Rainy Days - Tabitha

All these storms! No, not a big deal compared to the horrific scene in Haiti (or even – don’t get me started – the recent election in formerly blue MA). But too much water and scary noises for our animals.

My boy did pretty well at first, and stayed tucked under the covers with me on the bed until the thunder claps seemed directly overhead. Then he hightailed it to the designated cat hiding spot of the closet floor, behind and shedding on the low hanging stuff.

No leaks at least, more than I can say for Maddie’s, which has a couple drippy windows. At least it’s not overly crowded there these days, so the cats don’t have to put up with it directly.

My very first customer wants to adopt Sir Bentley, the fluffy former feral I found so charming when I met him last week. She’s a nice middle aged cat savvy type who’s already made up her mind, but we go in for a quick confirmation visit. He lolls happily while she strokes him, and we discuss his awesomeness.

Another Fix Our Ferals kitty is having a harder time adjusting to people – Tabitha is a teensy 2 year old tabby girl. I go in and sit with her for awhile. She mostly stays squeezed behind her climbing structure, but she does love being petted, and arches and purrs when I reach back to her.

She ventures out with a nervous slightly puffy tail, lets me pet her some more, and has a lick or two of her food. But hallways noise sends her scooting back to her safe spot. There, she rolls onto her back, paws curled awkwardly in. I think she’ll be a bit of a goofball once she finally relaxes.

With only a few people coming by, I spend extra time with another shy girl, sweet all black Beatrice. She at least is comfortable sitting on my lap, and even plays for a few minutes. (Her notes mention that she likes to eat her toys, so I keep an eye on the dangle toy as she works it over.) I check to see if Tabitha can see this nice normal behavior.

All of us watch the arrival of some new kitties down the hall. One immediately takes cover, another – a big orange tabby from Stockton – circles the room and then starts meowing at his door. Guess who’s mostly likely to go home first. But you know what? Even the cats who freak out from rain can make someone a very good companion.

Other People's Little Ones - Simon & Lola

Lots of new feline faces at Maddie’s this week, with numerous new arrivals from outlying counties like Yolo and Merced. I start out with a pair who are just settling in, both young adult, pretty and sweet but scared. Random construction noises overhead don’t help. But after some gentle petting and coaxing, I convince her to eat and him to play.

Several people wander by – a couple looking for kittens, a dad and two young girls, a lone guy who carefully reads each condo card. Then a larger group comes in, excited young voices bouncing off the walls. It’s two moms and five kids. They study all the cats in hallway 3, then the oldest girl asks to see Silly, a playful 8 month old.

I check in with one of the moms, who suggests just the three girls go in with me, so as not to overwhelm the cat. Most cats would be fairly freaked out at this point, but as for Silly – bring ‘em on. She’s a goofy long hair tabby and white girl who’s friendly and fearless. She purrs, bats at our toys, and happily allows herself to be passed back and forth between the girls, nuzzling them sweetly.

Then the two boys, who are younger and a bit whinier want their chance. We shuffle out, and I crouch down to have a little talk with them about keeping their voices soft and motions gentle. They are gratifyingly attentive to me, and solemnly assure me they are capable of being quiet.

One of the families has recently adopted a cat from Maddie’s and all the kids are clearly delighted with him. They don’t seem real serious about taking on another, but I enjoy interacting with kids – decently behaved ones – even so. Though it's tempting to mention that this is a shelter and not a petting zoo, I figure any kids I meet here are future pet supervisors. I think it’s important to show them respect, listen and answer their questions. And of course to model good person to cat behavior.

The girls beg to meet another cat, and Sir Bentley, a gorgeous fluffy 4 year old all black fellow from Fix our Ferals, is deemed tolerant with children. Basically he loves being petted by anyone and everyone. He’s much less active and pretty much lolls like a rag doll between the girls, purring and wriggling his shoulders, the soft fur on his belly luxurious and long.

Finally the whole group is herded away (another benefit of other people’s children) and things quiet down. All this time Lola and Simon, an older bonded pair, have put up with the commotion outside their condo. They’re precious too, but in a more subdued, mature way. Simon is a huge orange tabby, friendly and easygoing, a "personal assistant." Lola’s half his size, a petite big eyed brown tabby, initially shy.

But she wins me over when she slinks from her hiding spot straight onto my lap, and curls there trustingly. She seems like somebody else’s baby too, and I wonder how these two ended up here. They’re older and a pair, which makes them a little harder to get adopted – but hopefully the right people for them will show up soon.

Moving Picture Vs. Snapshot – Chaka

Dozens of shelter cats found homes in the past couple weeks. It’s heartening to see empty condos, and shy new faces peeking out from where long timers like both our Luigis used to reside.

