You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby

Because of one kitty, in the past two years, I have:

• Washed my hands more than 1,400 extra times.
• Watched more TV than I have in the previous 10 years combined (just so I could stay in her room).
• Panicked about leaving my office door open countless times (when, in fact, I never did)
• Read more articles about FeLV than many veterinarians.
• Never given up hope that Kandy would find her own home.

Today she left my office for a more complete life with one of the most compassionate and dedicated animal rescuers/advocates that I know. She joined two other kitties and five doggies (all rescues) in a real home. She will have more than one room to play in … more than one window to view the world … kitty and doggie friends … and the one thing that always made me so sad that I could never give her: house comforts like a couch and human bed.

Folks, Kandy has left the office. With tears of happiness and some (selfish) sadness, I sit in my office with empty arms wondering how I’ll get any work done without her holding my hand in place with her sleepy head and adorable white paws.

From an orphaned, several day old baby placed with a surrogate mother … to a bottle baby needing human help after the surrogate rejected the kittens … to fighting upper respiratory infections, ear infections, appetite loss, dehydration, a weird mass in her mouth and of course her diagnosis of FeLV … to 10 days past her 2nd birthday. A birthday that many thought she would never see.

Kandy is the embodiment of why we agonize over every rescued animal in our care. She is the example of bleak outlooks turning into wonderful happy endings. She, and every foster cat I’ve had since March 2010, is what makes it all worth it.

As rescuers, we often hear “oh, I could never be a foster home, I would be so sad when the animal was adopted (or I would never be able to let them go)”. I’ll be the first one to tell you that it can be difficult to say goodbye when your fosters leave BUT I can also tell you that it is worth it. Every one that leaves opens the door for another one to be saved. The joys of fostering are intensified knowing that your relationship is temporary. And, fostering greatly improves the chances that an animal will be adopted since personalities are better understood.

Please join us at Paws for Celebration this year – we will truly be celebrating our little poster cat!