Today's pet photo contest features black kittens and puppies, in celebration of Serena's baby, who now seems to have a good chance of living to earn the name Miracle. I had started this post with an ordinary update on his life and doings--a possum, which I suspect was a pregnant female, looked at him a little bit too long, and although Serena and I glared at it the one who really stood up as if to say "Fight me if you dare" was the kitten's nephew Drudge.
The kitten didn't seem scared at the time, but must have felt some stress or at least distraction, because the next time I came out on the porch he ran up to me and gushed out a puddle that looked as if he'd been holding it in all night and all morning. "Ick ick ick! How nasty!" I said.
The kitten looked up at me as if to say, "But you were pleased when I made a puddle yesterday. I only wanted to please you again!"
I sat down on the porch step, and we had a little talk about how cute and clever the kitten is, how glad I am that he's growing up, and how there is a reason why the older cats and humans don't make puddles on the porch. I had told him, yesterday, about going to the sand pit like his mother, but he hadn't wanted to think about that part. All he'd wanted to remember was that when he'd done something that felt good to him, I'd rubbed behind his ears.
Male cats, like male humans, often want to please us more than they want to learn how.
As does the current human guardian of this week's first photo contest winner, a kitten called Reader. Now the reason for a post about black kittens and puppies is that, in a conventional animal shelter where all the animals are on display in racks of cages, the smaller and darker animals tend to fade into the shadows. White, reddish, multicolored, and even brown or gray coats catch the eye, while black lets the eye slip away. One way astute shelter staff work against this is to give black animals extra-cute, whimsical names and write-ups. So I figured that was why the kitten was being called Reader and her write-up filled more than three computer screens. But, yikes. Take a look at that write-up!
Zipcode 10101: Reader from New York
This much I can easily believe: Reader is cute, affectionate, amusing, and lovable. Most three-month-old kittens are those things. Reader has been rescued from an ordinary shelter by someone who feels unable to keep her, but oh how person wants to. Most cat people feel a bit like that about most foster kittens. Reader deserves a good home. Arguably all kittens do, though I'm not so sure about Manx tomkttens who are not Serena's...
Then we come to the inappropriate questions. These questions would be inappropriate if asked by someone you'd been seeing at work, or church, or school for a year, but they're coming from a total stranger on the other end of a computer. Appropriately, Philoctete is not disclosing per real-life name or even location--we're told that Reader comes from "out of town," but does that mean Jackson Heights, or does it mean Winnipeg? Inappropriately, Philoctete wants to know...
1. What would you feed your cat?
2. What brand of litter would you offer, and what sort of water?
3. Do you intend to keep your cat indoors, outdoors, or both?
4. What are your views on declawing?
5. What are your views on spaying?
6. What other humans and non-humans share your home? What kind of home is it?
7, Under what circumstances would you decide not to keep a cat?
8. What are your profession, age, institution of study, interests, hobbies, and pursuits?
9. Does anything about the cat's web page speak to you, personally?
Whew. Way not to place a cat. I don't think Philoctete wants to place the cat. I think Philoctete wants to use the cat as a way to meet prospective mates.
So you probably don't want Reader, after all, even though she sounds like the sort of kitten anybody would want. So here's an Alternate.
Zipcode 10101: Salt & Pepper from NYC
Their web page: https://www.petfinder.com/cat/salt-pepper-76881465/ny/new-york/big-apple-cats-ny1700/
No worries about these two getting enough exercise. Bouncy-pouncy brothers, really too young to be adopted but they seem to be orphans anyway, just nine weeks old when photographed. (The position of this web site is that thirteen weeks is very young to be adopted. Six months is when kittens and puppies are normally ready to find homes of their own.) They've been vaccinated. If you want a livable home, you'll pay for neutering. The operation is simple. The high adoption fee really ought to include it.
Zipcode 20202: Evermore from DC
Her web page: https://www.petfinder.com/cat/evermore-76683283/dc/washington/lucky-dog-animal-rescue-dc20/se
Another nine-week-old kitten who should be adopted with at least one of her siblings, Evermore's adoption fee is high but she's available as a foster pet. If you become her foster human you'll have time to buy and read Priscilla Ann Bird's book, Ralph Evermore, and appreciate the cuteness of her name.
