Twenty Pounds of Love - Iceberg

First off, it’s FIV+ awareness weekend at Maddie’s. The shelter is providing info about cats living with the condition and promoting the three current FIV+ cats there: Norman, Puff Daddy and Scarlet.

But before I make it to those condos, I’m distracted by an awesome new guy in hallway 4. Iceberg is a ten year old all white, blue eyed bundle of love. He’s massive, like 20 pounds, with a big sweet personality to match. His purr is loud and constant from the second I enter the room, but he’s also playful and nimble given his girth. He’s sweet and a bit goofy – he rubs and purrs between chasing a toy, and at one point sticks his head under his little throw rug then crawls fully under it in search of the toy.

A woman brings her toddler around the corridors. The child is loudly excited by all the animals, although most of them are less than pleased by her volume. She’s really cute, though. She stands at Safari’s window, and Safari, a brave little orange and white "personal assistant," stands right up pawing at the child, their heads level.

Shy guy Boomer, the pretty nine year old orange tabby, is glad when they’re gone. He’s got an adoption pending note on his door, which I’m happy to see. Later, I meet the potential adopters, a couple of youngish guys. Unfortunately, one of them is having a sneezing fit. They want to visit a couple other cats, and see whether the allergies are from one cat in particular or the whole shelter. They meet Mickey, and I suggest they check out Iceberg.

I feel bad for the dude – he obviously likes animals but I can see that being here is bothering him. He says their place has a small yard, and seems confident that just one cat who’s not always inside won’t cause bad reactions. His partner, a soft spoken and handsome guy, is clearly a cat person. He’s got a comfort level and confidence with all the cats that speaks of long and loving experience.

Of course I wonder about the dynamics going on – will the other guy suffer to please him? But the allergic guy really likes the cats too. And apparently the final call is his. His phone rings at least twice and he consults with a friend during our visit with Iceberg.

They want to see Boomer again – he’s really the favorite. And often scared Boomer jumps right out and weaves between them, even allowing himself to be picked up and cuddled. The pair have a quick quiet exchange to make their decision, and head off to the front while I whisper a happy congrats to Boomer. Love outweighs all?

On that note – the boyfriend and I are headed off to a computer-less vacation in Hawaii. Back in a couple weeks…

Welcome to the World, Bo-bama - Raven

Can I just say, enough with the complaining and let’s have a moment of gratitude for the sweet visage of our unbelievably cute First Pup? It’s a darn good match for a family with a high profile and allergy issues.

I keep hoping I’ll see Raven’s paperwork in the recently adopted file. But no such luck, so I make her my first visit. She’s a beautiful, affectionate, and super soft all black long hair three year old girl. They’ve got her classified as a "love bug," which means a little shy about the world but very devoted to people.

That’s how I’d guess my Montana would be rated. Raven’s housed in his small former condo in hallway 2, which also makes me sad to see her still week after week. (He only resided there for a week before I brought him home.)

She’s about half his size, which is to say normal sized and slender. She curls into my lap, gently purring, and I pet her with one hand on her head and one on her belly as she squirms happily. She even bats at a toy from that position, feet and tail splayed. With my company, she manages to tune out the noise of the condo next door being cleaned out. A couple of people passing by smile in at us, but not with any real interest, and I wonder what it will take to make a match for this precious kitty.

I cross the hall and meet Messier, a stately and charming 13 year old Maine Coon mix. (He’s named after a hockey player; he’s quite clean.) This guy had to be surrendered when his former family had kids and he couldn’t deal with it and stopped eating. He’s still quite thin, but seems to be adjusting to Maddie’s pretty well.

We both watch as they finish clearing out the empty condo. Then a staffer carries in a black and white cat bare handed. A moment later, she appears again with Puff Daddy, and I realize he and Norman are getting new digs. They’re a bit anxious, but sniff around curiously.

I spend some time with them to help them get used to the place. Puff Daddy stays partially hidden at first but eventually hops down to be petted. A woman with a cute little boy appears and asks if they can meet the cats. She carefully admonishes the kid to be quiet and gentle, then they tip toe in.

Norman’s cool – he likes being petted even by a child who’s still learning which is his front end. Puff Daddy sticks with me but does allow the woman to pet him and admire his chubby cheeks. She tells me about the FIV+ cat she had, that he was also sweet like these two. The kid is well behaved – also sleepy – and soon they thank me and take off.

