take a very vested interest in the future of our planet, and right now, I believe that how we choose to use and allocate our natural resources is the most important issue facing us.
Cassie and Sasha, January 2012
But enough about me, let's talk about Persia. Yesterday, I met with Joan Berg Victor from 2000 Spays and Neuters, a cat rescue group based in NYC. She told me she had the perfect cat for me, a beautiful white kitten currently being fostered with her mom by a nice lady uptown. Persia had recently began acting aggressively towards the lady's cat and was also becoming protective of her mother. Joan believed it was best that little Persia find a home separate from her mother.
I'd recently had to relocate my puppy to my mom's place in Queens temporarily. It's a long story, but let's just say that one of my roommates was the main reason. In any case, I felt a void in my life and was all too happy to open my door to Persia.
So today I went up to the tippy top of Manhattan, a place called Inwood. I had fond memories of hiking in Inwood Park a couple of times in high school. I was also quite nervous about meeting Persia, I had never fostered a cat before and didn't know what to expect. Her current foster, Gloria, greeted me at her door. She told me she had successfully trapped the kitty in the bathroom. I found that odd, but I soon found out why it was necessary.
We opened the bathroom door and I immediately saw two wide eyes peering out at me from behind the toilet. Poor kitty, she must be scared. Even though she was hiding, I could see how gorgeous she was. I reached out a hand to stroke her, which I'd done countless times volunteering at cat rescues in the past. I was rewarded with a loud hiss and an attempt to take my hand out with her sharp claws. Uh oh, this was gonna be more difficult than I'd expected.
It took a good half hour, some clever maneuvering, and a healthy dose of courage to finally get Persia from behind the toilet to the cat carrier. I reached for the handle on top of carrier, but Persia promptly let out a loud hiss and swiped at my hand through the window on top. It was a near miss, but my heart was racing now. Thankfully, the carrier came with a shoulder strap, or I might not have survived the trip back.
We made it home, and I felt Persia loosen up once I set her down on the floor in my room. She was no longer hissing at me. I left he carrier door open, and after a while, she wondered out, hopped around my room a bit, and settled down in a cardboard box under my study table.
I sat down and started winking at her, determined to gain her trust. Eventually, I mustered the courage to reach out a hand and pet her. She accepted my touch. Though I'd done this countless times with other cats, this time it was different. Her previous foster told me she had never even been able to touch Persia. I'll admit, I was quite terrified, but a wave of relief washed over me as she closed her eyes and seemed to enjoy being stroked. Excited, I called Joan and told her about what had just happened. We agreed, she'll be alright.
Persia, 4/3/2012
]I tried to pet her a while later and sure enough, she was back to trying to take my hand off. After a few more attempts, I decided it was best to give her her space. I had already gotten a rare glimpse at the sweet kitten underneath, that was good enough. With enough TLC, I know she'll get there someday. I said a prayer for her and if you're reading this, I hope you will too!
Persia, 4/3/2012
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