Alumni Adopted prior to 2015

Stella and Sylvie (formerly Aurora)

Today is the end of our first year with our adopted cats, Stella and her daughter, Aurora, now named Sylvie. Sylvie was still suckling when she arrived and she continued to do so for several months, until Stella got tired of allowing it. Sylvie is very attached to her mother and looks to her for instruction and comfort. They still wrestle together, share their toys and food, as well as frequently sleep snuggled up next to each other.

While Stella is still not interested in being picked up or held, she does like being groomed and occasionally petted. She is good natured and friendly and will sleep next to us. For now, she is still a bit guarded. Sylvie likes to sleep on our laps and to be groomed but she agrees with her mother that being picked up is not ideal. They both love to play with their toys, either by themselves or with our assistance, which we also enjoy. They have been a wonderful addition to our home and have become great companions. We appreciate your having taken Stella in and caring for her and her four kittens until they could find homes.

Windsor

We adopted Windsor from you in November of 2011. He has his issues (we all do) with his kidneys and obsessive compulsive tendencies, but to the veterinarian’s surprise, he is still with us 4 years later. He is so full of personality, and good looks and we love him so much!

Artie and Gus

Artie and Gus … are AWESOME cats and we absolutely adore them. They are ridiculously sweet and affectionate. They love sitting on laps, love being held, and are super great with our friends and family. Whenever we have a big crowd over, they’re in the middle of everything, trying to climb into our guests’ purses and such. We really couldn’t ask for better, more fun cats. They still curl up and take naps together every day, which is adorable.

Sally and Linus

We adopted Linus & Sally about 11 years ago from Feline Rescue. We are all happy and healthy and living in Dallas. As they start to take on the look of more senior cats I got to thinking yesterday how much we love them, how much they add to our family, and how much we owe that to you guys!
They don’t hang out with each other as much as they used to, but we caught them in this picture a couple months ago. The picture (left) is of Sally being rescued from behind the walls. She was playing in the attic and managed to get through a hole she couldn’t get back through. We had to go through the ceiling to get her. We were not happy with her that day! Thanks for everything you do!

Aila

I adopted Aila a little over a year ago! I still remember that day. I was there with the girl I was dating and we were looking to adopt one of your cats. When I first tried to pet Aila, she bit me. However, my girlfriend really wanted to adopt her, so I didn’t tell her about it. When we first brought her home, she hid behind the toilet for the first couple days. She was very slow to trust and, at first, she didn’t like me very much. But I was patient and now she and I are just as close as I could possibly imagine us being. She got me through a rough break up. And when I had surgery, she never left my side for the entire week I was recovering at home. She really enjoys running up and down the stairs, and she is very playful and affectionate. She greets me at the door every day when I get home from work and sleeps in her little bed next to mine every night. I honestly can’t picture my life without her.

Lili and Piccola

Lili and Piccola are doing great. We cleaned up our back porch and they love hanging out there checking what is happening in the backyard, safely resting on shelves and platforms behind screens. They also love sunning themselves on window seals and chatting with our neighbor’s cats.

Lili (bottom right) tends to be cautious but loves to curl against us anytime we sit or lie down. Piccola jumps on our laps as soon as we sit down and loves to check how her food is being prepared by standing on a stool and putting her front paws on the counter. …

They’re very sweet and we are enjoying them tremendously.

Big cat and Little cat (formerly Dean and Sammy )

[I]t was a year ago when Matt and I adopted Dean and Sammy (now referred to as the big cat and the little cat) …

Anyway, the boys are doing great and we can’t imagine life without them. They enjoy spending time watching birds out the window, sleeping, wrestling with each other and begging for attention. The little cat recently figured out how to open cupboard doors and drawers so we have equipped the house with baby latches. They are so much fun

Nelson Axel (formerly Chip)

Another year has gone by and my Feline Rescue guy is doing great! With the help of [foster volunteer Denise Luke] and several of [her] associates at Feline Rescue, Nelson is thriving and happy.
He has grown into quite the snuggle bug and loves to spend his evening cuddled up next to me on the couch where he purrs like a small engine.
He also likes to take naps with me whenever I can grab one. Thank you for all you do and thanks for all Feline Rescue continues to do for our community and our feline friends.

Pearl and Opal

The girls are doing great. … We love to call them “Da Goils” … LOL. From day one, both Opal and Pearl fit into our home beautifully. They joined two English Bulldogs, a Norwegian Forest Cat and a Somali Cat. Everyone gets along splendidly!
Opal is my snuggle girl. … She expects a snuggle session each afternoon, and it needs to be with her special velvet blanket! Opal loves to play with fur mice and to sit in front of the screens and take in the sounds and smells. Her favorite treat is poached chicken breast! Pearl is my “super model”! She never takes a bad photo, and loves to pose for me! She is a busy girl who adores sparkle balls and demands a fetch game with one every evening before bed! Pearl loves to eat anything! Opal and Pearl have a special sisterly bond with each other. I often find them snuggled up together. I couldn’t be more pleased with our decision to make these girls part of our home…it just feels right. I look forward to many years with Da Goils!

Rizzo

I adopted Rizzo on Sept. 4, 2010, after rescuing and then fostering her for two years. During those two years, the emaciated, sickly little grey kitty that came into FR’s foster system blossomed into a beautiful, faithful companion. She was a frightened stray who likely had been abused, so it took a long time to gain her trust. It was six weeks before she finally stopped swatting at me and let me pet her, and four more before she crawled up on to my lap. Over the next year and nine months, Rizzo and I continued to get to know each other. In all that time, FR got just two calls inquiring about her, and neither seemed like the right fit. Eventually, it dawned on me that if an appropriate adopter really did show an interest in her I was not going to be able to let her go! Somehow, despite her dislike of my other cats, the occasional “love bite” or swat when I tried to pet her, and her not infrequent moodiness (her nickname was Crabby Pants), we had developed a very strong bond.
After adopting Rizzo, that bond continued to grow. She slept snuggled up to me every night, laid in the crook of my arm when I watched TV, and even traveled up north with me to visit my family. (She didn’t much like the ride, but she loved being the only cat in the house once she got there!)
Eight months ago, I found a small lump on Rizzo’s belly. It turned out to be a malignant mammary tumor. She had mammary cancer. I was devastated. I immediately had the tumor surgically removed, but it came back several months later, along with at least two others, and they slowly began to grow. She put up such a good fight, with her head up and her eyes bright all through her illness. It was difficult to finally make the decision to let her go. This loss has been particularly heartbreaking for me, perhaps because of the special bond Rizzo and I developed during the months-long socialization process. I miss her presence in my home. But at the same time, I feel blessed to have had her in my life for as long as I did — and it is all because of Feline Rescue. The people in this organization care so deeply for each and every cat and kitten that comes through the shelter door or into the foster system or outreach program. And not only does Feline Rescue save cats and kittens that otherwise may never have a chance at a happy, healthy life, it brings years of joy and love to the people who adopt the cats and kitties it rescues. I simply cannot thank you enough, Feline Rescue, for the wonderful work you do and for giving me the years I had with Rizzo.

Pablo (formerly Picasso)

We adopted Picasso back in October (we call him Pablo now) and he has been a fantastic addition to our family. He is the most affectionate cat we have ever met.
We first introduced Pablo to our 5 year old cat, Bruce Wayne, only a couple days after we brought him home because they were dying to meet. They hit it off right away and became fast friends. They play with each other every day and have made up all sorts of games. Their favorite is to run really fast towards each other and see who can jump the highest over the other one. They also love taking naps together and frequently clean each other. It’s clear to see that they are the best of friends.We are so glad to have brought Pablo into our family, and he seems quite happy to be here as well. He has been such a big, positive influence on Bruce, who used to be very particular about his affections and quite aloof. They both bring so much joy and love to us every day and we couldn’t be a happier family.

