How one homeless cat made it to the other side of the glass #RememberMeThursday
Last updated on September 26th, 2019 at 03:00 am
I was staring face to face with an intruder, a masked face barely visible in the shadows. When my eyes became accustomed to the darkness, in that faint glimmer of moonlight, I could see two wide eyes staring blatantly back at me, unafraid and curious. The masked intruder suddenly ran off and disappeared into the cold winter night. I could see a tiny cat silhouette in the distance. He stopped and looked back as if to say “I will be back.”
It’s Remember Me Thursday, a global movement meant to honor and remember those pets whose time ran out, to shine a light on orphan pets still waiting in shelters for their forever homes. Today is a day to fire up social media with your pet photos and share the joys of pet adoption. Here in Quebec, Canada, there is a huge problem with perfectly healthy pets losing their lives because they cannot find their forever homes. It’s one of the most stressful and heartbreaking things that shelter employees face daily, having to put an unwanted pet down.
Today the Chirpy Cats remember and honor their kind because not long ago they were homeless and unwanted too. I want to share a story about one of our rescues, the last addition to the Chirpy Cats crew. This was one determined lad that didn’t give up finding his forever home. Yes, he was the masked intruder of the night. He had returned three days later after that first break-in, after one of the worst snowstorms and freezing temperatures we had in a long while. We were not quite sure if The Mask had a home or not as a few people actually let their cats out in winter, which I could never understand. On milder days he would come by and watch our cats in the catio from the deck outside.
It became almost a daily occurrence. One of us would ask “Have you seen the mask today?” We had a lot of questions. Where did he come from? Is he an unfortunate victim of ‘Moving Day’ in Quebec? Is he part feral? What we did know is that this wanderer, this masked intruder was adamant that our deck on a sunny winter afternoon made for a good bed.
But after weeks of coming and going, showing up at the glass door always with one paw raised, I decided to meet him outside. One snowy day I saw him climb over the catio tunnel as usual. What was striking about him was his little black capri pants visible from a distance. I went out with some food and after a few slow blinks and chirrups, I convinced him that he doesn’t have to be afraid of me.
One day he came by and as usual, staring at all the cats with one paw raised. We could see he was badly injured with a large gash to his neck. Since he had already broken into the catio, it was easy for my husband to coax him back into the catio and to take him to the vet. We were not looking to adopt another cat at all, as we already had nine, but I couldn’t let him be yet another shelter cat statistic. He would surely have ended up on death row.
We cannot save all the cats on the other side of the glass, but sometimes one comes along who has already chosen yours as his forever home. Sly Pie was home long before we knew it.
That masked cat of the night, looking back at me in the shadows, indeed returned. For good.
We’re joining Three Chatty Cats and Lola The Rescue Cat on their blog hop today and we’re hoping to spread awareness about orphan pets in shelters across the globe. Let’s call for fewer pets in shelters and more pets in forever homes.
What are your pet rescue stories? How did your pets ask to be on the other side of the glass?
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Just like your Mr. Jack and Cody share a bond, now I am learning that Sly Pie and my Angel Bobo share a bond as well. Back in 1990 or 1989 I found my Angel Bobo jump over a fence in the midst of a terrible snowstorm. My ex and I were on our way to dinner and couldn’t stop. When we returned I said I wanted to see if the cat was under a car in our parking lot (where I saw him run). He was. I lured him out with milk (I didn’t know any better! ) and tuna and brought him in. This was in the days before computers, social media so I put an ad in the paper and drove around for two weeks looking for signs to be posted about a lost cat. no one responded and no signs. After 2 weeks when I took Bobo to the Vet to be checked, I kept him. He was brought in from “the other side of the glass” and the bond we shared for 18 wonderful years was probably one of the deepest I will ever know. xoxoxo
I love hearing about your Angel Bobo and the special bond you shared. I didn’t know that he was found in the snow too. Funny that Sly Pie’s nickname is “Bobotie” which is a traditional South African dish similar to Shepard’s pie. I started calling him that name when he started gaining weight (he’s normal weight now) But your relative who lived in Johannesburg might have known what this dish is and how to pronounce it “Ba-Boo-er-tee. (say it fast) MOL
What a sweetheart little Sly Pie i♥s and I’m so happy that he made it to your side of the glass.