High volunteer to cat and ca customer ratio today, which allows for nice long visits with the remaining and brand new kitties. I pay homage to charming Chaka, a 9 year old orange long hair Persian mix. Her smush face and stubby paws notwithstanding, this girl is all dignity and grace. She purrs longa nd loud, and utters a few demanding meows before settling on my lap, arching her chin for my hand and blinking her eyes in contentment.

Volunteers can also give full individualized attention to potential adopters, a change from the holiday season rush. I help a guy who’s lost his companion of 14 years. He’s not sure what he’slooking for but knows he’s ready for another feline in his life. He seems to fall pretty hard for Chutney, an adorable tabby newly arrived from Stockton, but decides to keep looking around.

A young woman has several cats she wants to meet. She’s recently adopted her first cat and loves her so much she wants another. Predictably, she’s charmed by each cat we visit, and she asks how I can resist not bringing them all home.

Though part of me has imagined Chaka lounging at home with Montana,a study in contrast, I tell her that over the long haul, I’m confident about all my favorites ending up in loving homes. A first tour of Maddie’s might seem overwhelming; you just have to understand that the whole process takes time.

I’m reminded of some small boys I met here last week, a group of five (!) being shepherded around by a single dad. Three appeared to be brothers, the others presumably adopted or foster kids, but all of them were quiet and respectful of the cats. I showed a cat to just a pair of the kids at first.

After a few minutes of whispers and gentle pets, the older boy confided to me that he really loves cats. I could tell, he loved cats the way I do, which is a whole lot. I was determined to find the right pet for this group, and consulted with a couple staffers. A household with five little boys needed a special cat. They suggested a friendly outgoing youngster, and I went back to find the family.

The dad and boys I’d talked to were excited to meet another cat. But one of the smaller boys was crying,crying pretty hard, tears running down his face. He had just come to understand the nature of the shelter, the older boy explained. He was upset and sad that there were so many homeless cats.

I tried to comfort him, to explain that things would look up for these cats one day soon. But what cheered him up was getting to go in and pet Mr. Man, the cat they decided to take home.

What We're Here For - Bebe

My late father used to proclaim December 26 his favorite day of the year – the day, finally, when all the "fuss and hoopla" was over and he could get back to his normal life. (He also used to root for the Grinch – in his small hearted phase – during the family’s annual viewing of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.)

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to sympathize, to the point of avoiding mainstream stores in a desperate attempt to avoid another insipid rendition of Jingle Bell Rock. But the last minute holiday rush is alive and well at Maddie’s. Happily with no music and the chance to help a bunch of people find their perfect pets.

A mom and son, who’s maybe 11, are making a careful assessment of every cat in the place. This is to be his cat, and they want to get it right. I escort them in to see several kitties, all quite different in temperament. He’s good with the cats, gentle and careful to let them sniff his hand, but not especially communicative with his mom or me.

They go off to discuss the situation while I visit pretty, vivacious and super sweet Sugar, a 17 year old white and tabby gal with a funny dark nose and wide eyes. She’s mellow, comfortable with herself in the way of any mature animal, and she leans next to me, purring while I pet her. It’s tough for older cats to find home, but she’s another winner (like my boy Buckie, who got adopted last week!). I also check in with precious and soft little Bebe, the all black long hair girl who loves lap time so much that it's hard to dislodge her when people in the hall need assistance.

I show another cat to a middle aged couple, answer questions, and try to steer people toward the right type of cats based on their answers to the feline-ality questionnaires. One couple are debating between two of the older cats, one outgoing and the other shy. I just stand and watch as the shy one, Patches, creeps onto the woman’s lap and into her heart. Patches just came in from the SIDO program, and is nervous about shelter life, so I’m glad to see her find new people.

The mom and boy return, wanting another look at Choir, a nice black and white 2 year old. Only the boy and I go in. As he sits on the floor, she pops out of her hiding spot and just claims him, rubbing her head back and forth across his knees, purring, and thrusting her head into his hand. After a minute or two, he looks up and quietly tells me that she’s the one.

In my head I picture the kid a decade from now, grown and telling the story of December 2009, how he got to pick out his cat, how they connected there on the floor of the shelter, and all the years he took care of her. And how his mom and some lady he didn’t even know exchanged smiles and looked like they were about to cry – because he probably had no idea at the time how sweet this moment was for all of us.

Happy holidays; back next year.

ps - just saw this article on Food Runners, another hands on org that I support: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/12/24/DDCJ1B7LNR.DTL They could use year end donations if you're looking to make a final charitable gift.

It’s Beginning to Feel a Lot Like – Ritz!

The Mission area streets are crowded with shoppers, but the adoption center has a more standard Friday assortment of people wandering around. I’ve gotten my year end packages, cards and donations mailed off, and am ready to relax over the long holiday weekend (and glad not to be flying off to somewhere snowy and cold).

Hallway 5 is full of red hearts indicating cats who’ve gone days without a volunteer visit. I settle in with Bebe, a darling 2 year old soft black long hair with big yellow eyes. Her card says she can get worked up and nip, but all she does is crawl into my lap and curl up with her fluffy tail covering her nose, purring happily. I try to tempt her with a toy, but she’s more into lolling like a rag doll.

