Trick or Treat - Tony

Happy Halloween. Midday the day before there are a fair number of costumed people in the Mission, kids and adults both. Plus the usual assortment of those for whom it’s hard to tell. Hey, some people like glitter… or uniforms. (Me too actually – the boyfriend and I will be attending a party later as the Northwest Airlines pilots who overshot the airport. Those dudes are scary!)

Anyway, I get to Maddie’s just before it opens, and already a small crowd has gathered. The first person to approach me asks to see a kitten without being more specific or having looked around at all. That’s a bit worrisome, so I’m just as glad when we’re waylaid by a staffer. Apparently this guy is a serial adopt and returner, and she hustles him off for a preemptive chat.

I head for my boy Tony, the friendly 5 year old dark tabby. He greets me with a happy cry, and squirms around for petting. He does this thing when he’s really getting into his head being rubbed – pokes the little pink tip of his tongue out bit by bit. It’s really cute, if fairly undignified, but he doesn’t mind my laughing at him. Next he plays for awhile, then curls solidly onto my lap, where I eventually have to roll him off to head for the next kitty.

Across the hall is Marble, a new and lovely half grown tabby with a gorgeous face and striking markings. An older man walks slowly down the hall. He looks stately until he catches Marble’s eye; next thing I know he’s squatting by the door cooing googly talk and waving his fingers for her.

I help an older woman who’s got specific criteria in mind plus lots of time to spend on her search, an ideal Maddie’s cat shopper. Often such a person will either end up with the number one cat they meet (in this case a sweet little black and white girl named Bisque) or else someone totally different from what they thought they wanted.

In hallway 2, I hang with two different affection eaters. Shadow is a pretty, all gray tailless girl from the Sido program (her previous owner is ill or has died). She’s initially shy but willing to rub around, and manages to eat some kibble when offered piece by piece. Next door is Jax, a beautiful young and energetic orange tabby who doesn’t look like he’d have a care in the world. I’m surprised by both how nervous and affectionate he is once I’m in with him. He does gobble down a bite or two, but that’s all. There’s more going on with this pretty boy than meets the eye.

Back out front on my way out, I spot the woman I met earlier. She’s decided on Bisque. I wish them both well, and head off for the holiday weekend.

Moving Day - Bruno

You know when the animal shelter seems like an oasis of calm that it’s pretty chaotic at work. Our big office move is this weekend. It’s been a crazy week, even with the recession allowing a move to a bigger space and the miracle of craigslist enabling us to get rid of all kinds of crap from old cords to gigantic cabinets. It’s weird walking through the mostly empty space, knowing we have to set up elsewhere new next week.

Not to anthropomorphize, but all the animals at Maddie’s are dealing with this sort of shake up too, upheaval without even any say in the matter. They’re coping as well as they can, some more successfully than others.

I show pretty tabby Tony, a friendly old hand who’s been here too long. But the guy is here to learn about volunteering rather than ready to adopt. Tony enjoys the company anyway; he’s learned to press up to his window in search of potential visitors.

At the end of hallway 5 is one of my new favorites, Bruno. Another volunteer has scrawled "I heart Bruno" on his kennel card, and who doesn’t, what a sweet boy. He’s a 2 year old chubby cheeked black and white fellow, who’s cheerful and gets along well with his roomies. He’s pretty mellow on his own, but puts up patiently with the antics of a kitten and a frisky fluffy torbie who keeps mock attacking. I whisper that he’s a good boy, and soon he’ll have a nice permanent home.

I hang out with Nana and Changa, a new bonded pair. They’re adorable tabby siblings, she short haired brown and he long hair and more gray. Changa’s a bit more outgoing, arching up onto his hind legs to be petted, while Nana hangs back rubbing my arm and offering nervous little licks to my hand. They cope with the stress here by cuddling together.

Later, I’m in with sweet little Lily in hallway 4, when I see big lanky Luigi stroll by out in the hall. There was a young couple just here. It’s not supposed to happen, but sometimes people will crack the doors a bit to say hi to the cats. Or possibly he’s learned to open his door – that happens with the occasional Maddie’s resident too, particularly those clever and long legged.

