Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Leila and the Bauhs

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Leila and the Bauhs

“Leila is kitty number 22 and our fifth fully black cat,” Gail says. “We LOVE black cats and their chill personalities. Leila was part of a litter in which all of her siblings had been adopted, and she was moved into the Halfway House when she reached 6 months of age. As a Socializer with Furry Friends, I got to know her sweet, gentle and playful personality and couldn’t resist taking her home with me.

“She was a bit shy for the first couple of weeks, but curious and good-natured at the same time. She was given her own room with lots of space to play and to feel safe. She and our other cats could see and sniff at each other through a screen door that we had installed just for that purpose. They would also stick their paws under the sliding door and bat at each other by way of introduction. Before long, though, she was roaming the house as if she’d lived here forever.

“We love the playful energy that Leila has brought to our home. She’s always so happy, and she comes to greet us every morning and when we get home from running errands. She has a cute way of lying with her front paws straight out in front of her and her back legs flat out in back of her – as if she’s doing a yoga pose! She ‘chirps’ when she jumps down from the furniture or her cat tree, tilts her head from side to side when she’s trying to figure out something new, and loves playing hide and seek in the sheets.

“Since our other cats are 6 and 14, they look at her kittenish energy with disdain, and we can almost hear them saying, ‘Doesn’t she know that cats are supposed to be regal and aloof?’

“Leila’s favorite toys are her string toy with a mouse and streamers on the end and her two stuffed fish with feather tails. First thing in the morning and last thing at night, she leads us into her room to play. She also plays independently in a Chewy box that we filled with crinkly paper and little toys, but she seems to prefer the company of people, and is always checking out the other cats in case they want to play.

“When she first arrived, she didn’t really understand being hugged and cuddled, although she did like being petted and was a champion purrer. After working with her for a few months to get her used to being picked up and cuddled, she now enjoys her hugs and cuddles. She often lies on my lap or on my feet in the evenings while we watch TV and contentedly purrs. One of the gentlest kitties we’ve ever had, she also LOVES having her tummy rubbed!

“While she’s allowed to sleep wherever she wants, she most often sleeps in her cat tree in her room. Sometimes, though, we find her sleeping on a blanket at the foot of the bed, stretched out to her full length.”

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Furry Friends Fur-Ever Stories are compiled and written by Nomi Berger who is the bestselling author of seven novels, one work of non-fiction, two volumes of poetry, and hundreds of articles. She is a volunteer writer for Furry Friends in Vancouver, WA and also volunteers her writing skills to animal rescue groups in Canada and the USA. She lives with her adopted Maltese named Mini.

Volunteer Spotlight: Aly Benson

Volunteer Spotlight: Aly Benson

Although she’s been a Furry Friends volunteer for less than a year, Aly Benson is already involved in working at the Halfway House, fostering difficult to place kitties and adopting. At the house, Aly is part of the “awesome Monday morning crew.” “I really enjoy getting to know these ladies and hanging out with them each week,” she said.

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Francis and the Aalviks

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Francis and the Aalviks

“I had lost my special Jack Jack last year,” explains Tracy. “A handsome black and white tuxedo, adopted at two, he was 16 when we had to say goodbye. It took some time for me to open up to adopting again. When I was finally ready, I searched and searched to find a special boy in need of a home. My search was specific: a young male black and white tuxedo.

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Cleopatra and the Andersons

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Cleopatra and the Andersons

“Our last kitty ran away in December of 2021,” explains Farrah. “We are still heartbroken, but being kittyless was pure agony.
“We were originally looking at another cat, but we weren’t her humans. Then they showed us Cleopatra and it was instant love! And although we kept her original name, we call her Cleo most of the time. Her adjustment to our home was so very fast. It only took about four days for her to be completely adjusted because we also have a dog. Other than that, she’s the Queen and we’re her loyal staff. I still can’t believe she was returned for not being able to adjust to someone else’s home. She acts as if she’s lived here all of her life!

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Cleo and the Stefans

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Cleo and the Stefans

“We recently adopted Cleo from Furry Friends,” says Bethany. “We’ve had pets before, a Beagle named Baxter and a cat named Lucky, both of whom have since passed. After that, we went without a pet for many years — until our daughter asked us to cat sit for her and we fell in love with her cat! Of course we had to give her cat back, but we sure missed having him around.

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Ghost and Cheese and the Williams

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Ghost and Cheese and the Williams

“After the death of our 17-year-old cat in January, we looked at the Furry Friends’ adoption website,” explains Alison.
“Darrell and I were immediately attracted to the photos of Ghost, a young Russian Blue, but he was bonded to an orange tabby kitten named Cheese. We talked it through and decided we could easily expand from a one-cat household to a two-cat household.

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: and Madison Gustofson

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: and Madison Gustofson

“I adopted Lucifee from Furry Friends in October 2021,” Madison says, “and although I haven’t technically changed her name, I honestly call her Lucy for short.

