Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Shock and Disaster

The word "disaster" is one that we've been hearing a lot from one of the presidential candidates. I didn't count, but one report said that it was used 14 times in the second presidential debate, and who knows for sure how many times he has said it since then. I've gotten so I cringe when I hear the word.  But I have to say, that "disaster" is the word I would use to describe what happened when the family came to meet Mo on Saturday.
I was all ready for them to come.  The dogs were all settled, everything was in its place. But when the family came in, to my shock, Mo got scared, and he ran off and hid in the only place he could find which was under the washing machine.  I couldn't even see him because he was tucked so far under it. I really tried to act like it wasn't a big deal, that this was no problem, and Mo was such a nice cat, and they were going to love him...If I could only get to him....  I chatted away and I kept the mood light, and joked about the whole situation as I casually asked Carl to "please come and move the washer and dryer and get Mo out from underneath".  When Carl was able to finally get to Mo (not an easy feat because there's not a lot of room in our laundry room), he got away from me again and with all the doors closed he ran to the only place he could find to hide which was under the couch. My attempts to inject humor into the whole situation was getting harder to do.  And I'll admit that my embarrassment in front of a couple I'd just met and their two children was also getting hard to conceal -- Also getting hard to say was that Mo was a really friendly and sociable cat.
When Carl finally managed to get him out from under the sofa, he handed him to me, and Mo again got away from me and hid once more under the sofa.  The third time, I wasn't going to let him escape and I tightly held onto him and put him into a small crate, but not before he scratched me several times.  By this time we were all at a loss for words, and the husband more out of politeness than anything, slowly opened the crate and made a half-hearted attempt to make friends with Mo. Looking back at it, I guess given what had happened and seeing the scratches on my hand and arm may have made them all a bit wary of doing that. But really by this time, we all had to be honest and admit defeat and agree that Mo was not the cat for them.
My mind was reeling from the whole thing, and in a vain attempt to salvage any of my dignity and make the family feel that maybe their more than one hour drive to our house wasn't a waste of time, I brought out Jake.  I thought that letting the kids meet him and put treats onto his nose for him to catch may help end the visit on a good note.  It's a good trick, but it did little to change the mood of everyone.
What we all really wanted was this whole event to be over, so I walked them out and came back inside to get Mo out from under the couch. What a total disaster...

I talked with the cat-director of the SPCA and she did a great job of helping me to not feel badly about what happened and to see the humor in the whole thing.  She's going to come over in a few days to see Mo, and we'll decide how to move forward with placing him into a new home then.

We did decide to go ahead and bring in the new addition, who was supposed to be Mo's replacement.  Her name is Lucille and she's about 4 months old.  She was found on the side of the road, after she'd been hit by a car. Lucille has had surgery to repair a severe break in her front leg by the same surgeon as Max. And like Max, she also needs total crate rest while it mends.  The plan is for us to keep her during the initial recovery time and move her to another foster home when she gets the "all clear" from the surgeon.
It may sound like a lot to handle, but Charlie is there to offer lots of help and support. Longtime readers of this blog will recall that for some reason he really, really loves kittens and the lovely little Lucille is no exception.
Charlie is very attentive to Lucille and he's always right there when I'm tending to her, letting me know that he's there to help.  And, just in case she does need something, the last 2 nights he's been been sleeping by her crate.  Tonight, he's also there making sure she's okay.  
Mo really didn't make a good impression on the family that hoped to adopt him.  But Charlie really does make a pretty good nurse.

29 comments:

  1. Wow, what a chaotic attempted meeting with that family. I guess it just was not meant to be, and I hope Mo finds a forever home soon.

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  2. We have a very friendly and loving cat with us, but when anyone else comes in the house she runs upstairs and hides under the bed till a few hours after they leave. Cats have their own personality and apparently Mo likes where she is. Our other cat loves us and anyone else who comes in the house. She especially likes those who are allergic to her.

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  3. I looked at 3 dogs before finding Little Wonder. The first (a Yorkie rescue) would not approach us and tried to bite Gary twice and me once). The second one was very friendly and looked just like Phoebe (13, cataracts and skin problems at the local humane society. I wanted to give him a chance at a good life). The day I called to adopt him he was on his way out the door. He was the featured pet of the week on a local tv station. The 3rd dog was a very sweet looking Maltese cross who would not let us approach her and loved her foster mom. That day we also found Little Wonder. As soon as he was put down by his foster mom he ran over to me and had lots of kisses to give. That's a puppy for you. In 5 seconds I knew he was the one!

    Mo does not want to leave his security. Golden Pines is quite like heaven.

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  4. It's obvious. Mo wants to stay with you. I would if I were in his position. You guys wanna parrot??

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  5. Who can blame Mo for wanting to stay there with you all - the nearest place to heaven on earth? Maybe there was something not quite right about the intended new family, and the cat sensed it? Who knows.
    Personally, I would been very persuasive to be allowed to take Jake home.
    No worries now that Charlie is once again in nursing mode !

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  6. Mo will indeed show you if another family is right for him, and with Charlie and a nurses hat on, Lucille will get all the care she needs. Meantime, life goes on, with all the others on standby to show the love,care, and family togetherness that is always at your home.