Gracie

Gracie is now 5 years old, and has put on a little Santa belly, but she’s still wonderfully active and loves to chase laser pointers, felt strings and foam balls. She’s started playing fetch! When I toss the ball, she’ll chase it and bring it back to me to throw again, like a dog. She’s also obsessed with pencils and bobby pins. She’ll stalk and leap upon them, and sometimes if she’s playing with a spring toy she’ll scare herself silly when it bounces after her pounces.
We’ve moved several times, and James and I are no longer together, but we’ve shared custody and always keep the other parent in the loop with stupid amounts of cat pictures and videos. Here’s a few with her favorite teddy bear rug. Gracie’s such a wonderful companion, and her expressive face, mews and mrows make her my favorite roommate to hang out with and talk about my day. She’s a great cuddler (always the little spoon) makes me warm even in the coldest winter.
We have two other cats: Killgore Trout and Charlotte, and although they’re not the best of friends, they make our house felinabulous! Gracie’s the oldest and the queen, and she’s always going to be the first in my heart. Thanks for all that you do.

Alfred Morris/Alfie (formerly Scooters)

He is absolutely the best cat for our little family. Alfie holds his own with his older feline sister, Sadie and is the funniest, cuddliest, most easy going cat around. He loves to introduce himself to our guests and often plays host to whoever stops by. He’s been on a diet since we got him and has gone from an adorable 15+ pounder to a sleek, healthy and super playful 11 pound kitty. We just adore him. He’s completed our family and is doing great. We’re completely grateful to the feline rescue staff for helping us find the right fit for our needs and situation and for bringing such an amazing cat into our lives. We’re really happy with Alfie and grateful to Feline Rescue for connecting us. And we’d love to inspire others to adopt through you.

Gizmo (formerly Apple)

We cannot thank you enough for Gizmo (fka Apple). She is adorable, friendly, outgoing and loves her big sister, Layla (golden lab mix). They have become fast friends. …
She has come out of her shell even more [in the last couple months]. She … is learning to walk on a harness, is constantly at our side and just loves everyone. She is smart, has a ton of energy and loves to run around the house at 100 mph. She is a constant source of entertainment and we just adore her!
–Jessica and Mike

Felina and Lucinda (formerly Jackie and Irena)

I LOVE my kitties — no longer Jackie and Irena but [now] Felina and Lucinda. I named them for the little girls in the book “The Little Leftover Witch.” I read it every Halloween as a kid and since I couldn’t bring my girls home until after Halloween because Felina is all-black, these names seemed fitting. And they are perfect. Felina is playful and curious and the first to try everything while Lucinda is a bit of a princess but will follow after Felina in new games and areas of the house. One of the funniest things about the two of them is that they play fetch! I throw a wadded up piece of paper and they chase after it (usually sliding across my wood floor) and promptly bring it back. I’ve played fetch with them for over 30 minutes sometimes. [Feline Rescue foster volunteer] Joan … was so great when I decided to adopt my girls. It was the end of September and I wouldn’t be able to bring them home until November 1 and she let me come visit weekly and sometimes more so that they could get to know me before coming to my house. Things are going very well!

Micio (formerly McMuffin)

Hi everybody!
This is Micio speaking (formerly McMuffin). “Micio” means “cat” in Italian. I’m bi-lingual now. I wanted to tell you how happy I am in my Forever Home.
I have a darling little sister (Daisy). We stay together all day, and our favorite fun is running thru the 3-part tunnel, and wresting with each other in our human’s bed in the middle of the night! My other new sister, Boots (Raisin) rules the house, and has not warmed to my incredible charms. But she will…now, back to fun and games. –Micio

Dubai

Dubai is doing great and I love him more every day. Even though we had connected while I was volunteering at FR, I knew we were a perfect match when I picked him up. I put my open carrier in the office (he was the “office manager”) and went out to find Dawn, the adoption coordinator. When we went back in the office he was in the carrier, door still open, just waiting for me to close the door and take him home.
… He moved in and made this his home in a matter of an hour or two. He loves to be brushed, play with glitter poms, drink water from the bathroom sink, chase the laser pointer, look out the window, get lots of snuggles, and nap. His purr can be heard across the room and over the phone. Love this guy. FR is the best!

Punky and Louie

I went to Feline Rescue on June 13th to visit with cats. I had just lost my dear Sweetie Pie to renal failure a few days earlier and wanted to be near cats because I missed her so much. I had adopted her, an older cat, just four years earlier from the shelter.

I left with two cats — Punky and (Big) Louie. They were buddies and isolated due to their FIV-positive status. They had been residents of the shelter for almost a year. I was told that they were sweet cats, but my instincts said they were stinkers. Turns out one is sweet and one is a stinker. I love them both, but the transition was not easy.

We now know each other quite well and have survived a move that brought them closer to street action. We moved from a 25th floor apartment to a 6th floor apartment, where they have more windows and more perspectives on the world. The windows have deep wells where I hope they perch when I’m away, but when I’m home, they are always nearby — sometimes to cuddle, sometimes to play and sometimes to ensure that I don’t forget to feed them (I never have!). They are both males and about 2-3 years old — much more active than my serene Sweetie Pie.

They let me sleep now, which I appreciate. I suspect they only lounge on the kitchen counters now when I am away. They make me laugh and they sometimes irritate me. They always make me feel needed. I can’t imagine what my life would be if they were still at the shelter.

Teddy (formerly Rossi)

We adopted Rossi (now Teddy) … from your shelter and brought him home to our family, including our nine-year-old Grey tabby cat, Dominic. It was a bit strained at first with Dominic, but he has since decided to tolerate Teddy and I think he will eventually grow to enjoy having the company.
Teddy is a great cat! His personality really came to life [after a] couple weeks when he started to feel comfortable here. He LOVES to play and enjoys all his new cat toys. He is a very loving and affectionate cat and loves to be around any of the six of us here at home. He is doing well and really seems to be very happy here with us! We decided to name him Teddy because he is so soft and fluffy and so cuddly … it reminded us of a teddy bear!
Thank you for all you do for homeless cats! We will be sure to refer anyone we know who is looking to give a nice home to a cat or kitten.

Izzy (formerly Summerset)

Izzy and I wanted to say hello and share a recent photo with you. Miss Izzy (formerly known as Summerset) joined my home back in 2011 and she is doing wonderful! She is all grown up and has a spunky personality. BTW… She wants me to let you know that she is really not fat … it is just the angle. Ha ha. She loves her blue tunnel and often thinks that we can’t see her but when you walk by … she pounces and, of course, we all play along and act like she scared us. We love her and she makes us very happy!

Safi (formerly Susie)

I adopted Susie on 11/1. I renamed her Safi, after a leopard on Big Cat Diary. She is doing great. … She’s very affectionate and playful, and is adjusting to life with the dogs. She sort of chirps rather than meowing, which is very cute. She likes to sit at my desk chair and watch us all from there. …
Thanks for the work you do for the cats.

Chloe (formerly Chakra)

Chakra has changed her name to Chloé, as she decided that her fashionable attitude mattered more than her highly balanced body image. And Yes, she does have attitude! Chloé is vocal about everything: I want to be fed, I want you to wake up, I want to play, I want to be left alone, I don’t know what I want but I need attention, now!

Chloé makes a great companion, greeting me at the door and greeting any visitors. While visitors notice how attentive and cute she is, I must warn them that she calls the shots. Chloé likes to nuzzle and jump on laps and get head rubs, but No-No don’t try to pick up this lady.