I move on to hallway 5 to check on Maya, who was unfortunately returned. Apparently she didn’t get along with the cats already in her adoptive home. Poor girl. She seems her normally contented self, but I wish she could find herself the laps and loving she so craves.

Match making is just not always easy when it comes to cats.

Diversions - Puff Daddy

I go in to volunteer a day early to accommodate work, which hasn’t been very pleasant this week. Nor has the daily news; the Chronicle – which I’m still buying! – is filled with depressing headlines.

So I stop at Arinell’s for a slice of amazing pizza. It’s only been open for minutes but there’s a line, and I share the little space with a boisterous family, an awed tot and grandma, and a couple constructions workers. I finish eating on the way to Maddie’s, and suddenly the rain diminishes and I’m filled with memories of better times. It’s that good. (Am I shallow, or highly evolved?)

I’m pleased to see that Mirka as well as Joey and Gracie have been adopted. There’s a Spring Break camp in session, so the shelter’s full of apron-clad kids and the animals are getting extra attention. They’ve put up some cutely decorated framed photos of the cats, and are paying visits, two to a cat, to the more outgoing kitties.

An older man and probably his daughter approach, looking for kittens or youngish cats. We go in to meet a couple skittish young things. He’s surprisingly agile in spite of his cane and crouches, petting and playing with the cats. But he’s not even close to deciding on them, and it’s possible this is more of a diversion than anything else.

Another pair, a French sounding guy and his helpful gal pal, want specifically to see short haired gray or white cats. One of the young campers suggests Frosty, and I show him and a couple others. The guy has very exacting standards and rejects several possibilities with only a glance, saying it’s something he can just feel in his heart. He’s kind of charming, though I feel a bit defensive on behalf of the cats. There’s more to it than looks!

Speaking of less than perfect, I get acquainted with Puff Daddy and Norman, two young, tough looking, FIV positive guys who were picked up from the street. Puff Daddy is a brown tabby with the cutest chubby face imaginable, in contrast to his slender and partially shaved lower body. Norman is a big eyed black and white fellow, with scratches on his nose and slightly chewed looking ears.

You’d think two toms sharing a small space would have territory issues, but they’re fine. They both rub around for me to pet them, and bump noses politely. Puff Daddy even gives Norman a little washing around his ears. Except for being a little nervous about noises, these guys are pretty pleased with the shelter and the prospect of new indoor homes. They go after their kibble like me with my pizza, psyched and inattentive to anything else.

Ready for My Close Up - Joey & Gracie

I haven’t even signed in when I catch sight of the day’s first cute kitty. Several people in the front lobby are gathered around a very cool cat, a long hair black and white on a leash who’s calmly strolling along the counter. He sniffs around before jumping to the ground and moving amiably within the confines of his leash.

Later I learn that he’s being tested as an animal assisted therapy cat. (This is where animals, usually dogs, are brought to visit people who are confined and would enjoy the company of a friendly pet: http://www.sfspca.org/programs-services/animal-assisted-therapy/) From what I saw, he’s a fine candidate, unfazed by any of the sights, sounds or smells of the shelter.

I head off to socialize the more cat-like cats. Have a couple brief conversations with people, but not a lot of adopter action. One woman wants to meet Mirka, who as usual is pawing her window for attention. She shows charmingly, but the woman confesses she has three cats and home and really can’t take a fourth. Another volunteer tells me Mirka had similar visits over the weekend – people intrigued but unwilling to commit.

I check out a bonded pair of two year olds who transferred here from Island Cat Rescue, Joey and Gracie. Joey’s the more outgoing one, a pretty long haired gray tabby. Little gray and white Gracie stays mostly hidden in her climbing structure, although she purrs enthusiastically when I reach in to pet her.

As I’m hanging out with them, one hand available for each cat, a staffer brings a delegation of some sort into the corridor. She’s showing off the condos and describing all the ways they make cats’ stays comfortable and free from unneeded stress, along with the myriad processes for preventing the spread of infection.

It’s an attentive group – they lean in close, nodding, and a couple of them snap pictures as then move down the hall. I’m dangling a toy for Joey, and he obliges the photographers by rising up on his haunches and batting it playfully. Gracie stays hidden, nervous from the voices outside.

Another feature of Maddie’s is keeping bonded pairs together, even though it can be harder to place them. These two are a good example. Sure, Joey’s all out there being the superstar, but they were raised together. It would be sad to split them up now, and sadder still if the shy one was left behind. Some cats just need more time to get out into the limelight.