Very Bad News

The whole time that Sir Percy was at his first foster home, he tried valiantly to get out the front door, occasionally getting as far as the apartment's steps before being scooped up by his foster dad.  At my house, Sir Percy tried to escape by digging through the glass window-- fortunately he is not equipped with diamond claws and thus could not actually succeed as he'd have had nowhere to go but straight down three floors.

At his current foster home, his attempts to escape continued-- only today he was successful in finding a window that was open just a few inches.  From  there he must have gotten to a lower roof, then to a wall, then, we assume, the ground.  This was about four hours ago, and despite repeatedly walking around the neighborhood, putting out food and used litter (not, obviously, together), there has been no sign of Sir Percy.

Both his current foster mom and I are, obviously, devastated.  I'm particularly concerned that he's in an area of lots of cats and dogs and cars, and not an area he knows.  There are lots of people in this complex who feed strays/ferals, like my complex, but he may be kept from the feeding stations by the ferals, like he was at my place.  I'm concerned that I've made things much worse for the little fuzzie, and I miss him, and I just really, really hope he's okay.

Beatrice's mom and I are sitting outside her house with a dish of wet food that seems to be smelling up the area enough to call two other strays cats and several indoor/outdoor nearby pets, but no sign of Percy.

I will keep you updated as I learn anything.

More of Sir Percy

The friend who was fostering Sir Percy brought him back to my place this evening, which has upset all the cats-- the ones who live here permanently and Sir Percy as well.  Sir Percy keeps looking for his foster dad, and being upset when he can't find him, and not settling for me.  (It doesn't help that I gave him his medicine.)  He'll settle down in a bit, I'm sure.  Fortunately, though, Bea's mom has agreed to foster Sir Percy starting tomorrow night.  Poor baby really needs a forever home, though, so he can stop being shuffled from house to house and person to person.

 

Did you know that black cats are the hardest to adopt out?  There's mostly only anecdotal evidence to support this, but a lot of shelter workers say it's their experience.  This 2008 Seattle Times article cites a 2002 study that supports the claim.  Apparently some people just want more "exiting" or "exotic" looking cats, with stripes or spots.  Or perhaps people are still made nervous by the old wives' tale about them being unlucky.  Not only is that silly-- but it's rather an American superstition.  Evidently in the UK and Asia black cats are lucky! A lot of US pet shelters won't adopt black cats out during October, for fear that they'll either be used as props for Halloween and returned, or that they'll be mistreated as part of pranks and rituals. 

The only black cat fact that I can prove is that it's hard to photograph them!

I have no idea what Sir Percy's story was before he found his way to me, but I know that he's a sweet little love muffin who deserves a great home.

Meet Sir Percy

Yeah, yeah, I thought I was out of this business, too. But alas... as long as people are still idiots who dump their pets, soft-hearted people like me will spend their time and money doing what they can...

I started seeing this little guy around when I got back from my winter travels.  He'd hang out under people's cars, mostly.  But I never saw him around the feeding stations, which made me curious.  Then one evening, as I was walking towards the fitness center, I knelt down and called him over-- and he came.  Yup, this adorable fuzzy is not the least bit feral-- he's clearly a dumped pet.  Sure, he could belong to someone, I suppose, someone who lets him outside, but he's unfixed and had dried bits on his nose/eyes, and was diiiiiirty. He was also a bit cranky after I examined him a bit, and he hopped away from me that night.

Fast-foward a week or so, and as a guest and I were heading out the door to visit some nearby gardens, here was the kitty, sleeping on the landing-- the one opposite the food bowl.  I really think that the ferals were keeping him from the food.  He didn't protest as I scooped him up and took him to the kitten hatchery.

He chowed down on the offered food and immediately started purring like a motor.  Later that day I gave him his first bath.  He hated it, and wanted desperately to escape, but he never once scratched me.

A few days later I got him his first checkup at the vet.  He is FIV and Feline Leukemia negative.  Happy dance!

A friend cared for him for me for a week as I traveled some more, but now I must seek a home for this lovable fuzzy.  The vet says this guy is between 1 and 3 years old.  He is the most loving cat ever-- he just drapes himself in your lap and starts purring.  He even purred at the vet, just sprawling around, waiting for someone to love him.  He's also talkative and will hold meowing conversations with you. 

Sir Percy is currently in the Phoenix area, but arrangements could probably be made to get him elsewhere, if he has captured your heart.  If you know of anyone looking to bring a loving feline into his/her(indoor) life, please let me know, or direct him/her to this post. 

Please, please, please spread the word.  I absolutely cannot keep him-- I ought not even foster him, but, well, see above re: soft heart.