Here’s a little back story for y’all. We bought this house in September of 2006. Before we closed on the house, we were here looking around and making plans for what we wanted to do to the inside and to the property. We were walking toward the back door when a little black cat showed up to greet us. She was clearly a momma cat who was still nursing, and after we closed on the house, we’d make sure there was always some food on the front porch for her.
That was Maxi.
We had no idea where she’d come from, so Fred asked the man next door, who pointed us to the lady on his other side. Fred talked to her, and she said that basically the little black cat was a stray, and that she wasn’t sure where she’d come from.
A little while longer, she started showing up with a buff tabby. That was Newt.
Newt wouldn’t let us touch him for a few weeks, and then he’d let us touch him for a moment or two before he skittered off. Maxi continued showing up, still clearly nursing kittens. We wondered where on earth the kittens were, but had no luck finding them.
One afternoon I was upstairs painting one of the rooms, and Fred came in and told me to come with him. I followed him out onto the front porch, and found Maxi, Newt, and four kittens.
Maxi had clearly decided we were trustworthy and brought her kittens around. The kittens were skittish around us, but when we were able to touch them, we grabbed them up and brought them inside.
We (really, Fred) named them Fezzik, Westley, Inigo, and Buttercup (names from The Princess Bride).
We fostered them for a short amount of time. They were fixed and got all their shots, and then went off to Petsmart. Maxi and Newt stayed here.
(The vet told me that she thought Newt was probably Maxi’s from a previous litter. We found out later through the previous owner of this house, that Maxi had belonged to her family. But that when it was time for them to move, they – and I quote – “Couldn’t get hold of her.” I won’t say what I’m thinking – but I believe you can just imagine.)
I tell you all of this to lead you into what happened this weekend (and last night), that will likely surprise a lot of you.
On Saturday, the shelter manager called. She said that she’d just talked to the woman who adopted Inigo (one of the black and white kittens), and she was interested in adopting one of my fosters.
I got a chance to think “Someone’s interested in adopting a Brady ALREADY?” and then she told me. The woman wasn’t interested in adopting a Brady. She was interested in adopting one of my OTHER fosters.
Buster, to be exact.
I was so shocked that I barely heard the other things the shelter manager told me, but I took the woman’s name and number, and hung up. Then I called and left a message for her.
To make a long story short, last night I took Buster to Petsmart to meet with her. I took Rhyme with us, just to give her a choice of a second cat if Buster didn’t strike her fancy.
Buster struck her fancy, all right – and she adopted him! So I left Petsmart with Rhyme, and she stayed and filled out the adoption paperwork.
I don’t doubt that a lot of you are probably very surprised that I was willing to let Buster go. I don’t think I was very secretive about the fact that he’s my favorite Bookworm. He’s gorgeous (well really, all my Bookworms are!), and he’s got a ton of personality, to boot. Fred told me last night that he was really surprised I didn’t suggest that we adopt Buster instead of allowing him to be adopted out.
This is the thing – I love Buster a great deal. But we’ve just got too many cats in this house! I felt it would be more fair to Buster to allow him to go to a good home where he’d be one of two cats and would get lots of attention from his new mom and dad than to insist that he stay here, where – let’s be honest – sometimes the cats get lost in the crowd.
Let’s say I love him enough to let him go, admit that I miss him A LOT, and be happy that at the age of 10 months, someone fell in love with his funny, gorgeous little face and wanted to bring him home.
“Hear that, suckahs? Someone BEGGED to be allowed to adopt me! Obviously someone with good taste!”
Sweet Buster Brown (he’s a clown. He gets around!) yesterday.
Baby Buster.
Previously
2009: This fucking horseshit sure is moving at a fucking snail’s pace.
2008: ::DESPAIR::
2007: Stinkerbelle: “I have put my stamp of love upon him, and now I shall lay here and seethe with hatred for those hussies who think they can have him. THEY CANNOT.”
2006: Newton (full name: Newton “Newtie” McNewterton, the salty country kitty) is pretty, yet aloof. It drives the wimmins CRAYZEE.
2005: “Us”? Who’s this “us” kemosabe?
2004: I suppose I need to actually start buying lottery tickets to make these dreams come true.
2003: And also because you Canadians are so cool that I want to canoodle with each and every one of you.
2002: No entry.
2001: No entry.
2000: God bless the internet and online merchants, god bless their little black hearts.
1999: More Christmas talk.