I remember the day I came here, huddled in the back of a green carrier. The smell of other cats filled the air, music played in the background and I was scared. This didn't smell or look like the vet office. My humans handed the carrier to a lady, and peaked through the front of the cage door. "Bye, Bud,"
Bye? Why are you saying bye? Where did you take me? When are we going home?
The carrier started moving again, and I didn't dare look outside the holes to see what was happening, I tucked my head in the corner and cried. The carrier stopped moving, and I heard the door open.
"Come here, buddy, lets get you out," I heard a sweet voice say. I felt a hand stroke my back and then scoop under me. I tried grabbing the carrier and digging in with my claws, but there was nothing to hold on to. She pulled me out, and I looked around, crying. I saw cages with other cats inside. Where was I? She plopped me into the cage and shut the door. The bed was fluffy, and there was delicious food and water next to me. The lady stood outside the cage door and looked at me, "You're safe now, Bud."
"Safe now?" I thought, "What's that mean? What is this place?"
That was 5 months ago.
Today, I lay stretched out on a different fluffy blanket that is sprawled out on the floor of the room I now call home. Next to me lay's one of my many fur-friends Kylie, and we're both watching the broom of a volunteer as she sweeps throughout the room. Sometimes Kylie and I get up and chase the broom, but today we both are too comfortable to get up off this blanket.
In the last 5 months, I learned all the answers to my questions. My human said goodbye to me because they didn't want me anymore. They took me to my current home, Pet Angel. The lady who put me into my cage on my first day here promised me that they would find me new humans that would love me endlessly. Until that day, she told me they'd care for me here. Here, I am safe. Every day I am cared for, I don't have to stay inside of a cage, I get to play all day, I have a lot of other kitties I live with. We even have humans visitors that come pet us every day! Different volunteer's come in and clean our room, give us new water and love us all the time. I get to cuddle up with Kylie and sleep every night, and, my favorite part, I get lots of treats.
The girl from my first day here just walked through the door with a bright blue carrier. Behind her, at the door, are two smaller humans and a big human looking through the glass at me. I remember them from a few days ago! They pet me for HOURS and I liked the taste of the smallest humans hands because they tasted like peanut butter. I got up, stretched, and started walking toward the girl with the carrier, hoping she'd pick me up.
She looked down at me with a huge smile on her face. "Remember that home I promised you about?"
Yes, how could I forget that? I meowed in response. "Today's the day! They're taking you home!" I blinked at her, then looked at the humans behind the glass. They want me?!?! She opened the carrier, and lifted me in.
Its really happening! Its my turn! Today, I'm going home!
Through the door of the carrier, as I was carried away to my new family, I saw Kylie looking back at me. I meowed at her, and let her know that today might be my day but tomorrow is hers.
Wish me luck! I've got a whole new life ahead!
Every day, pets are surrendered to Shelters all across the nation by their owners that no longer wish to keep their furry family member anymore. But sadly, more animals are coming into the shelters then are finding homes. There are many no-kill shelters, like Pet Angel Adoption and Rescue in Frankenmuth, Michigan, but there aren't enough no kill shelters nationwide. Approximately 860,000 cats will be euthanized in shelters across the nation because they need to free up cage space for more animals that are coming in.
All across the country, their are animals like Kylie (who is a real cat that is ready for adoption) looking for a loving place to call their own, and need your help. If you cannot open your home to take a shelter-cat in, open your hearts. Find time to volunteer at the shelters, and be the ones with the broom that Kylie and her friends will chase. Open your wallets and give a small donation to help with Kylie and her friends veterinary care, or pay for the litter they use every day at the shelter.
Be the family in the story who took Bud home. Be the one to give kitties like Kylie and Bud their forever homes. This month is Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat-Month, and I say it's time we celebrate.
