I always grew up with large dogs and rabbits as pets. my husband grew up mainly with cats and is a real cat person. in 2008 he finally convinced me that we should get a cat. i was on a business trip in CA and found a senior pixie bob, the breed he wanted, nearby to where I was working, whose story really touched me.
Alvin had been purchased from a registered breeder more than 8 yrs earlier. When his elderly owner became terminally ill her family was unable or unwilling to take him in. The breeder took the cat back instead of having him end up in a shelter and put him up for adoption. He was incredibly shy but they helped prepare us for a long adjustment period and promised us a very sweet, affectionate, broken hearted cat was underneath. Boy were they right! It took about a month for him to truly come out of his shell but once he did he introduced me to what affectionate companions cats can be. He helped mend my broken heart from my dog Sunny, who had passed away 2 years prior. Sadly Alvin passed away from cancer just 2 years after we adopted him, but in those 2 years he taught me so much and showed me how great adopting a senior per can be!
In late 2009 I started volunteering at ACCT with my husband and a few months later we took home a litter of 4-6 week old kittens. I had never had a kitten before and was so heartbroken at the idea of adopting them out, especially my favorite little Snowball, an all black kitten. However I knew they were never really mine and we were just a stepping stone to finding their forever homes. Snowball was adopted by a wonderful family who still occasionally updates us on how he is doing, and we dealt with our sadness by getting another litter of foster kittens. A few months later, in March 2010 we took home a litter of 3 one day old orphaned kittens, who still had their umbilical cords attached. Sadly one passed away but the two remaining ones, Kali and Soma, or just “The Twins” were so special we ended up adopting them ourselves a few days after Alvin passed away. The thought of losing them so soon after him was too sad.
I really missed having a dog, but I never felt ready to replace Sunny, so my compromised by fostering a few dogs as well. Sometimes we foster dogs for ACCT and sometimes we do for one of our rescue partners that specializes in Rottweilers. I am sure one day we will find a dog that we just can’t let go for whatever reason, but until then it is so great to have that doggy love when we have time and room for a dog, and do a good deed in the process. I feel a particular kinship with the seniors and find they usually adjust seamlessly into our home and lifestyle, and just seem so grateful for a warm, loving him. Thankfully we have had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful adopters along the way that adopt our fosters and make them an integral member of their families.
We now have 4 resident cats and an endless cast of foster dogs and cats that help complete our chaotic home and keep us entertained. Although we try to take small breaks here and there to have some time for ourselves too, I cannot ever imagine a time when we would not be involved with fostering. Please consider fostering a homeless dog and/or cat for even a little while. It will change both your and their lives for the better!