Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: indescribable
  • Music: Glee, "Rio/Hungry Like the Wolf."

Free Adoption Days: today and tomorrow.

Today and tomorrow, PetSmart is hosting their Free Adoption Days, on which pet adoption fees are waved for qualified applicants (ie, you have a pulse, a home, understand how not to starve an animal to death, and seem even halfway-corporeal, because we have way too many animals in need of homes). The PetSmart near me, in Concord, California, currently has some absolutely beautiful cats looking for their forever homes. One, Regent, is terrified enough to be hiding in his litter box. Another, Junebug, has already had her adoption fee reduced twice, but as an all-black cat, her odds aren't great.

Cats wind up in shelters for a lot of reasons, and very few of them are "because s/he was a bad cat." People lose their jobs, or move away and don't take their pets. Kids leave for college. People die. People lose the wherewithal to feed themselves, much less an extra, meowing mouth. And in all of these cases the cats, who have no idea what's going on, wind up suffering for it.

Amazing cats come from shelters. Adult cats who don't need to be trained; kittens who have all the world in front of them. Cats whose personalities are already plain when you meet them, making it so much easier to find the right cat for you. Cats who need you.

I've been very upfront about why none of my current cats are from shelters, and why my lifestyle and emotional needs are better met by reputable breeders. But if you don't fall into this category, and feel that there might be a cat-shaped hole in your life, go and take a look at your local shelter.

This post brought to you by the California Dammit Why Can't I Take Junebug Home Oh Yeah Alice Would Kill Her To Death Committee.
Tags: cats
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  • 153 comments

ladyamber

June 10 2012, 00:05:54 UTC 5 years ago

My Sierra is a stray that literally adopted us by climbing up the car port and miuing at us through the window one spring evening. She's a chocolate tortie, so she's actually a very dark kitty, and she's loving and does the Otter-cat pose and I love her to death when she tries to make sure my nose is covered with fur when I sleep so I'm warm. :D

Simon, my other kitty, is a completely black monstrosity that I adopted from a coworker who's bluepoint Siamese escaped and got knocked up. I'm pretty sure his dad was a Maine Coon; he's so big and goofy and lovable that I really can't stand it ...and there goes my lappie mouse as a cat toy. SIMON!

And no, I had no concerns about him being a Basement Kitty; the best cat I'd ever had as a kid was named Spook, and she had a personality that made you sit up and pay attention. :3 So no, I've never had issues with having black cats. It makes me sad that people dislike them, because I wouldn't trade my dark darlings for anything.

starmalachite

June 10 2012, 04:09:10 UTC 5 years ago

Speaking of torties (as you were) & smokes (as I was), I was mightily tempted last month at a kitten adoption fair by a very friendly tortoiseshell smoke -- I didn't even know they existed. she had no black in her coat at all, just many shades of red, orange & cream with deep orange (not copper) eyes. Like my Dorothy, the base of each hair & her skin are white, but she had no white markings. Fittingly, her name was Marbles. I really wish I could have gotten a decent pic of her with my phone camera, but no dice.

(Pic is of our Heidi.)

seanan_mcguire

June 10 2012, 18:15:56 UTC 5 years ago

Both your kitties sound awesome.