Monday, May 30, 2011

Important Reminder to Me

With great embarrassment, I admit that I've been grumbling around about the number of black kittens in our program.  "How on earth will they ever get adopted? Etc, etc.

Shame on me. 

I rescued 2 more black kittens from the shelter today with great trepidation.  A million "what if's" went through my mind and a huge sense of guilt for feeling that way.  I mean - ALL of our kittens at Petsmart were black!

We have a foster Mom that works full time and has two little boys.  She had taken in a black Mom and her 4 black kittens.  She's on holidays all week and decided that she would spend her vacation at Petsmart getting her black foster kittens adopted.  Today, her remaining two black kittens were adopted together.  All this on the same day that I was kicking myself for rescuing two more black kittens.

I don't believe in coincidences.  Shame on me.  Really. 

Business decisions getting in the way of rescuing.  How I hate that!!  Sometimes I don't know that I'm thinking in a business sense until something like this comes along and kicks my ass back to reality.  They all deserve homes - regardless if colour or number of appendages. 
 
On a happier note, we not only rescued two black kittens today, but also an adorable grey one, and two tabbies.  I had the tabbies in my washroom this afternoon and walked in to this:
That's "Sherman".  I think he's going to be a Turner Refugee for now.  (Is it wrong to suggest that my sons use that toilet paper instead of throwing it out???)

You're never too old or too knowledgeable to learn a lesson.  I'm putting my story about the black kittens "out there", to help others understand that patience and perseverance pays off.  Thank you Melissa for taking teaching this old gal a lesson and working so hard to get your kittens a wonderful home.

Go easy on me.   
 

13 comments:

Fern said...

I wouldn't even question whether or not to use the toilet paper. If kittens were able to contaminate it thru play, none of our toilet paper would ever get used.

Cat said...

I just don't understand why black cats have such a hard time, frankly they are my favourite; such beautiful, sleek house panthers! Sometimes look at my boys and wonder why I don't have an all-black! If I can ever wrap my head around five cats, I'll definitely give you a call Beth :-)

hmacross said...

People who love black cats really love them, poeple who don't like them, don't know what they are missing!

My daughter wanted an orange kitten. We went to the foster home to see the one orange girl, but the kitten was very shy. My daughter said "this is not the one"

We went to another foster home to look at other orange ones but a little black girl came up to us. My daughter held her and she purred up a storm and settled into her arm. My daughter said "I want this one".

Our Bella is the sweetest cat, full of purrs and very loving. Now I'm a big black cat fan.

Sparkle said...

Two of the cats in my human's past were black kitties, and they were both awesome. Her parents have had three black kitties (they are serial black kitty owners), and they have all had loads of personality! So she has never understood the prejudice against them.

P.S. My human loves those tabbies you are fostering already! Not only does she like black cats, she also has a weakness for rambunctious kitties.

Caroline said...

Hey Beth,

Can you ask Kim if they checked to see if "Krissy" has a microchip, she is an urgent marked calico that was trapped/picked up and has a pink collar, she appears to have belonged to someone.

Thanks,

Caroline

House of the Discarded said...

Caroline: Every cat that comes into the shelter is checked for a microchip upon entering.

Unfortunately, MANY of the cats come into the shelter with collars. It's so sad.

B

Anonymous said...

I'm still fostering our black mum cat. Her 3 babies were adopted the same week they turned 8 weeks, but now, 18 months later Nikki is still with us. I like to hold her because black is slimming!

Tell your sons they can use the toilet paper to clean up the pee dribbles they leave on the floor!( the same dribbles they are adamant about not leaving)

Karin

Melissa said...

Beth,

You are most welcome! I had the best day in a long time today.

Sherman is a sweetie. You knew he was going to be one of your "bad" kitties :)

To many more amazing adoption days!!!

Rhonda said...

Black cats rule!

Anonymous said...

Karen says - I have a little black one right now and he is just a teddy bear with blue eyes and heart of gold. Big pudgy tummy (well after he eats anyway) and purrs up a storm. He is the first to greet you and clamber up into your lap.

Is going to make some observant person a very very good friend. Well at least when he is old enough to be adopted anyway.... GRIN

Go Black Cats Go...

selkiem said...

Two of my 4 cats are black (Fat Cat is super fluffy with attitude and Scully is a sleek black panther), and one of my two dogs - never understood the prejudice! Black dogs get passed over a lot in shelters too.

Random Felines said...

Mom has noticed the same thing. And then over the weekend, 4 out of 7 kittens were adopted out here - 2 tabbies, one dilute tortie and the black kitten. Though the way he was yelling from his cage, we think he was working harder than his tabby siblings!! Keep up the good work.... (and we don't understand the "prejudice" some people have about black cats - we have a house panther here that has purrsonality to spare)

Anonymous said...

I only recently heard that black cats weren't usually adopted and I think it's so strange - I just adopted a black kitten a couple of weeks ago, and she was the one my eye immediately went to, out of a litter of tabbies and oranges. I think black cats are gorgeous!