Storytime - Meeting my angel
Does anyone else get to-go food for their pets?
Tonight, I attended a fancy banquet for work. There were salads already placed at every table setting. At my table after dinner, there were several leftover salads. Looking at all the wasted green, I started grabbing Styrofoam bowls of unwanted salad as my coworkers looked on in concern. "I'm going to take this home to Makoa," I said. Of course, then I realized it was all iceberg lettuce, and rabbits can't eat that anyway! But, the cucumbers from my salad this past Saturday were definitely brought home in a take-home box! The waitress tried to take them away, and I rushed to tell her, no, those are going home to the rabbit. She replied with an uncomfortable giggle.
Anyway, on to the story - adopting Castiel.
I've talked quite a bit about the Guinea pigs, rabbit, and chinchillas lately so I thought I'd share a story about one of the cats.
Castiel is a two-year-old neutered male orange tabby cat and quite literally the angel on my shoulder. He's named after the trench coat-wearing angel from "Supernatural" and regularly perches on my shoulder like he's trying to keep me on the path of righteousness.
I met Castiel when he was just a speck of a kitten at a county animal shelter. At the time, I was working as the assistant editor of a weekly newspaper in a small southern Florida community. I came up with the idea to feature adoptable animals at the local shelter and every Tuesday, I trekked down there with my camera and colorful props in order for the many hound dogs, pit bulls, and flea-covered kittens to get adopted. The staff of the shelter and my co-workers at the paper knew I had a huge heart for animals. I already had two cats and a dog at home (a shockingly small amount of pets compared to the herd currently in residence). So, it came as no surprise when I fell in love with a skinny kitten with a white nose and orange swirls on his dirty fur.
Castiel was severely underweight, had intestinal worms, and his white paws were actually a tan color. The staff had picked him up off the side of the road. At four weeks old, he'd been completely alone just wandering the roadside. Yet, despite all that, he was the friendliest kitten you'd ever met, and when I first encountered him for his newspaper photo shoot, he immediately climbed up onto my shoulder and started purring. And, I knew I was in trouble.
The whole shelter staff knew exactly what would happen when I came back the next day and demanded to see him. They brought him to me in the visiting room, and I still have several pictures of him climbing on my shoulders and rubbing all over me. Despite being free from a tiny cage and having a whole room of toys to play with, all he wanted was to be in my lap.
Two days later, I returned because he was finally available for adoption. Unfortunately, there was only one staff member on the premises because the two others were sick, and technically, the shelter was closed. Debbie, who I had grown quite friendly with during our many photo shoots, said she couldn't let me adopt her because the public wasn't supposed to be in the building. Then, a mischievous gleam came to her eye.
"But, I can let organizations take animals for fostering," she said with a smile.
So, I signed the necessary paperwork to become Castiel's "foster" mom. Two weeks later, I signed the official adoption paperwork.
Castiel does what no other cat has ever done for me - greet me every day when I come home. I will see that cute orange face in the window as I walk up the steps. When I get inside, I have to drop everything as he leaps from the floor into my arms. I give him a quick squeeze before he climbs up on my shoulders, purring (in fact, he purring right now against my chest as I try to type around him). He has been the brightest light in my life when a lot of bad has happened, making me certain he's my guardian angel.
Tonight, I attended a fancy banquet for work. There were salads already placed at every table setting. At my table after dinner, there were several leftover salads. Looking at all the wasted green, I started grabbing Styrofoam bowls of unwanted salad as my coworkers looked on in concern. "I'm going to take this home to Makoa," I said. Of course, then I realized it was all iceberg lettuce, and rabbits can't eat that anyway! But, the cucumbers from my salad this past Saturday were definitely brought home in a take-home box! The waitress tried to take them away, and I rushed to tell her, no, those are going home to the rabbit. She replied with an uncomfortable giggle.
Anyway, on to the story - adopting Castiel.
I've talked quite a bit about the Guinea pigs, rabbit, and chinchillas lately so I thought I'd share a story about one of the cats.
I met Castiel when he was just a speck of a kitten at a county animal shelter. At the time, I was working as the assistant editor of a weekly newspaper in a small southern Florida community. I came up with the idea to feature adoptable animals at the local shelter and every Tuesday, I trekked down there with my camera and colorful props in order for the many hound dogs, pit bulls, and flea-covered kittens to get adopted. The staff of the shelter and my co-workers at the paper knew I had a huge heart for animals. I already had two cats and a dog at home (a shockingly small amount of pets compared to the herd currently in residence). So, it came as no surprise when I fell in love with a skinny kitten with a white nose and orange swirls on his dirty fur.
Castiel was severely underweight, had intestinal worms, and his white paws were actually a tan color. The staff had picked him up off the side of the road. At four weeks old, he'd been completely alone just wandering the roadside. Yet, despite all that, he was the friendliest kitten you'd ever met, and when I first encountered him for his newspaper photo shoot, he immediately climbed up onto my shoulder and started purring. And, I knew I was in trouble.
 |
| Castiel as an adult loves siting with Makoa |
Two days later, I returned because he was finally available for adoption. Unfortunately, there was only one staff member on the premises because the two others were sick, and technically, the shelter was closed. Debbie, who I had grown quite friendly with during our many photo shoots, said she couldn't let me adopt her because the public wasn't supposed to be in the building. Then, a mischievous gleam came to her eye.
"But, I can let organizations take animals for fostering," she said with a smile.
So, I signed the necessary paperwork to become Castiel's "foster" mom. Two weeks later, I signed the official adoption paperwork.
***
Castiel has been the best little cat I could ever have. He came into my home as a tiny, malnourished snuggle bug who never once went potty outside the litter box. He ate with a healthy appetite, and as soon as we took care of the intestinal parasites, he quickly put on weight and his coat became glossy. As a kitten, he'd snuggle into my collar bone and sleep under my chin while watched TV. At night, he'd curl up on my pillow in the same spot and sleep purring loudly in my ear. As he grew, he started covering more and more of my face. Two years later as a full-grown adult, you can still catch him riding around the house on my shoulders with me nearly bent in half.Castiel does what no other cat has ever done for me - greet me every day when I come home. I will see that cute orange face in the window as I walk up the steps. When I get inside, I have to drop everything as he leaps from the floor into my arms. I give him a quick squeeze before he climbs up on my shoulders, purring (in fact, he purring right now against my chest as I try to type around him). He has been the brightest light in my life when a lot of bad has happened, making me certain he's my guardian angel.
Comments
Post a Comment