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  7. i adore charlie and his love of cats!

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  8. Maybe Mo is just saying he wants to stay with you. I am sorry it was such a disaster. Hope you figure something out for him.

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  9. Hello, I think Mo has decided he really wants to stay with you. Poor kitty. I just love Charlie, what a sweetie! Happy Wednesday, enjoy your day!

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  10. I finks Mo nose where its bestest to lives….you are soooo nice Aunty Kim, Mo just does not want to leave you!!!!
    And I completely understand Mo, put you paw down and let them nose…oh, right, you just did hehe!
    Loves and licky kisses
    Princess Leah xxx

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  11. Mo sounds like he really wants to stay with you. We animals have a sixth sense about things and have our own ideas about who we want to live with. Hope Lucille gets better soon - Charlie is such a sweet nurse. Nose licks and love from Moth xx

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  12. mo can't figure out how come nobody knows he's found his forever home! he wishes he could tell you that.
    i've always heard that you never really find a cat. it finds you. i think that's how mo might feel. i'm thinking the next session would go the same way.
    can't he stay at golden pines like CC did?
    and charlie. oh blessed charlie!
    my zeke also loved the kitties. though very few returned that love!
    some day darling bean your posts should become a novel.
    straight out of "all the bright and beautiful." XO♥

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  13. Poor Mo. I'm wondering if the children had anything to do with his reaction? Has Mo behaved well with other adult guests? That Charlie sure is a sweetie. I bet Lucille is happy to have the company next to her crate.

    Cindy

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  14. My cat Ghost is the most loving cat.
    He's always near me and sleeps on my pillow and stares at my face as I fall to sleep.
    But if someone walks into the door, he's gone. He hides and can't be found.
    I'm thinking Mo is the same.
    He's found his person and he doesn't want another.
    I hope you will just let him stay.
    I wouldn't feel bad for those people. If they are truly cat people, they should understand. I'm sure it was a beautiful drive and they got to meet your dogs. What a nice day even if it didn't end as expected.
    Besides that, there are so many cats needing homes.
    Our local shelters are overflowing as I'm sure other shelters are too.
    Anyway, that's just my take on it.
    (and once again, I'm in love with Charlie.)
    xoxoxo

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  15. Mo doesn't want to live with kids. He wants to live in a house full of dogs.

    Aroo to you,
    Sully

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  16. you know there may be something to the the thought it might have been the kids. Mabel is very friendly - loves people - but small children make her run and hide.
    hugs
    Mr Bailey, Hazel & Mabel

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  17. That is too bad about the whole Mo story, but you are going to be a home hard to beat:) Maybe the children reminded him of some prior bad experience? How sweet of Charlie to be so good to little Lucille.

    Woos - Lightning and Misty

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  18. We think Mo has decided he IS home and nowhere else!

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  19. Mo must have known something. Sweet Charlie :-).

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  20. Sorry to hear that Mo didn't like the family , Sometimes there is just something about people animals don't like or do like , at least it all happened before they took him home and not after . Hope they all do well in the healing and forever home finding . Thanks for sharing . Have a good day !

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  21. Oh, what a story! Mo has no plans for leaving.
    When we have company, our dog Millie behaves just as you would expect a dog who had been abused would behave (cringing, refusing all attempts at friendship, etc). Let the company leave and she returns to her usual exhuberant, affectionate, playful self. It's so embarrassing.
    Charlie is a real sweetheart with little Lucille.

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  22. I had an all orange kitty for 19 yrs. He was sweet and affectionate but very, very shy. He would run and hide if anyone came near him. They are very attached to their owners but need time to adapt to new people.

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  23. Oh my... I'm sorry but your story started to get humorous by the end of the visit. Poor Mo - he must have been freaked out for some reason. And poor you - such unexpected behavior really is embarrassing but animal-people know that we can't predict how an animal will behave ahead of time.

    Charlie sure is the sweetest kitty nurse ever!

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  24. See what happens when that director lady comes over.

    We have 4 cats and one of them runs and hides whenever someone unknown comes over. We got her through the Petsmart adoption program when she was just a kitten. I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not.

    Another of the three will jump into any vehicle with an open door.

    So who knows. It may have been something to do with the family, or it may be that Mo is reacting to something that happened in the past.

    God bless you all, Kim.

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  25. Oh goodness! I certainly hear your embarrassment, but it wasn't your fault. I also wonder whether Mo has a reason to fear children, or perhaps sensed that those particular people just weren't a good fit for him. You're so good at empathising I'm sure you'll get him to tell you sooner or later. Meanwhile Charlie is a darling!

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  26. Howdy Mates. Sounds like Mo will be with you a little longer till the right family if found. Good luck with little Lucille. She looks a sweetheart. You make us feel good when we hear about your four legged family. Take care all. No worries, and love, Carol and Stella

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  27. I think Mo is telling you loud and clear, "I am not going anywhere, staying with you!" I think cats are smart, must have sensed something not right. Possible??

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  28. What an ordeal!
    Well.. Charlie really is a jewell with kittys!
    love
    tweedles

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  29. What a sweetie Charlie is! And potential cat owners should be aware, this is sometimes what happens with cats, they are unpredictable.

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