Companions of Fur, Feather, Scale, and Chiton

I have more and yes, every once in a while the three of them are calm.

Thank you, G0lden.
Your dogs are cute

Unfortunately, my cat is still missing
It's now over three months...

For LurkingCat. That is a really long time...

Hope you find your fur baby and soon Lurking Cat.

Thank you, Sifra and G0lden. My head tells me he won't come back, it's too long - but my heart can't let go, yet.

My husband accepted that our cat won't come back and wanted to make me happy. We already spoke about that we want an other cat from the shelter if he doesn't come back. So last weekend he thought it is a good idea to go to the shelter to see if there is a new cat for us. I accepted his idea even so I knew it was to early for me. I was in tears on the way to the shelter and in the shelter at the beginning (because it was the place were we saw him the first time). But the people there were really kind and patient. So in the end we were there for two hours to cuddle the cats. It was nice, there were even cats were there was a connection but unfortunately they were already taken. There was an older fat tom cat who had sick teary eyes but loved to be cuddled (especially on the belly - very rare for a cat). We thought about to take him home but when I heard that he won't accept any other cat, I was in tears again. There I knew I wasn't ready, that I still deep down hope that our black kitty will come home.

We did everything what is possible to find him. He is tattooed, chipped and registered as missing. If someone honest finds him, who let him get checked for this at a vet or shelter, he should find his way home... Sometimes there are miracles that long lost pets are found after months or years, but something tells me, this won't happen...

Ow, sorry for your missing cat. It's hard not to know

Thank you, Miscellaneous. Yeah, it is.
During me decorating our home for Christmas season, I just found our cats Christmas had and collar
(Last year we made Christmas greeting cards with him in a little Christmas dress because we wanted to mock our family and friends for their Christmas cards which feature their kids: "I can haz Catmas?")

LurkingCat I know it can take a while to be ready for another pet. I'm the same way. It's very sweet that you guys want to take in a shelter cat. You're right to take your time with this and follow your heart.

Sifra, I will. After my husband saw how painful this still is for me after our shelter visit, he accepted that, too. He won't push it anymore.

We are all about "adopt, don't shop", even if small cute kitten are very tempting and I sometimes fantasize about having certain cat breeds like Main Coon or Birman (or even Munchkin XD ...), because I like how they look, but in the end it doesn't matter how a cat looks like, the character is more important and there are so many pets in the shelters.
Before we got our black cat, I wanted a cat with long fluffy fur (my first cat was Persian/Chartreux/something mix from the shelter) and thought "simple" European shorthair would be "boring". Than we saw our future black cat sitting there in the shelter. It was love on first sight.
Eventually I learned that black cats still get adopted less because of superstition bias against them (in the shelter they had several black cats back than, they had to mark them with collars, to distinguish them). And when we went there again lately they had again a lot of black cats there. I thought after the loss of our black cat I can't have another one (because s/he would remind me of him). But at least that was the one good outcome of this shelter trip: I realized that it didn't bother me if the cats we cuddled there were black because in the end they didn't look and behaved like him. So maybe it will be a black one again...

(Sorry for my ramblings in this thread, but is kinda therapeutic...)

I don't mind the ramblings. I love talking about pets.

I did not know that about black cats. I think they are beautiful.
I understand you are affraid to be reminded of the cat you had. It is very possible that as you will get to know a new black cat, you will not think of the other one anymore.
We always had second hand pets; either we got them from other people, who didn't want them anymore, or from a shelter. The last cats we adopted were an old couple of black and white cats. They were so cute!
We have guinea pigs now (from a special guinea pig shelter), and my husband wants rats after this, but I kept my cat stuff because I want a cat again, one day.

Lurkingcat, I'm so sorry you have to go through that painful step! Jeez, it's so hard to replace a familiar which is so close to your heart and soul, it just can't be done. Soothing the soul by being around some kitties can always help a bit though... but yeah it's very hard.

I think it's sometimes awesome to just go to a cat adoption place and be around cats to feel better... to feel extra popular, I often stuff a bunch of catnip in my jeans pockets and go hang out there and the workers are like, Wow, they really like you ... I know it's cheating, but it makes me feel so good, I can't help doing it sometimes.

And black cats are magical as far as I'm concerned. I love them so much. Here in the US they have a hard time getting rid of them in adoption shelters but actually a lot of people DO adore black cats because they know of the silliness of others and the danger too that they are exposed too. My parents had Midnight and Blackie, two amazing black cats who I will write an essay about later lol... it's another one of those weird adventures my family had with cats (having 12 at a time can do that ) .

When I adopt I always get adult cats too btw, I love kittens but I feel really bad for adult cats because everyone wants kittens! So I always adopt a grown up cat... who is also always very grateful I think.
The cat that adopted us a week ago just sort of walked into our lives and into our house like, Hey guys lol. I don't even know wtf . We've been talking about getting a cat forever... then we let it go and this cat we've never seen before shows up and moves in?! I had spent two days online looking at kitties and getting all into a fit, and this cat shows up and just literally walks into my house like she's home. We're taking her to the vet next week to check if she has a chip or what. People often move and just leave their pets, which is whacked out and terrible. Or maybe she just got out from owners and they are worried sick! I don't know. I definitely thought of you, Lurkingcat. Which is why I have to find out first if she belongs to anyone else.

