3 months after we put Sassy down we lose Serenity

[janew]

Les,
Deb & you are very special folks...more than sweet! How lucky your new "S" gal is!! I am glad you are spaying her...there are so many homeless, even if you were to find perfect, responsible owners for her unborn litter, you would just take that many homes from those already born. I really believe that you made the responsible choice for your new"S". Best of luck with her & may all your "S"s love their new sister. Thank you for being such great humans, it really warms my heart folks like Deb & you are around.
jane

[Christine]

Les, that is such a beautiful story. You and your wife are truly special and it is obvious you are meant for each other. Your stories just warm my heart. Sending good vibes for you and your sweet and growing family!

[Les]

Thank you Christine and Janew for your nice messages. Sugar is home, recovering from her spaying and shots, and getting used to her new "family" albeit through her cage, even though we let her out and stay with her on a limited basis. Sebastian stays near her cage and really is being a good brother, even though she is growling and hissing at them all! But it is because she is new to all of this, and is really hurting from the operation. She rubs against Deb and I very sweetly, but growls at the same time because of the pain. With time, she'll realize that we are a "family", and these cats aren't going to chase or hurt her; who knows what she went through outside...

I also appreciate your "encouragement" on her being spayed while very early in her pregnancy; I have to get the image of litle developed kittens out of my head, as they told us that she wasn't that far along and they weren't even formed yet. It's tough, you know? But she is recovering and getting to know us and vice-versa.

Thanks again,

Les, Deb and once again the FIVE "S"s

[MissWhiskers]

Hi,
I just read about your Sassy and Serenity and want to say that I am sorry to hear of your losses. I have lost 3 of my 6 cats between November 11, 2009 and Feb 23, 2010. I think Troopersmommy may have been referring to me in one of her posts. The last one I lost, Goober, was originally found in a box with 2 sisters, left at a church about 15 years ago. I kept all 3 of them and still have the 2 sisters - one of which is named Serenity! So I feel like I have some things in common with you all and just wanted to say hello, sorry for your losses and keep up the good work! I loved how troopersmommy said " An angel knows when it's time to ...make room for another..." However it still really hurts to lose one of our soft, innocent babies! I plan to cherish every moment I have left with my Serenity!
Best wishes,

Karen

[Les]

Hi Karen and thanks for your very nice message. I am sorry to hear of your losses, too-3 cats in 3 months is a lot of heartache for you, but we all keep "carrying on" somehow...It was nice of you to take those kitties in. I hope that they all live nice happy lives with you, especially Serenity; we used to call ours "Renny" for fun-she was so sweet.

Our new one, Sugar, seems to be kind of aggressive towards the other cats who are so very gentle, but we HOPE that it is just the fact that she is new to us here, is in a dog cage until she heals and gets over her "worms", and was just spayed and got shots on Friday, which is an AWFUL lot of stress on her. We let her out in a very limited area and time frame when we are right with her, and she seems to want to "charge" at the other cats, not run away from them! We hope that we can break her of that-any help would be appreciated with that! Thanks..with time and slowly introducing her to the boys we HOPE that she'll be calm and kind...

Best of luck with all of your kitties!

[troopersmommy]

Hi Les (and Deb),

I have to say "you are a man after my own RESCUE HEART"! I can't count how many times I've had "those talks and deals" with the Man Upstairs. When I read your post, especially where you said:

I made a "deal" with the Big Guy upstairs and basically asked that that stray would be safe and taken care of, and if she needed a good home that all she has to do is return...I pointed up at the sky and said "a deal's a deal"

I have said those identical words soooooo many times, whether rescuing cats or dogs. Isn't He wonderful? We keep our end of the deal and He grants us with unconditional love, and lifetimes of laughter and love. I commend you Les! You and Deb are great people. I can just picture you sitting on the porch "talking" to her even though you couldn't see her. I've been there many times, and it's such a joy when they "appear" or walk over to you, and such a relief. I even sat on the sidewalk outside of a gas station for an hour trying to coax a very depressed female stray dog who apparently lost her litter from stepping into a very busy intersection during going home traffic (looked like she was "suicidal"). At first people thought I was crazy, but then the crowd gathered and someone handed me a can of cat food - I "popped" the lid off, and she stepped out of the street, turned slowly, and walked toward me. Once I had her in my arms, you'd thought I'd just won the superbowl the way people cheered and applauded. It's nice to know that with a little encouragement, indifferent bystanders will show their true selves. She was one of my "deals" made with God. After seeing her everyday for a week, but not being able to catch her, I asked Him "please, if you will put her in my path just one more time, she will never know sadness or hunger again." And "Molly" came home to "mother" my rotty and lived for 15 years.

As far as visiting, y'all are welcome anytime you want should you ever come down this way to our beautiful San Antonio. I don't know how well this Healing House works on humans, because my husband and I have our share of aches and pains also. My husband and I, up to a year ago, also coached kids, except basketball rather than soccer. Sure do miss it though.

I hope Sugar is doing better, poor baby. My Coe (last kitty addition) is real sweet with us, but not so much with the other kitties, although she loves my old dachsy Rufus. Trooper seemed depressed for a while, but we realized he wasn't as warm in his new room, and so didn't move around as much. After adding layers of blankets, etc. to the floor and a small heater that blows gently on him, he's back to being a happy cat. Our best friend is quadraplegic and he can't go outside between October and May - too cold for him.