Sly Pie truly knew where his bread was buttered!
dood…..we N joyed reedin yur storee N we R buzzed happee ya came
bak …two find yur foreverz…. on de other side oh de glass ~~~~~~ ♥♥♥
Such a wonderful, wonderful post O Chirpy Ones! Rescue and adoption rocks, totally rocks!
Absolutely, it does!
My heart is with this movement even if I didn’t get to post today. All seven of our kitties are rescues ranging in age from 17 to 5. ❤️❤️❤️
Best purrs to you and your sweet kitties xx
Sly Pie is one of the lucky ones. Thanks for sharing his story withus.
I am so glad Sly Pie has a loving home now.
He is our sweet little Pie 😉
Bagheera is a beautiful black kitten, and she was rescued from a construction site in a house under construction, where the bricklayers threatened to wall her … it’s funny, but while I’m reading this story, she has come to say “here I am and once I was on the other side of the crystal “… now she is the queen of the house …..
Lovely post ¡¡¡¡
Marcos.
Oh my! I am so glad Queen Bagheera was saved by those mean bricklayers, and that she is safe with you on the right side of the glass 🙂 Your message made us smile, thank you
Great photos guys and wonderful rescue story. Each one of The Tribe of Five are rescues as were our Angel Miss P. and Buster. I especially loved the photo of Ollie as my name is Oliver and my humans often call me Ollie or Ollie Bear. My brother Alberto and I came from our local shelter and we’re very thankful that we made it to the other side of the glass!
Purrs & Head Bonks,
Ollie is also known as Ollie Bear over here! 🙂 We’re so glad you and Alberto have your forever loving home.
Fantastic post!
We hope all animals find loving forever homes.
Purrs xx
Athena and Marie
I’m so happy that Sly Pie found his way to you. What a perfect post for Remember Me Thursday. Thank you for hopping along with us!
What’s wrong with people?!? Of course, stupid people allowed us to find the perfect cat – but it kills me to think of how much they suffered in the meantime.
Very touching and you got through to me. We never know the stories of these furries that walk the streets.
Jean
Our pawppy’s first kitty came into his house, after he found her on his porch, trying to stay warm in below zeroF temps.She lost the ear tips to frostbite, but she gained a great life…till an evil peep poisoned her. So sad…
Pipo was born the day after Christmas…and Angel Minko was born just before New Years (They were like tins from other mothers…)so they too have a vague connection to Sly Pie…and of course petcretary herself is from ‘the Great White North’ MOL!
We have 4 other angel furblings, and pawppy had three other kitties before he knew Petcretary….not to mention the many doggy Angels in both our furmilies, the newest one being MrJackFreckles who turned angelic in Feb.
Dalton is the true rescue…from the other side of the watery abyss that was in Houston after Hurricane Harvey.
Mom was told that before she adopted me, I had been adopted out by at least two or three other owners that didn’t want to keep me. One lady said I didn’t get along with her girl kitty. But that’s preposterous, ’cause I’m a kind hearted kitty and just wanted to be loved. I was also at the same shelter on two different occasions, then went to another shelter and one time I was with a foster Mom as well. I sympathize with all the kitties that find themselves currently in shelters or in homeless situations. It is a scary way to live and I cross my paws that someday soon, that all of mankind will be enlightened and realize that we kitties enrich their lives. Paw high five, Chirpies. We scored on getting ourselves loving Moms and grr-eat furr-ever homes. Sly Pie, you never have to go out in the cold again, my furr-iend.. Purr purr purr.
There’s also this stray-cat in my house who’s asking for food if he’s in the house but sadly, can’t manage to find him anywhere but he let me touch him, I wonder if I can give him an accessory so that I can follow his tracks or location and by the way this is very nice article kind of related to the cat coming here.