But overall, yeah. A lot of the time they pick you, and adopt you. Don't pressure yourself. Being around other cats is therapeutic though.... much love and so many hugs to you, Lurkingcat ... you are SO in my prayers.

Today I shared kiwi with a butterfly

Cool.

I think the old bug has come to die in my house. I've left him/her some honey.

Thank you Sifra and Zadzi. Unfortunately there was no Christmas miracle.
BUT my heart moved on in the last weeks and I had suddenly the urge to go to an other pet shelter (one that didn't reminded me of my lost cat). And cat recognition happened this time!

Meet Luna, our new family member:


She is an older cat lady but very energetic, curious, confident, smart and full of cat mischief

I still miss my lost black prince and maybe a miracle might still happen but it was time to move on and give an other cat a new home.

She is super cute! She looks mischievous.
I think it's great that you adopted an older cat. We had a wonderful time with the two elder cats we adopted.

What a darling kitten. Pretty coloring too.

Miscellaneous wrote:

Today I shared kiwi with a butterfly

Such a wonderful portrait of a beautiful dark butterfly. I love the velvet and silk with the pale gold and jewel-like spots. It's amazing how you've captured the beauty and elegance in all detail. Dreamy.

Miscellaneous wrote:

I think the old bug has come to die in my house. I've left him/her some honey.

... and here I started to cry for a little old butterfly ...
And ran away to hide my weird mood, silly tears and useless sorrow.

It's the beauty that stays in mind. The soft dark shine of the wings, the stange cuteness of an insect. The loving portrait you've captured. The picture will stay ... in your files. In my mind and heart.

Thank you for being kind with the old bug. Thank you for sharing, Miscellaneous. Thank you for the gift of hidden beauty.

Happy New Year, LurkingCat! Frohes neues Jahr

Your Christmas wonder happened, Cat. Not like you've hope for but in another wonderful way. You became free to let another cat into your heart - and one found her way. Cat recognition is the best way to bond. I'm so happy to see Luna in - and read about - your new happy family. So looks adorable - so cute and fluffy and loving. The way you describe her you are in love for sure.

Luna will never replace your dark prince. He will always keep his room in your heart ... live there forever. And Luna moved in the room next door. And so will ... somewhen in far future - another cat. Each cat is an individual - you know this well - and special in their own way. Each one you will love for how s/he is. Each one will make your family grow.


About the wonder you wish for, still hope for - it may happen or not. There's a story I wanted to tell you for some weeks ... but I didn't want to stir up sad memories.

Some months ago the mother of my friend agreed to catsit the family cat during their holiday trip as usual. coincidentally she was asked to sit the dog of her son's family at the same time. No beig deal - it should be able to keep cat and dog apart for two days in a big house.
Normally. Accidentally cat and dog (who never had a linking for each other) met some hours after the cat moved in ... at the open front door. Cat was running away - and sadly she doesn't come back the following days. Environment wasn't quite unfamiliar but she was probably so scred that she didn't stop running before she was far away.

Family tried everything you usually do - calling the shelter and vets, walking the extended neighbourhood and calling her, hang out wanted posters. They even got multiple feedback - but it never was their cat.
About ten weeks later I've visited my friend's mother (same hometown) and of course I was looking out for the cat ... even walking an extra ound. No wonder happened. When we sat toghether in the evening she told me that the family had given up hopes ... she was sad because she expected the cat to be dead. I answered that an outdoor cat like Flöckchen is very capable to care for hersef in our region. She should consider the cat alive and well as long as the opposite is not proved.

On day later my Mom called me. She had visited her friend (who's the mother of my friend) in the afternoon - and this very day Flöckchen had been brought back!
The evening before a vet assistant had noticed a possible stray cat halfways at the other end of the town, caught it and brought it to her veterinary practice. After the usual checkup they remembered the missing cat announcement, realized the likeness ... and called friend's mother.

It was Flöckchen! The cat was healthy, well fed and trusting ... not much difference from before her adventure. In the evening she got a rade back to her family. My godsdaughter for so happy to have her furry bond back.

Your dark prince is young and strong and savvy - he can take care of himself just like Flöckchen did. And he's smart - he probably found another family to take him in their house and hearts. There's a good chance he's well and happy and makes someone happy. And Luna is a happy cat, too - with a happy family.

Thank you all for your kind words

I'm happy for your godsdaughter and Flöckchen Wonder may happen indeed (and sometimes not as you aspect it - thank you for your change of perspective, Embala)!

Awww... Luna's picture is broken.

I'm very happy you've found another cat bond, LurkingCat.

I have a new wolf-friend!

Her name is Honor (unless she tells me to change it, of course).  She's about five, and we think has been used as a breeder for most of that.  She'd been returned to the shelter for chewing up socks left on the floor (how about you don't leave your socks out on the floor...?)  and being protective of her family and wary around strangers (uh... GSD?) although she was all licks and wags when I met her, though all the crazy barking around us in the play area made her a bit skittish (so many homeless pibbles!).

She and my pibble Shiloh are getting along really well.  I think she just needs time to learn to be a dog and not a puppy factory.  

Sorry this is just her kennel card image.

GoldenEyes! You will give her the time to learn and a home to be happy, Kojiyoumi. And she will have a packmate to play with. Honor will be a happy and beutiful dog soon.

Good luck for Honor and you and all the rest of the pack!

Pretty baby.

Eventually there will be a picture of my new albino hedgehog Cholla here. In the meantime, here is a real cholla. It will have to do for now.