In any case, I try unsuccessfully to herd him back. He’s polite but determined to have his outing, and I end up lifting him and hauling him back before anyone opens the outer hall door. I stay and visit with him. He’s pretty pleased with himself, purring but still a bit restless and eyeing the door. After awhile he settles onto my lap, sitting tall but leaning heavily onto my chest, his head tucked under my chin. Who can blame him for wanting a change of scenery?

Firm Foundations - Midas

All the news stories about Loma Prieta bring to mind a dear long departed cat. (Ok, so do lots of things.) But 20 years ago, 5:04pm, I was backing up my computer at work. Dove under the desk for the eternal 15 seconds of shaking, then made my way home on foot, walking down Mission past the rubble South of Market, plumes of smoke in the distance and crazy rumors about bridge collapses passed from peoples’ car radios on the street. (Remember? No cell phones.)

And when I finally made it home, my little Pepe was at the door, greeting me with her usual enthusiastic rubs and meowing for dinner, reassuring me that things would be ok. Except for the power being out, you couldn’t tell the quake had even happened at my apartment. It wasn’t till I got hold of my parents back east that I understood what a big deal the whole thing was. Anyway, Pepe was a sweet and friendly little tabby girl, one of the nicest cats I’ve ever known.

Over at Maddie’s, I’m pleased to see that MeiMei and Katrina found homes this week. But Chloe and Midas are still there. I at least get the chance to show Chloe to a friendly pair of young women. They pet her and play with her, but they’ve already pretty much decided on an adorable little calico.

I’m surprised Midas hasn’t been snapped up – she’s so pretty and chatty. She’s a 5 year old torbi with a lovely expressive face and a positive attitude. She meows a few times before hoping onto my lap, eyeing passersby before slowly relaxing as if to spend the afternoon there. It’s nice to sit peacefully, with this sweet purring kitty cuddled next to me.

Across the hall, newcomer Anastasia really needs some counseling. She’s a super shy, all black 10 year old, who’s hiding fully under her rug. I sit still and talk to her for awhile, then slowly lure her out. At first she just sits, purring but immobile while I pet her, then finally she slinks around the room and has a bite to eat. I feel bad straightening out her rug, but I want potential adopters to be able to see her.

A few people wander by, but no one stops. Over in hallway 5, I meet Jensen, a frisky young long hair tabby and white boy. He’s perky and well adjusted, especially since he’s missing a hind leg. It’s hard to even tell until he walks, which he manages quite well, if a bit awkwardly. His front paws are big and strong. He’s a little nervous about unexpected noises, but otherwise friendly and playful.

When I glance in at Anastasia later, she’s back under her rug. Poor thing, she’s less well grounded even than the three legged kitty.

Too Close to Home – Xanthor & Tanya

We interrupt the annual rant about how much I despise the Blue Angels flying over the city with more bad news from the SFSPCA. Another round of layoffs, this hitting the frontline staff and impacting Maddie’s hours – now closed Mondays and opening other weekdays at 1pm.

Stats on unemployment go out the window when it’s people you used to see regularly. Hooray that a total fiscal melt down was averted and stocks are headed back up, but real people are still reeling.

And different sad news – friends lost a dear sweet dog earlier in the week. Here came more perspective, because I regularly talk to people who’ve recently had their pet put down, but strangers’ sad stories pale compared to when you’ve cuddled with the deceased. This hit home too, reminding me of losses of my own.

Still, that painful time is only a fraction of the happy years one shares with a pet. In I go to Maddie’s as usual, ever hopeful of making good matches. I have a nice time socializing with Xanthor and Tanya, a 9 year old bonded pair.

They’re funny in being devoted companions but very different from each other. Xanthor’s a big, lovey, slightly clumsy black and white boy. Tanya’s petite, all gray, and much more cautious. It took all of my first meeting and part of my second before I could lure her out from hiding, but now she’s decided she likes me, and rubs then rolls, all spaghetti limbed, on the floor beside me. The two of them have been here for awhile, and I keep hoping someone will come in search of an older pair.