“Having grown up with cats, this isn’t my first experience living with them, but Lucy is the first one of my own. In looking for a companion pet, I knew that I wanted one who was friendly and snuggly. And when I read that Lucy really liked people, I felt that I should meet her. I visited her at the shelter and she was immediately very friendly and wanted pets. She also looked so cute and had such an adorable demeanor that I promptly adopted her.

“Several months after making herself happily at home in my home, I decided to move to another location, and Lucy’s had to re-adjust both to a new environment and to the presence of other cats. They’re more than welcoming and only want to be friends with her but she’s not yet that friendly towards them. Given her naturally outgoing personality, though, and a little more time, I’m sure she’ll feel the same way they do.

“Lucy is the best companion pet. I always look forward to spending time with her. We sit on the couch and she comes and cuddles up with me. When I’m working at home she comes and sits on a stool next to my desk and chills with me. I’m very happy to have her as a pet, and my family and friends love her too.

“Lucy likes to play with a toy on a string and also likes the laser pointer and her scratching stations. But most of all she likes exploring our new home. She was used to carpeting in our previous place and now, with hardwood floors, she slips and slides about in the cutest way. She also loves to flop, and since she’s heavy, she makes a ‘thudding’ sound. When she wants to rub against you, it’s more ‘ramming’ than rubbing, and when she tries to scratch herself, she often ends up scratching the air. In short, my Lucy is as funny as she is endearing.

“I’m very grateful to Furry Friends for taking Lucy in and for allowing me to adopt her. Thank you!”

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Furry Friends Fur-Ever Stories are compiled and written by Nomi Berger who is the bestselling author of seven novels, one work of non-fiction, two volumes of poetry, and hundreds of articles. She is a volunteer writer for Furry Friends in Vancouver, WA and also volunteers her writing skills to animal rescue groups in Canada and the USA. She lives with her adopted Maltese named Mini.

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Bruce and Mike Prato

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Bruce and Mike Prato

“Bruce, boasting a Batman cape as befits a cat with his name, is the first kitty I’ve had on my own,” says Mike. “And Bruce is and always will be his name!
“As someone living alone, and needing an indoor kitty, the fact that Bruce was FIV+ made him an ideal fit. When I met him, it was love at first sight. His adjustment to living with me was almost immediate. It only took him about 30 minutes to explore his new environment and start making himself at home.

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Boo and Alexis Kolar

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Boo and Alexis Kolar

“I’ve had cats my whole life,” Alexis says, “and as soon as I got my first solo apartment I knew I wanted to adopt a cat. Although she was called Dove when I adopted her, I changed her name to Boo and it suits her personality purr-fectly. I chose her because she needed to be an only pet in a quiet home and I knew I could provide that environment for her.

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Maizie and Blaize and the Garvers

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Maizie and Blaize and the Garvers

“I adopted Maizie first,” explains Jaimie, “and when she came home to meet the rest of the family, she sat and growled at everyone. Our resident cats wanted to sniff her, of course, and follow after her, and amazingly, a few hours later, I found Maizie sitting in the middle of the living room with the other cats around her as if she were holding a meeting! After that, they all got along fine.

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Stanley Hudson and Megan Benavides

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Stanley Hudson and Megan Benavides

“I adopted Mouse now called Stanley Hudson from ‘The Office’ on January 24th, 2022. I named him that because he had a grumpy looking face. Lol!

“He is the best decision I ever made. I lost my ginger baby Duke of 16 years on December 5th, 2021. The pain, honestly, was unbearable, and my remaining cat Lena, also adopted from Furry Friends, was devastated. Although I knew it was too soon to adopt another cat, hearing Lena cry and cry and call for him was breaking my heart. They were bonded.

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Mustache and the deHilsters

Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail: Mustache and the deHilsters

“This is the first pet my husband and I have had together,” explains Addie. “Originally, his name was Keenan, but we decided to change it because, strangely enough, my sister once had a beloved cat named Keenan and we thought it would be too confusing. Our kitty is now known as Mustache (nickname Moose). He has cute little black markings above his mouth that reminded us of a gentlemanly mustache, so we went with it.

Furry Friends Fur-Ever:  Cheshire and Aime

Furry Friends Fur-Ever: Cheshire and Aime

“I gravitated toward Cheshire because he was one of the longest residents at the shelter and because he matched my lifestyle. I knew I would be away much of the day for school and eventually for work, and the fact that he’s content to spend most of his time simply watching the birds from my window is ideal. Also, when I first met him, I apparently stayed with him longer than other visitors did, allowing him to work up the courage to play with me.

Furry Friends is a nonprofit cat adoption organization. Its mission is to help homeless, relinquished and abused cats by providing spaying and neutering, medical care, and foster shelter for as long as it takes to find their forever home. Copyright © 2013 – 2020 Furry Friends. All rights reserved. Website design and development by Christina Roberts.