Well, good luck with your "zoo" of kitties. I'll check back for updates. I'm going to post photos of Coe and Melvin in a thread outside of Rainbow Bridge. Give all your babies a great big hug for me.

Troopersmommy, Pam

[Les]

Thank you Pam for that GREAT message; you did a great thing for Molly, and she returned it to you by giving you 15 great years! Deb and I can't believe the sweet friends that we have made here on this site...people that are in the same situations and UNDERSTAND what each other is dealing with.

Sugar is doing very well; she looks better everyday, and tonight we left her out to "roam" her new house, and she and the boys did GREAT!! Very little hissing and growling, and even layed down only a few feet from Sebastian, who has been trying to "pal" with her from the start-we are SO PROUD of them all...plus, Deb and I , like you guys, really pay attention to them, baby them (of course) and talk to them and keep telling them "it's okay", so they really are part of our "family". We told Sugar "no one will ever hurt you again-this is your home forever now". She is so cute, and really looks and reminds us of Sassy, but with her own personality. She's Daddy's little girl...I love to cut firewood, and was cutting some today when the light went on in my head of a nickname because I was cutting "SUGAR MAPLE" so that is one of many nicknames I'm sure!

Glad that you discovered why Trooper was not feeling up to snuff..and glad that he is doing well; best of luck with all of your critters!

Best regards,

Deb, Les and the five "S"s

[janew]

Deb & Les,
I am so happy Sugar is feeling better & already doing better with her new Brothers. Alot of times, it takes awhile for a new young adult to adjust to the new family. I have a CH foster kitty that it has taken 3 months to be able to let out with my cats. Even now one of my blind kitties Moe (AKA Symour) likes to take a swat at him, but is not really serious about it. So Sugar Maple is doing grand. I just love that you all rescued her & the others. We need alot more folks like you all.
jane

[troopersmommy]

Thanks Les and Deb for being such great people and friends. I can't believe it took me so long to find all of you. How in the world did I do this by myself? Even though I have John, it's different to find others who feel exactly like I do. Any doubts or misgivings I had in the past about my "obsession" with rescuing animals has been put to rest. I found my "friends and family" and I now know that I'm not insane or weird, haha. I feel sorry for those people who don't feel like we do. Think of all the unconditional love they miss out on.

[Les]

Hi all! Some nice posts from you all. I need some advice; Sugar HAD been doing very well with the boys, but this morning she attacked (charged) 3 of the boys and they weren't doing anything to her! She was out last night and kind of laying around a lot-I don't think that she feels very well, and of course has been through a LOT this past week, so I can see why. But she was very good the other two nights, now this. We scold her sternly "Sugar-NO"...and tell the boys that it's okay, and put her back in her cage. She probably just needs some more time and space; everywhere that she goes there is a cat, even though they aren't aggressive towards her they're still "in her face" so to speak. We will continue to work it out slowly, but any advice is appreciated-thanks!

Stay well, all!

Les

[janew]

Les,
She has hormones to sort out after her spay...it may take a month or so. I think your slow steady approach is good. Your boys are sweeties, but some(most) cats take awhile to warm up to a newcomer. In your case, it is the reverse.
Don't sweat it...it should work out. It just takes time, Deb & you are just used to more laid back kitties. This is pretty much the 'norm' for most folks.
jane

[MissWhiskers]

Hi,
I am not sure how much this will help, but I saw some articles on the Petfinder.com website about introducing cats. There are several. I know you/we might know most of this stuff already, but it looked like there might be at least a few new ideas within these articles. They are written by ASPCA and talked a little about "taking in strays, who might be competitive, territorial" etc.
Unfortunately I am not that good with a computer as far as linking articles! I think I can copy and paste a little of one of the articles, so If it sounds interesting then you can go to the website and check out more.
Good Luck! I think you will get there!

Kaen

P.S. I saw that you called your Serenity "Renny". That's cute. I might try that with my Serenity. I have never completely been satisfied with any of the shorter, nicknames I've tried for her. My best one has been "Nitty" or "Nitty Kitty"!

[MissWhiskers]

I hope I can get this copied!?

Karen

[Les]

Thank you both for your replies! She charged Simon last night, and we scolded her and then I "explained" to her that "she doesn't have to fight for anything anymore-we all get along here" and this morning she was better. She has been through SO MUCH, who knows what happened to her, and she isn't feeling very well, and recovering from surgery, and everywhere she goes there is a cat. And even though they aren't aggressive, they're still there; she's got so many emotions going right now, and she's a little scared, because she hides under a sofa. But she's getting there, and we're slowly working her into the family. She'll be fine, I'm sure.

Thanks for the replies-we'll hang in there !

[Les]

We've noticed a pattern with Sugar and her charging at the other cats; she seems to do it when we are petting her and paying attention to her-when we are doing that, she'll see one of the other cats and charge at them and hiss; could it be a bit of jealousy? Other than that she is very good with them. I had her out last evening without any problems-then Deb came home and was making a fuss over her and she charged at Snickers who wasn't doing anything but walking by her! This morning when I took her out of her cage she was fine; I was petting her and was going to feed her and she spotted Simon, charged at him and hissed! I got loud and in her face and yelled "SUGAR-NO"!! and really made my point that I was very mad at that and she cannot continue to do that-the boys will get neurotic and so will I!

Any thoughts on it? Jealousy??? Thanks!!