Sunday, March 1, 2009

Additional Additions

I have added another family member... and yes, you'll think I am crazy. But there is story behind my madness...

Back in January as the weather was getting really brutally cold here in Michigan. My mother and I discovered a tiny little kitten near her house. She wouldn't let us "get" her, so we started leaving some food out at night and my mom even made a bed for her out of an old computer printer box covered in plastic. Every time we'd get close, she'd run away around the side of the house in some bushes and cry and cry. It was horribly sad. Honestly, it was stressing my mom out, because this little kitten was so young and small and it was getting SO cold at night.

One night mom wandered outside and looked in the box - guess who was inside! Before the kitten could react and run away, mom swooped up the box and brought it AND the kitten inside her house. My mom's neighbor across the street had seen the kitten and asked if it was my mom's. She had said it wasn't, but we were trying to capture it. The neighbor said, "if you can catch it, we'll take it" (they have one cat already). GREAT! We had a built in home for this little homeless kitty.

Turns out the neighbor didn't like having two cats. My mother had heard from a lady at church who also volunteers at a local humane shelter that the neighbor was asking her to take it to the shelter. But since they are ALWAYS full, we didn't think this would really happen.

After Murphy's passing, my mom mentioned the situation and said "we should have kept that kitten". She told me what she had heard, so I asked her to call the neighbor and offer that I'd take the kitten. Guess what? The neighbor had already given it to the shelter lady! Little kitty had already been at the shelter for almost a week! I was floored! So up to the shelter we went, and $75 and two weeks later we had her back! At first I was highly annoyed that I had to pay $75 to rescue a kitten I had already saved once, but while at the shelter she got ALL her kitten shots, tested for diseases AND fixed. That would have cost me MUCH more at the vet.
I thought Roo would have the hardest adjustment... but really, it's been Gracie. I think it's the female competition. I have named the little squirt "Sunny" because she's (get this!) a Red Siberian tiger -- so her reddish orange color reminds me of a sunny day. Plus she's got these really cool striations in her fur that look like sun rays.

This week when I leave for Russia, all 3 of the furries will move down to my moms for the stay. I tease her that by the time I get home, she'll have fallen in love with Sunny -- and Sunny will have another new home. Otherwise, Little T will have her own baby! Here is Miss Sunny...

And here is Gracie's reaction for the first week, plus her plush new bed.











12 comments:

Jeanette said...

Congratulations! Sunny is so cute and healthy looking! Can't wait for Russia!!

Nancy said...

Oh, she's so cute!
And doesn't it feel good to say "When I leave for Russia this week!" Yeehaw! What day do you leave?

Heather said...

What a great surprise for T when she gets home!

Lindsay said...

Sunny is gorgeous - and love her name. But Miss Gracie: not the most ladylike reaction ;)

Hopefully by the time you get back they will have all become friends!

Roger and Joanne said...

Sunny seems to be a fitting name.
Can't wait for Russia. You must be outrageously excited this week!

findingourdaughter said...

She is a super cutie.....made me want to get a kitty....for a brief lapse in my sanity, LOL. Hope Gracie can embrace this new little kitty sister, because look out y'all......a bigger human one is on the way!
2 sleeps....and to Russia you go!
My thoughts and prayers are with you as you know.
Hugs!

Kim said...

Ok, did I miss a post? "when I leave for Russia?" I am going to have to go back and make sure I read everything! :)

Congrats on the new kitty, I do not think you are nuts. I would have done the same thing!

Tiger & Kar said...

Sunny is beautiful and what a fitting name! Ms. Gracie is too, but I think she needs a refresher on the proper way to welcome guests into the house.

I am so thrilled you're heading back to Russia & T. Can't wait to read about your reunion!

Troy and Rachel said...

Oh she's so sweet!!! You all sound just like my mom and I - both of us feed strays outside and my mom at her place has an orange and white that she made a bed for and he gets special treatment!! I just feed whatever comes around - I'm such a sucker!! But good for you!!! I'm so glad you have a new addition and one more on the way!!

Unknown said...

I love it...you're a crazy cat lady just like me! :)

Tamara said...

OOh ... I love your new furry baby! She's gorgeous! The photo of Gracie had me laughing. She doesn't look pleased. I'm catching up before our last trip to Sea World. Can't wait to hear good news from Vlad :)

Anonymous said...

...please where can I buy a unicorn?