Jazz's story is a good one. (insofar as shelter animal stories are good) She came into the shelter at the spry age of ten - I no longer remember the reason why. She had lived with a single woman her whole life, never meeting other cats and with zero experience living with a dog. We determined her healthy and put her in a cage to see if someone would take her. Weeks went by without any interest. She would hiss at the other cats in the shelter, cower from the dogs and swat at the passersby.
I wasn't overly attached to her until I decided to test my new found cat handling skills in a volunteer training by choosing her for my demo of the traditional "place angry cat in carrier" maneuver. When I reached in, expecting her to take my hand off, she simply blinked, meowed and went into the carrier and I became what we shelter people call, her "advocate". But even with my support ("Hey, would you consider this girl over here?"), the months went on. Scratch and bite quarantines were a part of her stay as was her increasing stress. ("Where is my bed? Where is my mom?")
Around the 4th or 5th quarantine, my friend and coworker looked at me and said, "I'm not sure it's humane for us to keep housing her here." I asked her to give me a few weeks to figure out an alternative knowing there was only one. My mom's phone rang and I said, "Hey, do you want a cat?" "No", she replied. But then I told the above story and she begrudgingly said okay. So after 13 months in the shelter, I drove Jazz four hours to NY, met my mom at a Denny's in a sketchy plaza, had lunch and put her in the car with a small warning to be careful when she opened the carrier back at home. (Who says you need to meet an animal before you adopt anyway???)
Jazz adjusted beautifully - no scratching, no biting - and became an amazing companion. Clearly the shelter environment had caused her aggression. Fast forward a few years and to a tearful scene where my cat, Zoe, had once again pissed all over the new furniture and once again, the phone call to mom. "Can you take Zoe?" "No", she replied. "I would take Jazz." "Oh, alright" she once again answered. So, I got in my car and drove halfway to her house, met her in a sketchy parking lot, gave her my two cats and took Jazz back. And once again, she adjusted beautifully (no thanks to Keira who spent weeks trying to take her down - more on dealing with prey drive in a future blog).
So for the past three years we've shared our home and hearts with our beloved old lady. When we first planned this trip, we considered waiting until she died which, as a FYI, is a morbid way to plan. But this cat Will. Never. Die. Seriously the healthiest creature I've ever seen. Recent bloodwork showed the organs of a seven year old. So we made the decision to follow our dream even though it meant asking her to adjust again. But I know she'll be just fine - with the best foster parents we could find, a warm wood stove and her power of attorney in the house next door.
I hope Jazz's story teaches people to give the not-so-adoptable animals at the shelter a chance. I know, I know...you want kittens and adult cats who don't bite and scratch you - you're sooooo picky! But the next time you're in the search for a new cat, go to your local shelter and ask the staff which animal has been there the longest and ask them why they think that is. Most of the time, it's simply because an animal doesn't "show" well (because our culture has asked them to perform beautifully in a cage if they are to be chosen - sad eyes, approaching the front of the cage, purring in the visiting room - because I'm sure all of us would perform so perfectly if the tables were turned). So be brave and next time pick the senior cat who is hissing and spitting at you. All it takes is a little faith and a spot on the couch and just like that, you've saved a life.
Purr on, my misunderstood girl. See you soon.
"Lots of people talk to animals.... Not very many listen, though.... That's the problem."
Benjamin Hoff
Benjamin Hoff
She is beautiful!
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