A young woman’s looking for another kitten as a companion to her first. We check out several, while she texts back and forth with her rather opinionated boyfriend. (I can’t help thinking an actual phone conversation would be simpler, but maybe I’m too old to catch the nuances.)

A more mature couple who recently lost their independent minded 17 year old come looking for someone new. The woman tells me they’re interested in a more friendly, cuddly kitty, though they don’t have a particular type in mind. I can tell they’ll be good cat parents, and I show several sweet and friendly ones.

The woman does most of the talking and interacting, but from observing them, I suspect the man will be the final arbiter. Happily, I don’t see them going wrong with any of several choices. She explains that they’re hoping to choose a cat today but not bring it home until after the weekend. They live in North Beach, and the Blue Angels pretty much buzz their place, which would make for a difficult introduction to the place for a new feline resident.

Can I say it now? They waste resources, scare sensitive animals and people represent violence… even if one can justify it from the tourist income to the city, the planes shouldn’t come so close to our homes and workplaces!

Making Noise - Katrina

Feels like one of those weekends when I want to keep it quiet about the Bay Area. Bright autumn sun shining over a massive and fabulous free concert, the last baseball games plus local football, the usual festivals, farmers’ markets, restaurants and upscale performing arts, even a pinball exposition… to which I’m tempted to say: shhh, let’s keep it to ourselves.

Lots of cats went home in the last couple weeks, yay. But that doesn’t mean the shelter is empty. I show some kittens, then settle in with sweet sonic-purr Chloe, all alone in her condo. But soon she has company, getting transferred to the big front windowed condo, the first one you see coming into Maddie’s.

I move on to see Midas, a gorgeous 5 year old brown tabby with tan highlights and big wide eyes. She moves toward my lap cautiously, and as we sit together, a loud cheerful couple enter the hall. They’re kind of retro 80s looking, jeans and cowboy boots (or maybe they just found the look back then and stuck with it).

Anyway, they exclaim over the cats, tapping on the windows, and calling each other over to for a look. Midas slinks into my lap a bit, but puts her head up in a friendly way when the woman looks in. Katrina, a large 10 year old dil calico, gets excited by the commotion and starts pawing her door. She stays right there, riled up, even as the woman yells, "Hey, her name’s Katrina!" to her companion.

They don’t want to meet her though, and move on. Pretty Katrina calms down while I visit with her. She’s a big plump girl with a somewhat small head, dainty feet, and a friendly purr. She wanders around the condo, rubbing, plotting her escape. She hasn’t been eating much, still a bit nervous in her surroundings. She needs her own people to give her extra attention and encourage her to exercise.

After awhile, three tough looking city kids come slouching through the halls, also on the noisy side, exclaiming over the size of several of the adult cats. One guy accompanies another volunteer in to meet a frisky calico. The others amuse themselves strolling up and down the hall, whisking a dangle toy under doors and laughing as the cats chase it.

I wonder if their loud voices and brisk movements will scare the cats, but soon they’re lined up at their doors, eagerly watching. Even shy Tanya is pretty interested in the proceedings.

The guys are still there when I leave, still loud and enthusiastic about the cats. Sometimes that’s what it takes.

Home at Last - Jeremy & Luigi

The boyfriend and I took a long weekend camping trip in Yosemite. A month ago making plans, I’d wondered about closures and cold at the higher elevations, but it was lovely up there, ideal hiking weather even at 9000 feet.

I’d been hoping to squeeze in a shelter shift before or after, but work and the mess at home interfered. Nice thing about a volunteer position – the work is important but missable, and I know there are other volunteers around every day at Maddie’s.

Checking the website, I see that Jeremy and Luigi still haven’t been adopted. They’re a shy bonded pair, both sweet boys. They don’t much like all the activity at the shelter, but I think they’d blossom in a quiet household. Cats like their routines and living in a secure place. The cautious ones in particular can act different in the shelter than when they’re relaxed at home, I regularly tell people.

