Soft, Cuddly, and in Need of a Furever Home

 Soft, Cuddly, and in Need of a Furever Home

Penny Tabitha Tortellini

  Seven years ago I lost my adopted feral tortie cat, Penny Tabitha Tortellini (named by the kind staff at the rescue society). Her name was probably a tribute to her copper coloring and tortoise shell tabby breed. I didn’t change a single one of her nine syllables, though often she was just Sweet P.

  When I decided I must have a cat, I asked the owner of a nearby rescue group to show me a kitty who needed a quiet home with one adult. The owner readily took me to see Penny who was housed in a cubby with one other cat. Immediately, Penny seemed to know I would be her momma. Though normally mistrusting of strangers, she readily came up to me to have her head rubbed. In subsequent visits Penny would walk on top of her cubby-mate to greet me.

  Penny wasn’t quite ready for a home when I met her, but that was fine as I had to move to a townhouse where cats were allowed. Even our timing seemed to say we were meant to be a pawsome pair. Penny was with me for thirteen years and never got accustomed to strangers, but she was a sweet girl with velvety soft fur.

  Sadly, at age fourteen, Penny developed diabetes and didn’t make it through the year. As any pet owner who has experienced the loss of a furry family member, I was heartbroken. As I mourned, I decided to let the universe send my next cat—maybe a stray at the doorstep, hiding under the car, or some other happy blessing.

  After three days of crying and without a fur baby to shower love on, I was tired of waiting for the universe to get its act together! I went online to view cats up for adoption at the same rescue facility where I’d found Penny. This time I hoped for a gray cat and found a picture of an adorable one named Bridgett.

Bridgett, aka Bridgie

  Bridgett was the purrfect reminder of the Rainbow Bridge that pets are said to cross to heaven. When I met Bridgett in person, it was even better. She was not just a gray cat, but a torbie, which is a tortoise and tabby mix--a great bridge from my first kitty love to my second. 

  Bridgett had come to the shelter with three kittens, all of which were adopted but no one wanted the mother. Of course, I would be the one to give her the loving home she deserved as much as her kittens did. At one and a half years old, she wasn’t much more than a kitten herself.

  Bridgett doesn’t mind strangers and is a happy, healthy little girl of seven and a half pounds. She vocalizes several different sounds from purrs, meows, and chirp-like noises. I may be biased, but she’s so adorable that vet visits take a little longer because the staff all like to have a cuddle session with her.😀

  Though they never met, both of my little girls loved resting under the Christmas tree. Penny liked to snack on the lower branches, while Bridgett likes ribbons on presents. But neither one climb the tree or break any ornaments. They are both pawsome!

Penny

Bridgett

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

For the Love of Cats ~ by Lisa Pellegrini

Ever since I was a college student, I've dreamt of becoming a writer. I remember writing my first story when I was twelve. It was about talking foxes who had strange names like Spirolite. It was only natural that I would write about animals, since I am an animal lover who has owned everything from goldfish to cats to a parakeet named Rocky (who I named after the movie).

So, when Carrie Wolfe, president of Cat Tales, offered me the chance to volunteer my time doing write-ups of the adoptable cats, I jumped at the chance to combine my love for writing with my love for cats. Cat Tales is a no-kill shelter in Warrington, Pennsylvania that rescues stray cats in Bucks County and finds them homes. 

Carrie said she needed a writer who could put a creative spin on the write-ups. So, I needed to include all the typical information -- age, sex, personality traits, etc. -- but in a way that tugs on the heartstrings of potential adopters. I needed to make the write-ups heartwarming so that when cat lovers saw the descriptions of the kitties on the Petfinder website, they would be anxious to visit the cats and spend time with them.

My heart goes out to the cats because so many of them have illnesses, which can make it difficult for them to find the right owner. Since I started volunteering in 2016, I have written about cats afflicted with FIV (feline AIDs), epilepsy, leukemia, diabetes, and asthma. One cat was found shot. Another needed to have an eye removed. It's so sad that animals have to suffer with disease and pain just like humans do. 

That's why I feel blessed and grateful for the opportunity to use my literary gifts to help the kitties find homes and ultimately better lives. I like to think that my words are like bursts of sunshine that help to connect the cats with people. I've always believed there is something unique about the bond between humans and animals. Pets bring so much joy into our lives. We consider them family members, friends, and confidantes. Whenever we have a bad day or we're just feeling blue, we cuddle up to our pets, and they heal our troubled hearts.

Take Chester for instance. He is a handsome 7-year-old black and

white cat with diabetes who needs insulin shots twice a day. He is also hard of hearing but not deaf. He is just starting to enter his senior years, and as we know, most people would rather adopt a kitten or young adult cat. So, it may be harder for a cat like Chester to find a good home. He will need a special owner who realizes that senior kitties are just as lovable and deserving of love as young cats. Someone who is willing and able to manage his diabetes treatment. 

That's where I come in. I help bridge the gap between cats like Chester and people who are committed to being the best owner possible. Thankfully many of the cats at Cat Tales are in perfect health. 

When I write about each cat, I sometimes find inspiration in their physical features and facial expressions. The way they sit or lie down. That's my way of tapping into each cat's unique personality.




I credit my mom for giving me my love for cats. She grew up loving them, and she passed that love down to me. Thank you, Mom!

Lisa Pellegrini

Lisa Pellegrini is a freelance writer who resides in Warrington, PA. Her poetry has appeared in The Lascaux Review, Foliate Oak Literary Magazine, Eunoia Review, REAL: Regarding Arts & Letters literary journal, and other publications. She is a 2015 Pushcart Prize nominee. She is currently working on her first novel.
You can connect with Lisa on  TWITTER