Chloé loves sitting in windows and watching the outdoors, when she’s not napping. When napping she prefers the comfort of wool blankets or heat registers. In another life, she would have spent much time at the beach on the hot sand in the summer or in the winter under a comforter with a good book. Chloé is so happy to have her own apartment with viewsand will forever be grateful to the loving care she received at Feline Rescue.

Luna (formerly Cher)

Luna is quite simply one of the best things to happen in our family this year. She loves to run around and climb things, including her humans and the top of the kitchen cabinets. But she comes running when we open the apartment door or the cabinet where her food stays (incidentally, where we keep our food). She hunts her catnip mouse and the laser pointer, and also wrestles with the other toys. She puts any toy she can in one of her water dishes to “drown” it and gets very surprised when the toys suddenly reappear outside of the bowl.
But while Luna is active, she’s also quite sweet. If either of us has a rough day, she’ll sit quietly and let us pet her. She seems to enjoy it as much as we do. Evening snuggles are quite common. She has taken to snuggling up with Gretchen on an electric blanket since the temperature dropped, though she also has her own cat bed with nice fuzzy walls to snuggle against as well. Luna does like to sit on top of me when I’m on my computer and will often purr on me.
We took her to a local vet lately because of one of her eyes was swelling up for about 24 hours. Besides the eye (which has completely recovered and he actually found nothing wrong with that, either), he pronounced her perfectly healthy. She surprised the vet and vet tech by having a normal heart rate when they were examining her (which might have something to do with them stroking her quite a bit during the exam). She lives up to her nickname: Luna, Cat Extraordinaire.

Cheshire

We are so happy that we found Cheshire at Feline Rescue! She is a very sweet and personable cat and always starts meowing and runs to the door when she hears anyone coming. She spends her days sitting like a cat loaf and running faster than you would expect (based on her bulk). Cheshire also chases her tail and walks all over us, literally. We love her!

Ozy (formerly Shelby)

Shelby (now Ozy) and I are still getting used to one another’s quirks, but so far, so good! Home is definitely more lively with him around and I’m glad for it. Getting him used to his new home has been very easy; the very next day after I brought him home, he had to deal with a small birthday party and it didn’t even phase him. He was out and about and demanding attention from everyone an hour in! … Here he is having found the best seat in the house, the computer chair.

Aberdeen

Aberdeen has been a wonderful addition to our family. He loves our other cat Squishy. He likes to play hide and seek with Squishy and they sleep next to each other. He loves to play with his squeaky mouse and carry toys to his food bowl. As soon as you sit down he’s in your lap ready for pets. He’s is sweet and funny. So glad he came into our lives.

Katie (formerly Crystal)

Crystal (now named Katie) was terribly frightened when we first brought her home and hid for several days, only coming out to eat, drink and use her litter box (thank heavens!). After a few days we decided to block off all but a couple of hiding spots in our basement, leaving a couple that she could retreat into to feel safe. We spent a lot of time being “parallel” to her in the same space, but not forcing her to interact. Eventually, her curiosity got the better of her and she began to emerge to check us (and the array of cat toys) out for short periods. She began to warm up gradually, and although it took several weeks, she is now quite the social little girl.
[Katie] loves to look out the window at the back yard and garden, play with her toy mice, and remain ever vigilant for feeding time. She still doesn’t like to be “picked up” but will sit on laps and snuggle in chairs. We think she’s great!

Quinton

On August 6, my partner and I adopted a handsome young cat named Quinton from Feline Rescue. When we met Quinton at the shelter, he didn’t show a lot of personality because he wasn’t very comfortable around the other cats and hadn’t had the opportunity to be out of his kennel much. …
The experience of seeing Quinton grow more confident in his new home and more comfortable with us as his people has been very rewarding. As you can perhaps see from the attached photos, Quinton has relaxed and has grown very comfortable in our home and with us. Every day he does something that makes us laugh out loud, like carrying his green and white mouse in his mouth from room to room or surfing on his belly off the edge of the couch. Every day, he also does something that melts our hearts, like stretching himself out across the crack in the sofa cushions to make sure he’s touching both of us while he takes a nap. I think he likes it here, and I’m sure he’s happy to have two new people to claim for his own.
… Please encourage potential adopters to take a gamble on a shy or timid cat. We didn’t really know much about Quinton’s personality before bringing him home because the shelter was, despite the very kind efforts of Feline Rescue volunteers, just not a place where he could be himself. We took a chance that there was a great cat inside the tentative little creature we saw, and we were greatly rewarded for taking that chance.
Also, thanks for all you do to find homes for cats. We’re so grateful to have Quinton in our lives, and we look forward to sharing our home with him for many years to come.

Binks and Jax (formerly Jelly Bean and Minnow) and Tony

My boys … all have a wonderful home. Binks, aka Jelly Bean (whose eyes are surgically shut), is doing wonderfully; he is a healthy sleek kitty and weighs about 12 pounds now. He spends his days playing with his brothers and takes many cat-naps. Always looking for toys that make noise for him. He is an excellent mouser.

Jax, aka Minnow (who has one eye surgically shut), is my little clown, very playful and always into mischief. Will eat almost anything so try to watch his food intake and be sure he is not eating something he should not. He weighs about 10 pounds and is my long and rangy looking kitty. He is so high energy does not have time to get fat.

Tony (the tabby) is my contented kitty but does love to play at times. He was a little fraidy cat but has come around and is very cuddly with me. He is very gentle and is my big kitty who weighs about 14 pounds, who loves cat naps. All my kitties are healthy and get regular checkups and they get good food. My goal is to give them a good life, as well as I can!

[Editor’s Note: Linda also adopted Magic, aka Jesse, from Animal Humane Society. He is missing his ears due to frostbite, but appears to fit right in with the rest of the gang]

Ellie and Molly (formerly Pitter and Patter)

We adopted Pitter (now called Ellie) and Patter (now called Molly) this past May. … They are both doing great! They have settled in very well and even get along nicely with our senior kitty. It has been so much fun watching their personalities come out.

They love to chase each other and glitter balls all over the house! They have brought so much joy to our family and we love them so much! Thank you so much for allowing us to have these two sweet kitties as part of our family!

Sweetie (formerly Alice)

Sweetie [formerly Alice] has brought joy and much laughter to our home. We have not had a one-year-old cat for 20 years. According to our vet, she is in perfect health. In the last three months she has learned so much.
She knows what stop and stay mean. She loves her toy mice and brings them into bed with us. She has learned to open the bi-fold closet doors (retrieving the three winter furry hats which she carries around the house). She has been visited by a Lab dog, Sweetie rules! She responds to visitors and loves to be played with by them.
[We] couldn’t be happier. Thank you all.

Ruby (formerly Sunfire)

Sunfire [now Ruby] … is doing so well in her new home. She is the sweetest, most cuddly kitten I’ve ever met. She also has endless energy of course and is beyond hilarious. She is even getting along with our older cat, Kitty. We sure love our Ruby. Thanks for all you guys do at Feline Rescue.

Walter and Angus

We adopted Walter this summer. He has joined Angus, his older brother, in bringing much affection and laughter into our home. He is quite vocal and often has something to say. [Walter] and Angus keep an eye on the neighborhood through the kitchen window. They seem to think the best view is from in front of the microwave. They also like to catch a few winks on their heads on the couch but sometimes Walter has too much to think about to actually sleep. … We are happy to have him with us.

