Lacee Has Been Adopted

Oscar adapted really well in the cat room. Just 2 weeks before I had brought him home I decided to bring in LG too. He was just a kitten, and friendly enough with me, so when Oscar came, I had him in one cage and LG in another, until the girls could get use to the new boys in their lives.

Once out of the cages, all went well, and I couldn't be happier, things were moving along nicely. Then Mac came around shortly after and I determined he most likely was a litter mate to LG, since they seemed to be the same age, and apparently knew each other. Best friends they are.

This brings me to now, a year has passed and all the cats have done quite well, adapted to each other, and most times it is a very peaceful room.

When I sit in the room I think about all I have done, where each one of these precious little souls came from. Their history, some more painful then others. Mama Cat has had several litters in the past. Living on the unforgiving streets for a few years. Delilah, almost died of heat stroke during our hot summers, with all that black long fur, she also was caught in a car engine, escaped with minor injuries. Oscar, perhaps fared the worst of the bunch, fractured leg, slit tongue, broken teeth, deformed nails, slit eyelid, multiple scars. They have their stories to tell, some I know, many I don't.

Then my mind wanders again back to the days with Turtle. Staring at her picture on the wall, wishing she was still here, able to enjoy the companionship of all the kitties that now reside in the room that was meant for her. Many times I have told my husband if I ever came across another Torti that looked like her, she would have to come home. He knew as well as I, that wouldn't happen. I didn't want the reminders of all the feelings of the guilt to come back.

So here we are today, with another special little kitty we all know named Lacee. From the first week that I had brought her in, I had been fighting the feelings of Turtle. Oh, she reminds me so much of her. It really doesn't have anything to do with looks. Although the way her eyes look up at me, sometimes makes me think of Turtle. She does have the same type of fur, the length, and her body size is so similar, but so are many others. It is her spunk, that brings the thoughts of Turtle rushing back through my memories. Her lust for life. All this time, I've been fighting these feelings. I just want to get her better and work with her enough so she can be adopted.

When we first found her, and determined that most likely she was hung, with the shoe lace that was tied around her neck, her legs, being fractured, I knew she would always be a special needs kitty. I have worked with her everyday, exercising her legs, getting her moving, massaging them. All she would do is crawl. Standing on her back legs, would only last a few seconds before she would drop down again in the crawl position.

I set out with a goal in mind hoping by the end of February, she would be rehabilitated enough to go to a new home. Hubby has helped quite a bit with her. He takes her out of her cage in his office every evening, and brings her in the bedroom, and plays with her, getting her moving and using those legs. She adores him, and he adores her.

When I mentioned I will be finding a home soon, he says "you are always getting rid of my cats". Then he proceeds to say "you know you are going to do all the necessary checks on the new adopted family, and everything will be a go, then you will find out something happened to her, and you are not going to be able to forgive yourself". Doesn't sound like he is helping much, does it?

Last week, hubby called me into his office to look at Lacee, she was standing and walking, more then she ever has. he was so excited as he said "We did this, because of you, because of us, she is getting better". To see a grown man that excited and proud over the improvement of this little kitten, is a wonderful feeling. It does the heart good.

As of Last Sunday I found an adopted family for Lacee. My hubby asked me "How could you, how could you send her to another home"? My reply " She reminds me too much of Turtle, she will have a good home elsewhere, this is what we do".

Every other day I would carry her into my cat room so she can see other cats, and know they won't hurt her. Sometimes I would just hold her by the screen in the door and she would be nose to nose with LG and Mac. Hubby wanted me to put her cage in the cat room so she can be exposed to the other cats for longer periods. I knew what that meant though. Once she is in the cat room, she won't be leaving. I can't do that. I know this hurts hubby as he has gotten attached to her, and he knows she is something special, as they all are, but there is something different about Lacee, he sees it too.

So, Instead of bringing her cage into the cat room, she was adopted by her new forever family.

Now I know everyone reading this is just waiting for me to admit that forever family is me right? Well, I have been in denial, couldn't admit it, and just couldn't go through with it. But, I told hubby we will try and see how things work out.

I moved Lacee into the cage already in the cat room. She has been in the room for 8 days now, and I am happy to report things have gone much better then expected. She was full of spunk the first night, she would walk to the gate of the cage and growl at all the cats and swat at them if they came close. They never growled or hissed back, and she has not shown any signs of being afraid of them while in the cage. LG and Mac go nose to nose with her and she is fine with them. I was mostly worried about Mama, and she was going to be who determines if she stays or not. Mama does not react to Lacee like she has all the cats that have come before. She goes to the cage, sniffs her, then rolls over by the cage and plays with a toy while laying on her back exposing her belly. Perhaps she sees something different about Lacee, as I do.

While holding Lacee last night, Oscar stood there and just licked her face, her head, her body, and Lacee didn't mind.

As of 2 days ago, Lacee is now walking on all four legs like a normal cat about 80% of the time, she still can not jump, but her walking has greatly improved.

A few pictures, although not that good, sorry about that, but I was right there ready to grab her, as she is not ready to be out of the cage loose in the room unsupervised with the other cats as of yet.








So, what does Oscar and Turtle have to do with Lacee? I think you can all get the picture. I have come full circle. Without further explanation..........

Lacee is happy. Lacee plays all the time, like a kitten should. Lacee is home.