What a day...

Whew! Well, the Seester is gone--we had a lovely time, and now she unfortunately has to sit on four different flights to get back across the country. That's the price you pay for wanting to fly a specific day and using the fewest number of frequent flier miles possible to pay for the ticket.

However, we had quite the day yesterday. I took off work, and we had no particular plans other than to run a few errands (take the cat for a dental, get some passport photos taken, minor things). Well, as it turns out, the [foul names redacted for those readers who would be offended] who lived down the way were evicted on Weds or Thurs, and abandoned their two cats. Yes, that's right, simply moved out and left them there. Maintenance shooed them outside before closing down the apartment to fumigate, so these kitties were outside with no obvious source of food or water for at least 24 hours by the time I saw them Fri morning (thankfully, the weather wasn't too cold or too hot). As Big Man and I took our monkey to the car so I could drop her off for her dental, the black and white kitty (Mr B&W) came trotting up to us mewling pitifully. I had to leave, but resolved to get some cat food on my way back.

Upon my return, I stood at the porch and opened the bag of cat food, and Mr B&W trotted right over (he had been laying on a pile of rags on the porch), and his buddy Ms Tortie came running from behind some AC units where she was hiding. Since I didn't know what shelter I'd be able to take them to yet (they weren't open), I poured some bowlsful of food and water, and went home. They were very excited to have access to food and water again, and were headbutting me and purring and rubbing on my legs as I was pouring.

Once we determined which shelter served my area, I called and chatted with the wonderful staff. They do not euthanize for space reasons, and I could call and check on the kitties any time. If the kitties were being considered for euthaniasia for ANY reason, the shelter would call me before anything happened. Nerves settled, the Seester and I went to buy some cardboard carriers (which are surprisingly expensive!), and set out to catch the cats.

Not surprisingly, the little darlings were happy to let us pick them up, and only slightly less happy to be put in the carriers. They are absolute dolls, and I cannot begin to comprehend how someone could do that to an animal, much less animals as sweet as these little guys. The shelter suggested that, should I see any of the owners around, I should tell them to come to the shelter and sign the cats over so they could be adopted out faster. However, I'm no so sure I could say anything so civil to these people now, nor am I sure I should say anything so civil. I'm remaining polite here, but be assured my blood has boiled and I have cried like a baby and generally want to hurt these....people. Even sadder, the woman turning over a cat at the window next to us was going through the same thing--her neighbor moved, and took one cat and left the other behind.

I'll keep you guys updated as best I can on how the little guys are doing. I would have kept them, but Big Man and I didn't think that would be fair to our monkey given that she's been Queen #1 for going on 8 years now, and she's nearly 16. But otherwise...you would be seeing pictures of my new adorable kitties.

If you live anywhere near me, and would be interested in either of these low-key, sweet as sugar, adorable cats, please contact North County Humane Society at 760-757-4357, and inquire about animals 33104 and 33105. They are both approximately 8-9lbs each, and seem to be in relatively good health. Ms Tortie is very quiet and a little shy, but very loving, and Mr B&W (I think he's a neutered male) is more talkative and a bit more outgoing. Both seem to be quite laidback and are at ease with being handled, even by strangers.
They are on a 6 day waiting period right now so the...people who owned them previously have a chance to "find" them. However, they'll be available for adoption immediately after that, and you may even able to place a hold on them now, should you care to do so.