Clio

We adopted Clio from a foster family last winter after my beloved kitty friend, Jeoffrey, passed away after 19 years. She was fostered by a veterinarian, as she had severe eye infections that required the removal of one eye. It took her a while to come out of her shell; she was a quiet, shy little thing. She has partial vision in her remaining eye, but she gets around quite well.

[Clio] didn’t get along at first with our remaining cat. As it happens, I brought home a stray kitten that we caught at the school where I was teaching. It was one of those, “Only until we find a good home” situations. But we noticed that Clio got along much better with the younger kitty (now known as Young Hector) so we decided to keep this kitty as well. Clio (aka the one-eyed pirate cat, Peeper, and The Peeps — she is so vocal, always chirping like a little bird!) has become playful, affectionate and quite the under-foot-in-the-kitchen kitty! All three kitties now get along very well and we love her very much. We are so happy to have found [Clio] through Feline Rescue.

Blixa Fur-geld (formerly Ramblin’ Rose)

Ramblin’ Rose is now known as Blixa Fur-geld. I feel as though she has acclimated very well into her forever home. She loves staring out the window for hours. She loves feeding time and chasing the laser pointer/red dot. She’s a very well-tempered and fun and super affectionate kitten. She’s a great companion and super awesome!

Belle

[Editor’s note: Belle came to Feline Rescue from the Lake Traverse Reservation. Rescuers there tried to get her to us while she was pregnant but she snuck off and gave birth the day they were going to transport. We still managed to rescue her and her six kittens a few days later!]

I want to thank everyone involved in rescuing Belle … She is a wonderful cat! … I will highly recommend Feline Rescue to anyone who might be interested in adopting a feline!

As for Belle, we believe she is very happy too! … Her favorite toy is a mouse on a fishing pole. We play that a lot. She loves to watch birds, squirrels and lots of bunnies in my back yard too! She is eating well and seems very content. She “meeps” to get my attention which is so cute! It only took her about a day to warm up to us, which was great. She is beautiful and we will take very good care of her.

Thank you, everyone, again. We love her very much.

Kelsier and Isabela (formerly Borris & Natasha)

Kelsier and Isabela were adopted from a foster home just after Thanksgiving in 2011. My understanding is that FR thought they were about six months old. Isabela was clearly the more social of the two kitties at the time, as she wanted to come and play with us right away. Kelsier took a little more persuasion. Now, at nearly three years of age, they are both spoiled utterly rotten and seem very happy. They still get along really well, and it’s not unusual to find them snuggled up together asleep. Isabela likes water, and will get right into the shower with you if there’s room to stand out of direct spray. Kelsier plays with water out of the tap and loves his laser pointer.

Joan [Barrett, with FR’s foster system] told us that Kel and Isy were on the fast track to be euthanized when she initially found them. (I don’t recall which shelter, but clearly they were about to put down two very adoptable kittens – which is a tragedy.) We’re thankful that she found them when she did and that Feline Rescue gave them a second chance at adoption. In fact, Kelsier is named after a book character who survived a terrible trial and was known as “The Survivor.” I don’t remember their foster’s name, but he was fantastic with them, and they came to us clearly well-socialized with other cats. This was a big help — their elderly “Uncle” Xerxes, who had just lost his sister — was dubious at first. Isabela won him over and often snuggled with him. Kelsier never did become best friends with Xerxes, but they did get along well most of the time (when Kel wasn’t being a giant troll). They are absolutely wonderful kitties!

Cleopatra (left, pictured with James)

In late 2001, a family of three older kittens and a momma cat were abandoned in the shelter doorway. Two of the kittens and their momma were adopted fairly quickly, but one, a little black one with a white spot on her chest, who had been christened “Winston” was still in the shelter. Each week when I would go to work my shift, I would check for her and hope that she was gone, because I didn’t need another cat. After about three weeks of this, I gave in and adopted her. What sealed the deal was that when I would stop petting her, she would nip at my hand. Strange way to make friends, by my old black cat had done that and I guess it felt like home.

Cleopatra (that was her real name – she told me so) turned my two sedate adult cats, Big Kitty and Samantha, into fun playmates. The three would chase around my apartment like a furry whirlwind. As much as Cleo loved those two cats, she took an instant dislike to any newcomers. So many years later, she is now the queen of the household and has mellowed enough to tolerate the young ones, as long as they respect her majesty!

James

It was love at first sight when I saw the big orange cat in his kennel at Feline Rescue’s adoption center. With his large head, paws the size of a small dog’s, and outgoing personality, he was enchanting. I wasn’t sure I should add to my household, as my other cats were all getting along so well. I couldn’t stop thinking about him, though, so I went back and adopted him. He was named James by the shelter staff, as he had been picked up on James Avenue in St. Paul. The name fit him somehow and I didn’t change it.

The other cats were not thrilled, especially my male cat Big Kitty, but we made it work. Eleven years later, James has retired from making constant escape attempts, and he and Big Kitty have made amends. Sometimes, they even sleep together on their overstuffed chair. James still enjoys the sport of tetherball, which he plays with the cord to the window blinds. The little wooden ball on the end makes a delightful pinging sound when it hits the wall.

Charlie (formerly Mumble)

Charlie (pictured on top, with one of his buddies) has completely changed our lives! He is the most amazing boy. … [H]e does pull-ups in our window sills. And he sings a lot. I am not talking purrs, I am talking outright vocal singing. He is a very very very happy boy and has brought so much joy and love to our already bursting with happiness home.

Harvey (formerly Bootsy)

[We] adopted Bootsy in early April. … First of all, we changed Bootsy’s name to Harvey. Even though Bootsy is a cute name, we think Harvey is a name that is very suitable for the cat’s temperament. He is a very clever, mischievous cat who always finds ways to get himself in trouble. For example, within 5 minutes of coming to his new home, he tore the plastic window insulation off the window in his room. His love of plastic has endured, as we are unable to keep any plastic bags within cat reach without him wanting to lick/claw/bite them. He keeps us on our toes, demanding constant vigilance to ensure he does not harm himself with a plastic substance. Plus, it encourages us to be more tidy.

He also loves climbing on surfaces our other cat (who has lived with us for five years) knows is forbidden territory. It’s a losing battle with Harvey, so he has taken over all the vertical spaces in our apartment. His favorite toys are the cat tube/tunnel (which we noticed he really enjoyed while living at the shelter… so we bought him one!) and a shoe lace which he carries around the apartment with him. The water squirt bottle and Harvey are well-acquainted, but not just in the way you would expect. Harvey enjoys gnawing on the trigger and nozzle of the bottle. It is pockmarked from his biting. In fact, he has an affinity for water which we think is very peculiar. We call him “the tub monster” because he always loves jumping into the bath tub. He comes out wet and he loves it! On more than one occasion he jumped in the bath tub while the shower was running.

Harvey has become a fast friend of Calvin, our older cat. They are now brothers and cannot live without the other! We kept them separated at first, because we didn’t know how Calvin would react to Harvey — Calvin was always an only cat. But within a week they were sprinting up and down the length of our apartment, playfully wrestling each other and grooming each other! Now they love to snuggle next to each other in their beds on the bottom shelf of our butcher block table as we prepare dinner in our kitchen. But Harvey also loves to annoy Calvin by walking on him while he sleeps under blankets. Harvey also likes to annoy [us] by using the same tactic to wake us at 4:00 a.m. every morning!

But we love Harvey so much! He is such a sweet, cuddly kitty that loves to be petted and soaks up attention like a sponge! He is also the most smiley cat I’ve ever met! He basks in our affection! He is such a purr-baby while mixing tons and tons of biscuits with his kneading paws. He is a constant source of entertainment in our house with his never-ending naughtiness, his clumsiness and his playfulness. It has been an adjustment getting accustomed to Harvey’s precociousness. He is very intelligent, and requires the implementation of a second degree of cat-proofing to minimize the trouble he finds for himself. But he is worth the effort because he’s a very special cat! Thanks for facilitating our adoption of this wonderful cat!