There are several other sweet black and white kitties along the hall – young Maddy and Choir, and playful older girl Molly. A heavy set couple come by looking for a new cat after losing their long time companion. No one seems quite right, and it seems like they may more time to deal with their loss.

A second couple come by, the woman reading the cats’ names and bios in a baby talk. They coo at some of the cats but no one seems to catch their eyes either. Or it’s more like every single one does, but they’re not sure who to meet.

Another volunteer asks if I’ve met Ritz, thinking I’d probably like him. I go check him out, and she’s right, he’s awesome. He’s a trim 10 year old brown tabby with narrow stripes, a friendly meow, and the biggest, widest eyes ever. I go in just to say hello, and in minutes he’s standing on my lap and licking my arm like we’re total pals. It’s hard to articulate, but the little dude is packed with charisma.

I hope he goes home for the holidays; he’ll make an excellent addition to some lucky household. Back in the main corridor, a staffer passes, holding up a tiny Santa suit and exclaiming she needs to find the best cat to wear it. Yep, it’s that time of year. Here’s hoping for more holiday magic…

Cycle of Life - Buckie

Made my way over to Union Square after work yesterday, elbowing through the crowds outside Macy’s for a look at the SPCA holiday window display. Totally cute as always – several kittens were sacked out sweetly, and those awake and frisky drew crowds of awestruck admirers of every age.

A volunteer had an adorable Chihuahua (one of many available these days!), attired in a tiny sweater for the cold weather, prancing out on the sidewalk. It was fun to see the crowd reacting to the animals. Dozens of people snapped pictures and no one could help but smile. I’ve no doubt that this was the highlight for numerous children's holiday downtown treks.

Over at the shelter, the kittens are cute too if less festively displayed. But it’s sad to see many of the older cats still around, longing for attention as well.

First up, a friendly young woman is choosing between a young adult and a kitten, both feisty all black cuties. They’re both good cats, as are several others she contemplates, looking like she wishes she could take them all. I reassure her that they’ll get homes eventually. But it’s up to her to make the final call. She goes out front, still pondering.

This gives me a chance to check in on Buckie, one of my favorite senior cats. He’s a charming long legged gray 9 year old with light tabby markings and white feet. He’s attentive and friendly, rubbing around for pets and gazing at me with big dilated eyes.

Buckie’s got a sad story – his former owner died, leaving him both homeless and bereft. Although he’s nice to all his human visitors, I feel like he’s still searching for his missing master. He’s trying to make the best of his situation though, and is pleased to have company.

A couple ask to see Wonder, a frisky little gray and white girl across the hall. The guy has asthma that can be triggered by some animal contact, so they’re just kind of testing the waters. Both of them seem to like the cat, so it’s disappointing after a few minutes when he admits his breathing is affected.

It’s just something you learn to live with, that’s his attitude. I feel bad for him though. It’s hard to imagine my life without animals front and center.

Wag More - Maya

Heading to Maddie’s, I pass a car out front, clearly a dog hauling vehicle, with a bumper sticker that says "Wag More, Bark Less." Seems a fitting motto for this time of year, busy and full of obligations that sometimes feel more like chores than festivities and family ties.

It was a banner weekend last week, adoption wise. But for now, the place is pretty quiet. I hang out with my girls Puff and Carrie, who reside across from each other and are both anxious for attention. Puff never stops moving, butting my arms and legs with her wet nose, rubbing and purring.

She stays at her door watching me across the hall. A young couple stop and coo at her, and Puff stays resolutely at her door, even standing up to stretch up toward them. They smile, but move off regretfully.

A boisterous group come in, followed by a dad and daughter who’s maybe three. He explains that a family member has allergies, but the little girl is fascinated by cats. He reads out their names as she stands, animated and nose level to the cats, looking in.

Soon all the cats in hallway too are at their doors, excited by the commotion, except for shy Maya. She’s a sweet, soft, long hair 3 year old, mostly white with black patches and tail. She’s good sized but it’s hard to tell, since she tends to curl up half hidden.

Once the people have moved on, Maya ventures out to my lap and relaxes as I pet her. Looking up at me, she appears to be smiling. Another dad with a somewhat older daughter stop and watch us. Maya tenses a little but bravely stays put. Actually she seems ready to camp out for the afternoon curled up on my lap, and I’m sorry to leave before she’s had her fill of companionship.

But another group of young people want to meet some kittens. Maddie’s has a surprisingly large number of youngsters for this time of year, so there’s quite a variety to choose from, and we get acquainted with a couple different kitten groups.

I get the impression they’re doing this more for entertainment than really getting ready to adopt. But it’s a pleasant diversion for all of us, the homeless kittens especially. Having fun where we can find it.