This little trip disrupted things for our cats. My boy Montana (and by the way, I chose that name at least a year before the mayor did!) gets lonely and hungry, but he’s quick to forgive me once I’m back. He followed me room to room, and tried to squeeze onto my lap, despite the heat, whenever I sat down.

He’s quite the change from my former kitty, who recognized/became annoyed when I started packing, flat out refused to interact with anyone who came to feed her, and upon my return bounced between near hysterical crying and none too subtle expressions of displeasure (pointedly turning her back to me or sniffing at hiking boots and hissing). Then again, I never worried about her running out of food, being a nibbler who rarely made it to the bottom of her dish… unlike Montana, who happily eats what’s in front of him, not at all getting the concept that twice as much food should last twice as long.

The boyfriends cats, Emmy (formerly Emily, adopted 2001) and Allie (formerly Annie, 2006) are both more independent. Sure, they miss him and miss being fed at the right time, but they both have their regular business to attend to. They go into frenzy when he gets home, but it’s short lived. A bowl of kibble, some cuddling on the couch, and they’re pretty much back to normal.

Although both of them do monitor his movements. They both know the sound of his car, and on occasions when I’m there and he’s not, Emmy will stand vigil when she expects him, crouched on the arm of the couch, ears perked. Which is sweet but sad if he doesn’t show up.

Anyway, the long hours outdoors were nice, but it’s good to be home and showered with feline affection. Makes me think of the shelter kitties, all of them longing for their own people to wait for and welcome back home.

Part of the Solution - Meimei

I’m disappointed to see that Mitten, the sweet faced 10 year old tabby, is back after a few months. (There were problems with the resident cat.) And pretty orange Sharyn, another 10 year old, just got returned. At least both of them are perky and attentive to visitors, good get-adopted behavior.

Speaking of – new kitties Seal (lanky gray and white) and Chloe (soft plump dil tortie), a non-bonded pair, are super happy to have a human in their condo. Chloe has about the loudest sustained purring I’ve heard from a cat; the two of them have a purring contest and she wins. He squirms around on my lap for petting while she flops beside me, paws in the air, still purring like a jet liner.

There’s a rush of people, singles and couples, mostly interested in kittens. Fortunately there are several volunteers today. An older fellow has just lost his companion – he’s not ready to adopt but just wants to see who’s around. He clearly needs to be around some cats, and his grief is palpable.

I help a young woman who has a toddler and another cat at home. She checks out several youngsters, and I’m relieved that she decides on a gentle 4 month old rather than a younger and more hyper pair.

The crowd thins as suddenly as it appeared, and I’m back to socializing visits. I hang out with Meimei, a delightful 4 year old tortie "love bug" (shy but extra affectionate). She hides for about thirty seconds before diving into my lap, kneading and purring and pushing her nose into my hand for faster pets. She’s distinctive and pretty, green eyed with lots of tannish orange mottled fur on her back and little white spots on her chest and one set of toes.

Sitting quietly here, as other volunteers and staff go about their business, I reflect for a moment on the recent investigative piece that was so critical of the changes in SF SPCA policies. I’m glad, first off, for journalists researching and digging into a story… our city would certainly be worse off without an active media presence. The focus seemed mostly to be dogs, and I have little first hand knowledge of the dogs coming and going (or not) at Maddie’s. Count me in as someone who was proud of SF’s no kill policy and wishes it was a current and universal thing.

But coming here weekly, I can say definitively that nobody ‘s hankering to put down any animal. And I’m pretty sure that the board members years back didn’t factor in the biggest economic downturn in half a century in their timeline for launching a grand new animal hospital.

Guess I would hope that anyone quick to condemn decisions made is also on the front lines giving time or money or both to better the situation for homeless animals. (Don’t have money because the job’s gone, have to work extra hours because the younger kid’s college expenses are through the roof? Maybe we all would have made some different decisions with foresight.) Anyway, there are a couple of sweet ten year olds here who need people with extra dedication to animals.