Noelle and Isabelle (formerly Noel and Miss Melodi Mars)

It has been [more than] two years [since] we adopted Noelle (fka Noel) and Isabelle aka Izzy (fka Miss Melodi Mars). … Noelle is no longer the shy kitten that we first met! She is the first one to greet anyone who is at the door. Isabelle likes to look outside from the cat condo and has been watching the wild turkeys that are in the backyard. I am sure she is dreaming up some plan as I swear she is smiling while she is watching! Noelle likes to find a sunny spot to sleep unless she hears her favorite feather toy! Both of them love to play chase up and down the different levels in our house, hiding their favorite toys from each other and cuddling. We are very thankful to have them part of our family and greatly appreciate the care you gave them.

Magellan and Pele

[April 29 was] the birthday of the kittens we adopted from you last August! They’re adorable, sweet companions, and we thank you for the great start you gave them. We were so lucky to find you!

Dwayne (formerly Dr. Doolittle)

I just wanted to send you an adorable picture of my little fur-babies and reiterate my thanks for removing Dr. Doolittle from the streets, now known as Dwayne (left). I adopted him from Feline Rescue last September because my existing cat, Bagels (right), was lonely after losing his previous friend due to health complications of old age. It only took a week for them to feel comfortable with each other, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. There is rarely a moment when they are not snuggled together on the window ledge, on a pile of pillows, or on my lap, and I believe that we are simply the happiest little family in St. Paul, MN. Thank you again for everything that you do. You are heroes!

Darwin and Darcy

Darwin and Darcy came home with us in July of 2013, and [had] their first birthday on April 22nd! They are orange Manx brothers from the same litter and they are such big boys now! Darwin’s little stubby tail and Darcy’s pug tail are something that always starts a conversation when people first meet them, but it’s soon the last thing on their minds when they realize how cuddly and affectionate these two are. They have been best friends since birth and cuddle with each other all day long.

Darwin lives up to the Manx breed trait of being “dog like” by playing fetch, and Darcy is a bit of a trouble maker who gets into anything and everything. We love these boys fiercely and I have obsessively documented them growing up. I am so thankful for Feline Rescue and the foster parents who took these boys in until they were able to find their home with us.

Agatha

We adopted Agatha on December 30, 2013. Her temperament was described as playful, mellow, gentle and loving – all of which describe her perfectly. Agatha loves being brushed, playing with her cat dancer, chasing a ping pong ball in the attic, and watching birds from our three-season porch. She is extremely companionable, and loves to be near us no matter what we are doing. We absolutely love her. Thanks for taking such good care of Agatha at Feline Rescue.

Stuart and Sophie

My two babies [turned two years old on March 30 and] are doing great still! Stuart is all black and his sister Sophie is black and white. Sophie is the leader of them all and is like their kitty Mommy. They love their older friend, Peter (orange kitty that is 16 this year)! Thanks again for introducing us all and making our lives so much full of happiness!

Ernest & Fritz (formerly Puddin & Houdini)

Ernest and Fritz [formerly Puddin and Houdini] were adopted as a pair in 2006. Ernest [orange and white] befriended Fritz [orange tabby] in the Feline Rescue intake room and helped to socialize this extremely shy cat who liked to disappear as often as he could. Since adoption, Ernest and Fritz have remained best friends, napping together every day and wrestling with each other often. While Ernest has always been the social, vocal alpha-cat of the house, Fritz, while still very shy around strangers, looks to us when he wants a good brushing, a friendly petting, or a warm lap late at night. We’re happy to have given both of these wonderful cats their forever home, and we can’t imagine one without the other.

Ma’at and Shu (formerly Misty and Mica)

Littermates Ma’at and Shu (formerly known as Mysty and Mica) came to live with us in May of 2009 when they were 4 weeks old. They’d had an adventurous life before we met them: the two of them and their brother were rescued from a hollow tree that was being sectioned. Feline Rescue was able to save them and their mother and get them all fostered. … [O]once we met them, we adopted them both since they were so obviously attached to one another.
Ma’at and Shu are gorgeous smoky Egyptian Mau mixes, and are, to borrow a phrase from a cat breed website, “a lot of cat.” 🙂 They are incredibly loving to the two of us and are very inquisitive, particularly about new people. They are the only cats we’re ever had that will meet new people at the door so they can check them out. Playtime is only interrupted for naps and snuggles. Shu enjoys a good game of fetch and will retrieve his favorite toys from under furniture and from the toy box and bring them over to be tossed, while Ma’at prefers string and the laser pointer. Both of them enjoy inventing new games with the things they find around the house, which can be very exciting for us. They do have some minor health problems, including an allergy to chicken (we feed them raw meat) and some respiratory problems, but these certainly don’t slow them down much. We feel incredibly lucky to have adopted them and want to extend a huge thank you to Feline Rescue and to their kitty foster mom, Linda, for doing such a great job with them.

Shakespeare

Shakespeare is really doing great; after just a few days he made my home his. You guys must have done a great job working with him because he really likes people. He has made a special connection with me and I with him. He follows me around house all the time and every time I lay down for a quick nap, he cuddles up with me on my chest and naps with me. Sometimes when I sit down on the couch, he will jump up and rub his face into my beard. He does it really hard like he means it. It’s really funny. Shakespeare has become an integral part of my family. Thanks much!

Glenn Coco (formerly Banana)

I have never owned a cat before because my parents are allergic, and I always wanted my own cat. I was thrilled to find your agency and to find Coco. She is a wonderful addition to [our] family, and always keeps me laughing! She is very active, and loves to run around with her siblings or play with toys. She also is a big snuggler, and our favorite activity is to cuddle in my lap while I knit.

Lola and Jerry

We adopted Lola almost three years ago from the main location and adopted Jerry about twenty-one months ago from a foster home. We are so grateful to Feline Rescue for taking such wonderful care of them. They’ve both been doing great and fit in perfectly with our other nearly 13-year-old cat, Shi Shi. Lola continues to love her sunny spots and Jerry likes napping on heated blankets and on pillows next to heat vents with Shi Shi as often as possible.
On the health front, Jerry’s diabetes is under control and he’s down to just 0.5 units of insulin twice a day, and we’ve been monitoring and removing Lola’s mass cell tumors to keep her healthy (she was diagnosed with cancer about two years ago but she’s been doing really well). We are enjoying all our time with these very special felines and would encourage everyone to consider adopting older, special needs cats!

Crispin

[Editor’s Note: Crispin was a 1-year-old Abyssinian/Tabby mix who ended up at an overcrowded animal control. He was there for almost a month, and as the longest inmate his future was dangerously uncertain until he became part of Feline Rescue’s foster program. Right before Thanksgiving he found his perfect family, who happened to have another rescued Aby-Tabby (Lani) — almost an identical twin sister!]