Zipcode 30303: Miri & Miracle from Atlanta
Their web page: https://www.petfinder.com/cat/mir-and-miracle-76760902/ga/atlanta/paws-and-whiskers-ga764/
In between a busy highway and an automotive parts store, these ink-black sisters were miraculously rescued from underneath a van. It sounds as if they were rescued by a vet. They've been vaccinated and having them spayed is a condition of adoption. They are described as grateful, affectionate purr-balls. They are not easy to tell apart, which may be why they've been listed under one name and a short form of it. Very likely they'll answer to the same call anyway.
Bonus: Millibell from Blountville
Her web page: https://www.petfinder.com/cat/millibell-77052306/tn/blountville/the-bridge-home-no-kill-animal-rescue-tn95/
That Petfinder. I typed in "10101." The site confirmed, "10101, NY," and then, someone having programmed it to shove especially adorable local pet photos at me, regardless, it went directly to the page for local shelters. Millibell is a spring kitten, in a shelter because somebody failed to do what decent people do if they don't want to keep the kittens. (I mean, yes, if Serena's baby lives to claim his name as Miracle, or Mir (which means "prince" in some languages) for short, someone is waiting for him, but if that person happened to be hit by a derailed train I wouldn't put the kitten into a shelter.)
She's survived spaying and vaccination already, and is known to get along well with other cats. As shown, she's an adorable Tortie. She would steal every scene. She might even compete for attention with Serena. So I can't adopt her. Some local lurker must do it. The adoption fee shows that they expect her to be adopted quickly and want to recover some of the costs of keeping less adoptable animals.
Zipcode 10101: Winter from Puerto Rico via NYC
Her web page: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/winter-lets-grow-love-together-76525586/ny/new-york/miracles-for-satos-rescue-ny1518/
At two months old, this madly mixed mutt weighs just 8 pounds. She is described as curious, amusing, and snuggly. You need to be patient and firm, ideally experienced with puppies. You need to be up for a long-term commitment, too. If properly trained this pup should be a little bundle of fun for ten or fifteen years, or even more.
Zipcode 20202: Randy from South Carolina via DC
His web page: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/randy-76928948/dc/washington/final-victory-animal-rescue-sc497/
He's a mixed breed who identifies as a Border Collie. He was ill in the shelter but has recovered in a foster home. He might do best in a home where he'd have a responsible job to do, a chance to use his energy and intelligence. Currently all he knows how to do is chase tennis balls and make squeaky toys squeak.
Zipcode 30303: Maxwell from Lawrenceville
His adoption fee: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/maxwell-76642404/ga/lawrenceville/society-of-humane-friends-of-ga-inc-ga336/
Maxwell seems to have found his way into a shelter by lookng too normal. His mother was a freakshly spotted Catahoula Leopard Dog but he takes after his father, a coon hound. These are serious hunting breeds. Traditionally they were mellow, spending a lot of time lounging under the porch, but up for long walks, high-speed chases, and fights with panic-biting prey. As in Sounder, they were expected to be friendly and loyal to the whole family but bound for life with one human. They were also large--about twice the size of a basset or beagle. (Because they hunted by scent this type of dog used to be called a bloodhound. They're much bigger than the breed properly called Bloodhounds today.) Maxwell is expected to weigh about 60 pounds when full-grown--and trim and fit. Nobody will mess with you if he's walking with you. Please adopt this dog if, and only if, you can keep up with him on long brisk walks. If you don't know what "Spring over the ground like a hunting hound!" meant, as an exhortation to a horse, Maxwell looks ready to explain it to you. He might be a good companion for a wheelchair dweller, but he'd need a fast-moving trail buddy, too.
Tip for Local Lurkers
The local dog pound is located on the far west end of Gate City. They keep costs low, and keep adoption fees way lower than the shelter and foster groups that link to Petfinder.
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