It was a little slow going at first, but things seemed to change dramatically at about seven weeks. Both Lani and Crispin love to play, and that’s been a way for them to bond. (They both like the red laser “bug,” feathers, and glitter balls.) Now, they’ll run, side-by-side as if yoked together, to the kitchen when I call them for meals. They swirl around my feet while I prepare their food, and Crispin is always eager to stick his nose into the ‘fridge to see if there’s something new to smell. (But he has also learned to back out, when I say “Crispin, come,” so I can shut the door.) They eat side-by-side in separate bowls in the kitchen. During every meal, they switch bowls at least three times, as if they’re doing some dance that only they know the steps to. As you told us, Crispin is highly “food motivated.” And he thinks that every crackly bag must contain kitty treats, so we have to explain why he can’t have pita chips, or the soft-soap refill, or cough drops. But he always joins in the conversation, trying to convince us that we’re wrong!
Crispin loves to wrap his tail around his papa’s legs, and to sit on the computer desk and butt his head at papa, to get rubbing and scratching. He is definitely getting used to being picked up, and now likes to be held and kissed. We’ve even started getting him used to having his nails clipped (two or three at a time). When we’re cooking or baking in the kitchen, he lounges like he’s posing for a magazine centerfold on the rug by the sink. (Wouldn’t want to miss anything “exciting.”) He and Lani can play “hide-and-pounce” for at least 30 minutes at a time, taking turns hiding under a chair or around a doorway. But if the one who is hiding doesn’t jump out soon enough, the other one will rush in and “encourage” the hider to come out and play. Like you, we have a split level house, and they run up and down the stairs or lay on separate stairs and hang their heads over, to see if there’s anything suspicious coming from the lower level. When we come home, we are likely to see them sitting at the top of the stairs, side-by-side, watching for us to open the door from the garage.
We are so lucky to have Crispin in our lives, and we promise to do our part to make sure that he grows up to be the happiest and most spoiled “Aby-tabby” in Cottage Grove, or at least a close second to Lani. Thank you to everyone who took care of him until we could find him!

Busby (formerly Missouri)

“Missouri” now … called “Busby” … is settling in nicely in her new home!
Our other cat “Spider” and her are starting to get closer, though they aren’t cuddling yet. She is very active, so she has lots of new toys to play with! … Thank you so much for the work you do, and for helping us find our new family member!

Beau and Twyla

I adopted these two loves back in July 2012. They are wonderful. My Beau is the all dark one and my Twyla is the one with mittens and boots. They are still little cuddle bugs and rascals. Their foster mom was amazing and they turned out to be very loving! You can see how much they have grown!

Bodee

John and I wanted to thank you for everything that you do for our local cats. [We recently celebrated] Bodee’s second adoption birthday, and he has been the best addition to our family! He is getting along with his manx sister, Bean (formerly Bunny) and loves to kick his toys, chase his laser, and gaze at St. Paul out of the window. Thanks for caring for him until we could bring him to his forever home!

Charlie & Trinket

[Editor’s note: Charlie and Trinket were rescued by Feline Rescue outreach program volunteers from a foreclosed home where more than 65 cats were found alone and starving last year. They are just two of the many happy endings that resulted from the rescue effort!]

My little family of six — me, Papa Chris, big brother Tyler, little brother Sam, and Speedy & Sunny (my grandbaby gerbils) — have had the honor of adopting, caring for and loving with kindness, gentleness and patience Ms. Trinket and her big brother Charlie. The first few weeks they were under our bed and only came out at night to eat. We all went to them to say “hello, we are here and we just want to love you and play with you!” Soon Charlie would come play and eat during the day, and [now] finally runs to us when he wants his full body massage head to tail. It excites me to watch! Charlie is a very happy young kitty; he waves his tail all the time. Trinket sat back for two months; she walked alongside her brother but kept her distance with us — always having an eye on us! Finally, right before Christmas, a miracle [happened] and Ms. Trinket received her first full body grooming with her own pink brush!

[These] once very shy and scared kitties have turned into family snugglers, ready at all times to play with their toys and [get] daily massages and grooming. They … run to us when it’s dinner time and finally have ventured out to the rest of the house to join their family! Including at night time [when] they go watch their lil furry friends play in their cages and run their wheels! Charlie has turned into a lion and acts like one with courage and pride! Princess Trinket (name fits her to a “T”) is newly out of her shell; she has a lot of catching up to do with her brother and she does it with high energy from 2-6 am and again from 3 to 10 pm. We babied her every step of the way and showed her we weren’t giving up on her. [Recently] we officially moved their cat house out to the living room!! We have gained their love, loyalty, and trust. It has been one of my greatest challenges, yet rewarding experience ever with parenting kittens. Thank you so much for allowing then to find us.

Minnie (formerly Pearl)

Pearl is an absolutely loving girl. She wants to be next to someone all the time. If she’s not sitting on Dan’s lap, she’s sitting behind me on my chair while I’m online. I believe it took her about 24 hours to adjust to our household. She’s an “only” cat and that is fine with her. Pearl is very talkative and thus entertaining. When it’s time to eat, she circles the rooms a couple times and then heads out to her bowl in the kitchen. We did have to put her on a diet, but with the exercise she gets going up and down stairs and watching what she eats, she has slimmed down. Much easier for her to jump on “her” chair now.
Pearl likes everyone, even the cleaning lady. Dan and I are very glad we adopted her and look forward to a number of happy years with Pearl. Thanks to Feline Rescue for making it possible for us to have a great companion.

Spirit (formerly Gypsy)

I can’t believe it was over a year ago we adopted this gem of a cat! On the other hand it’s hard to remember our house without her, she has so much personality and love!
I thought you might … be happy to hear how perfectly she fits in here. She lives with two other cats, her and the grey one are usually spooning and/or cleaning each other. When they’re not doing that they’re running around playing tag. Gypsy and our calico cat are often mirroring each other (always sitting on opposite sides of doors and things like that.) And Gypsy and our 2-year-old corgi/aussie mix dog are totally bffs. Gyspy likes to sleep in the dog kennel and sometimes they spoon too! They also play tag and chase each other. It’s a happy home here and thank you so much for bringing Gypsy into our lives!
p.s. she LOVES car rides! We often drive to my parents up north (close to a 4 hour drive) and bring all the pets with. She loves riding in her kennel (the open wire kind) and hanging out at my parent’s house.

Akasaka (formerly Auggie)

We adopted Auggie on the last day of August and he became an instant part of the family. He is doing great and loves his new home.
Initially a shy and timid little guy when we first met him in the shelter, he came out of his shell shortly after settling into his new home. The first few days he spent under the bed and only came out at night to snuggle and play. He made an instant friend with our other cat and the two have been close since that day. He still has his timid moments but he doesn’t hide much anymore, except from the vacuum cleaner and the vet. He now spends his days looking out the window, playing with all of his toys and his favorite buddy, Gus. His favorite toy is a feather toy that he will play with endlessly (he will dig it out and drag it across the floor himself if we don’t play with him on his schedule). We have also discovered that he is quite a chatterbox and an enthusiastic jumper. Nothing is safe if he really wants it. He cuddles with us every night and has become quite the bed hog. Auggie is doing great in his new home and we love him very much! We are very thankful to Feline Rescue for helping us adopt him.

Duke Ellington and Seymour

[Editor’s Note: Duke is a very special, shy older guy who spent many years at Feline Rescue’s shelter before choosing Jonathan as his forever companion.]

Duke and Seymour are both doing great. … [Seymour] loves his catnip toys, and will spend hours staring at the fish darting around in the fish tank. I don’t think the fish realize that a cat is currently plotting their demise, but so far Seymour hasn’t yet figured out how to actually get to the fish, although he’s pawed at the glass once or twice. Seymour is also prone to convincing me each morning to give him a sprig or two of the catmint, which I have growing in a large container within the “cat exclusion zone.”… If I had to describe Seymour, I’m not sure I could, except to say that he is the most ineffable cat I’ve ever met. He’s very friendly and outgoing, bold and inquisitive, but usually wants to be two to seven feet away from his person, and if you go to cuddle with him, half the time he’ll get up and move. The rest of the time, he loves to cuddle, and every night, or really any time I ever fall asleep, whether it be on the couch or the bed, Seymour will notice, and I will wake up to find him sitting on either my legs or my thighs. But never, ever anywhere further up then that.
And now onto Duke! Duke Ellington, the Gentleman Cat, has decided to admit that he’s secretly been a friendly boy who loves affection this whole time, he was just hiding it. He fluctuates between moods where he’s very shy and skittish, and where he can’t get enough of me. When he’s feeling skittish, he has several hidey holes which I’ve provided, plus the underneath the couch and underneath the bed. If you are get too close to one of these, he’ll move to another of them. Other times he’ll be out and about, but if you have to walk past him, he’ll make a dash to the other side of the room. But this is happening less and less often, though I suspect he’ll always do this to some extent, especially after having his morning meal. At that point, he probably wants to go and nap the day away, and that’s something he’ll do wherever he feels safest. Usually he’s friendly in the morning until he’s gotten his breakfast, then he wants to hide for a while, and then sometime in the afternoon or early evening he emerges feeling friendly again. At this time of day, I have to be careful not to let my hand get any closer than 3 feet away from the floor, because if Duke sees it, he’ll come running with his tail up and rub his face against my hand for about as long as he can convince me to stay where I am. Duke’s a funny guy, he loves to be petted, but he’s very peculiar about how it has to be done. … In just the last couple of weeks, he’s begun to sit down next to me (on the floor, anyway) and let me keep petting his head while he stays there, relaxed. … For some reason, Duke doesn’t like having his chin scratched, or anywhere lower than just a little bit down his sides, and along his tail, and he really has to give you at least one head rub. If you try to pet these off limit areas, or pet the okay areas without him giving the head rub first – well, I don’t know that I’d say he doesn’t like it. Rather, he behaves startled, giving a quick squeak of a meow and sort of hopping an inch to the left. I’ve never known a cat who didn’t absolutely love chin scratches and rubs, so maybe with luck one day Duke will let me give him one.
Duke and Seymour’s relationship is, well, complicated. I think that they’ve become true friends, though they aren’t particularly attached to each other. After a careful introduction, the two got along perfectly well. … Unfortunately, Seymour is about twice Duke’s size, and is a young enough cat to want to chase and wrestle. Duke, not so much. And Duke, being his shy self, is often a little wary of Seymour, and will tend to give Seymour a bit of a wide berth because he’s never quite sure when Seymour is going to be in a playful mood. On the other hand, it took me a while to realize this, but I’m fairly certain that sometimes Duke genuinely wants to and enjoys being chased. Duke never makes any noises of protest when Seymour chases him, unless Seymour gets a little too ambitious and actually catches Duke, and I’ve seen Duke go and bait Seymour on a handful of occasions. On top of that, Duke is no problem with pushing Seymour out of the way so that he can get to the food bowl, and Seymour has no problem sitting back and letting Duke eat first. Most of the time there are two food bowls, and they’ll peacefully eat while sitting side by side. … [T]hey seem to like each other, I guess Seymour just prefers to have his personal space. I guess this means I may never get to live the dream of seeing the two of them cuddling together, but they seem to benefit from having each other around for company and seem to be genuine friends, so I’m okay with that. Still, I wish I could see them curled up together….
P.S. I should probably mention that these are two of the most patient, tolerant cats I’ve ever met. They never wake me up at 4 am looking for food. Instead, they wait for me to open my eyes and move, or for my alarm to go off, at which point they’ll politely meow for a bit of breakfast. They are so patient, that if I roll over and sleep in, they’ll simply wait until I finally do wake up. I never in a million years expected to have cats who were not also alarm clocks.
–Jonathan

Riley
Riley loves string toys, and playing commando kitty up and down the hall in the middle of the night. She loves the water fountain we got her as the faucet was always one of her favorites. She has been in a few homes and a few shelters before here so I think she’s not convinced that this isn’t a temporary arrangement, but is quickly making this home hers.
Riley’s safe spots are atop the chairs that are pushed in under the dining table and her scratching post, which is thankfully her first stop when she’s in freak-out mode. It’s funny that she’s so independent but is rarely in a different room then us. She’ll give you about two minutes to pet her before she tends to get bitey. She’ll be purring and happy, just simply not interested in interacting any more, which is fine. We look forward to seeing her acclimate and to years of kitty cuddles. She seems to smile in her sleep which is my favorite. We love her!

Oliver
Well, it’s been one year since we brought Oliver to his forever home, and we’re still as much in love with him as we were when he was a little kitten. He’s a handsome boy, and is healthy and happy. [At his annual check up] the vet said that if he could have a cat (his wife is allergic), he’d want one just like Oliver. This kitty has so many endearing qualities. When Gary and I sit down in the family room, Ollie races in to his window perch — he wants to be where we are. I still get “lovings” in the morning, but it’s a bit more restrained now. No more drooling, so no soggy nightgowns! He also comes up to me in bed every morning to suggest that it might be breakfast time. He gets his head scratched, then goes to the foot of the bed and curls up until I get out of bed. He’s a lot more patient then his predecessors!
We play together a lot, and he rotates through favorite toys. My mom just gave him a little mouse that looks pretty real and he *adores* it! He’s a pretty good little mouser, and has already nailed a couple of the real ones in our basement. Yay, Ollie! He also has some funny quirks, in particular, his love of “sand baths.” I finally decided to fill another litter box with clean litter, to remove that “ick” factor! The sand bath box comes out every day while I clean his litter box. He rolls and flips in it, and has a wonderful time! He’s a happy little kitty, and we’re so very, very glad that he came to us. Many thanks again for rescuing him, fostering him and giving him to us. We couldn’t be happier!

Thelonius, Theo, or T (formerly Lou)

[Editor’s Note: Lou was a special little deaf kitten who was taken in by Red Lake Rosie’s Rescue before being transferred to Feline Rescue for adoption through the foster system.]

It’s been a while now since I adopted Lou (now Thelonius, Theo, or T – based on who you ask), so I thought I’d send you a quick update! Theo is doing very well in his new home. He’s growing into quite a handsome kitty – and fast! I swear every time I leave a room for 2 minutes he’s bigger by the time I return. He’s still a bit dopey – we took him to see the vet for a checkup, and she suggested that in addition to his deafness, he may have very mild cerebellar hypoplasia, which causes him to run into things sometimes and fall off of furniture. But after kitty-proofing our home a little bit, his bad balance is nothing more than an endearing little quirk that makes us love him even more!
My housing situation fell through unexpectedly when my roommate decided to spend the year traveling, so he was left without a kitty playmate his own age for a little while. … So I ended up adopting another kitty from the Humane Society to keep him company. After a few days, the two became best buds, and now they are rarely apart.
All in all, Thelonius is doing GREAT in his new home. We love him very much and are SO appreciative to Feline Rescue for helping us adopt hi

Portland (formerly Lady)

This is Portland (was Lady) and she’s slowing down in her old age, but comfort has always been a priority. Her humans ensure that she’s always in a sunny spot on her soft, fluffy bed. We cater to her every need and she knows it! We are so lucky to still have Portland in our lives! She recently had a “geriatric cat” exam and she passed with flying colors. Her joints are the only thing that give her a little trouble at the age of 16/17 years.

Callie (formerly Cilla)

This is our Callie, we got her in December of 2012….she was named Cilla. She is a wonderful cat, so much joy and happiness. She loves her humans and loves to have a warm lap. Callie loves the color green, hence her many green toys, they match her gorgeous green eyes. When she’s not taking her morning siesta after her breakfast, you can easily find her playing, getting a case of the “zoomies” and tearing around the house. Otherwise she’s a constant lap companion and loves to be around her “hoomans” (humans) she loves to eat, she gets her 3 meals a day and her late evening snack which creeps up in time a little more every night it seems. I always need to know where “my kitty is.” I always say that I probably love her more than I should, but she makes it so easy. She’s MY best friend and I’ll love her with everything I have.

Moxie (formerly Moxie Jr.)

This is Moxie, our sweet boy. We adopted him from Feline Rescue in 2007, likely @ the age of 1+ yr. I first met him in 2006 when I began volunteering in Intake. We kept his name as Moxie, a fitting moniker for a Feline with lots of moxie…He’s brought so much joy to our lives & is known among all who meet him, including his veterinarian friends, as ” The Sweetheart”. He travels regularly with us to the Calif coast, enjoying the scents of the sea – and to the desert, where he became acquainted with the sights & shapes of succulents. He’s learned to take us for walks, on his leash (he’s the one attached to the leash, of course.) As a longhair he enjoys daily grooming sessions, as much as we do. A true lap cat, he lavishes us with cuddles & nose rubs & a daily “lie down” on my husband’s chest during floor workout time. Simply put, we are blessed that he is a member of our family.

Finn (formerly Starsky)

We adopted Finn in May of 2013 and it was the best decision we have ever made. He loves looking out windows, catnip flavored treats, catnip toys, chasing strings, and he gives us tons of snuggles every morning and night. He has a HUGE personality and responds to his name when called.

When we adopted him, he had been found out in the freezing cold and his coat was growing out after mattes were shaved out. He originally was in the social cat room but after a failed adoption with someone else, he came back to Feline Rescue and hated all the other cats so he was isolated.

Feline Rescue estimated that he was 3-4 years old in 2013 so we estimate he’s 11 years old now. He takes amazing care of his fur coat, he’s very active, and the vet can’t believe we have never cleaned his teeth because they are in such great condition! It’s no surprise to us because he has always been perfect in every way. Thank you Feline Rescue! We couldn’t imagine a more perfect kitty and we feel so fortunate you matched us with Finn.

Herc (formerly Hercules)

Herc was rescued off of a reservation as a kitten, and only spent a short time at Feline Rescue before we found our way to him. He now spends his days getting pampered and snuggling with his best friend, Hilda. We love him so much! He really is the sweetest little guy. My husband and I truly can’t thank you enough for rescuing him and giving us a chance to find him. Thank you for bringing him into our lives!

Swiffer (formerly Frosty)

Swiffer had been picked up a few times on the streets of St. Paul, fixed and let out again. When I went to adopt a cat, he had been there a month and was named Frosty the Snow cat. He was in a room by himself and I was told he wasn’t friendly at all. I was also told that since he was skittish and never left his cat bed; if he wasn’t adopted soon he was going to be a barn cat at a local farm.

I went in anyway. It’s sappy, but we made eye contact and he got out of his bed and walked right over; he smashed his face into my fingers and wanted a scratch. I was shocked! I knew right then, he was my mine and I was his human. It took 3 grown men with long gloves on to wrangle the hissing, spazzy mass of fur into a cat carrier.

For the first week he lived under my bed and other furniture, which earned him the name “swiffer” since he was basically staying so low he was swiffering my floors in my non-carpeted space. It took about 3 months before he would let me pet him and about 6 before I could pick him up and hold him. He never hissed or growled, he was just scared of everything. I have to assume he was abused because even though he wouldn’t let me touch him, he would share space with me on the sofa or in the same room, even in bed. BUT, if I held any type of stick (like a swiffer sweeper, broom etc) he would run with hide tail between his legs.

After about 6 months it’s like he realized he was safe and all was well and he became the most loving and snuggly little guy. He can’t get enough pets, scratches and just wants to lay on my chest etc. It will be 7 year in January and to this day he won’t let anyone but me pet him, but he no longer runs and hides when people come over. He will sit in a room with strangers, but he’s a confident kitty who knows it’s his home and he’s safe.

I couldn’t be happier that I went in that room that day to see him. All he needed was some patience and a quiet home with no kids or other pets. He’s a totally different cat and has been for years. Plus he would have made an awful barn cat, he can’t even kill his toys well how would he have killed to eat?!

He’s a great reminder that you should always see all the animals because you never know which one you will bond with. I went in planning to get 2 bonded cats and walked out with a mentally damaged one who turned out amazing! I wouldn’t change it. It’s also a good reminder that pet adoption should not be taken lightly, sometimes they need extra attention and patience or vet trips and if you’re not willing to give them that, then a pet might not be right for you.

You expect love and loyalty from them and they expect and deserve the same from you. Swiffer is my best buddy and I am so grateful to have him.

Darby (formerly Joe Meower) and Bartle James (formerly Bartleby)

12yr old Darby FNA Joe Meower was adopted in September 2010 when he was a year old, joining Bartle James (FNA Bartleby adopted 9-09). He enjoys laying in the garden window or atop his tower to watch for creatures outside. He loves his petting and catching pieces of paper tossed in the air or chases a long skate lace. Living up to his former name he still meows wandering around the house when he wants something. A couple of months ago he was diagnosed with diabetes but he is a champ with blood testing and insulin shots. (Always knew he was sweet!)

Kricket

Kricket was adopted in 2004. She lived with us until 2015, and is buried in Florida. We still miss her sweet nature and cuddly hugs.

Chelsea and Nico (formerly Charlotte)

This is Chelsea, age 10 (L) and her daughter Nico, age 7 (R, formerly Charlotte), adopted in fall of 2014. Chelsea has a raccoon tail and loves to sing when she finds her soccer ball toys. Nico loves to purr and also hide under boxes. Chelsea likes to be petted on her terms, and Nico likes to sit or sleep on her people whenever possible. They’re the best!

Wendy

9 years ago today we started the process to adopt Miss Wendy and her brother Trooper. Sadly Trooper died from FIV after a year. Wendy mourned her brother. Now she has an older sister and a younger sister. She might be almost double digits, but she still plays like a kitten! Catnip bananas and her cardboard scratching couch are her favorite things! She also quite enjoys hanging upside down from the very top of the cat tree and sleeping on her mama’s back.

Chewy

I adopted a cat from Feline Rescue in 2005 or 06. I was very impressed with the volunteers and the support your organization offered. The cat that chose me was named Chewy and he had been adopted and returned on several occasions. He had a spraying problem because of being around other cats. With the support of the volunteer staff there (I believe her name was Jane) I was given the tools and confidence I needed to help him.

Sophie and Beau (formerly Garnet and Sapphire)

This is Sophie (orange) and Beau (white), formerly Garnet and Sapphire, adopted in 2010 (or maybe 2011?) They’re having their sweet 16th birthday this month Grateful to Feline Rescue for uniting me with my best pals!

Daley

Sonnet

We adopted Sonnet when she was a young adult cat, about 12 years ago. She’s still playing the occasional piano sonata (they’re very short, avant-garde compositions), seeking warm laps, and keeping mice at bay.

Charlie Chap the WonderCat (formerly Peter)

Charlie is the author of his book “The Adventures of Charlie Chap the WonderCat”

Charlie was adopted from Feline Rescue at 1 year old 12/29/13. His original name was Peter. He was from Mankato; it was love at first sight 🙂 Charlie has 5.2K followers on Facebook and 30K total on social media as of April 2023!

Jadzia D’Nautilus (formerly Chelsea)

She loves sleeping on the back of the couch, exploring the enclosed backyard when we’re outside, and is remarkably patient with our toddlers and baby who love her soooooo much.