Shelter Cats and Redemption

As 2015 draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment and say...... THANK YOU. Thank you all for reading, following, commenting, and supporting.   Thanks to you all, Tyler's memory lives on in this blog and the stories I get to share! A big thank you from the bottom of my heart. Have a safe and happy New Year and here's to an even better 2016!

The final Tyler Tuesday of 2015! Tyler in 2007 with Chloe, who briefly stayed with us before going to a forever home in Astoria, Queens.  Tyler's brief love affair.

Recently discovered photos of Tyler I thought were lost forever! Tyler in 2007.

I settled into my 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee to go to work yesterday, a rare cold Saturday morning in what has otherwise been unseasonably warm weather.  As I waited for my ancient Jeep's V6 to warm up, I noticed a small tuxedo cat run down the block.  He (I'm assuming it's a he) didn't notice me, but I noticed him.  He looked cold, skinny, hungry, more than a little scared, and desperate to get somewhere safe and away from danger.   Poor little dude, I thought.  If he noticed me I surely would have shared some of my ham and cheese sandwich with him, not that he would have even approached me.   My thoughts immediately went to Tyler.  He was a homeless cat too, stuck in a shelter with hundreds of other homeless cats.  A little more than fifteen years ago, he greeted me at the door when I first visited his shelter, and I was hooked for life. The next day, he was rescued from that shelter, and spent the rest of his life in a warm, safe home. ...

Tyler and Jackson, sharing a meal together, 2013.

Last night before going to bed I posted the following to my personal Facebook: I'll leave you with this thought:  I prefer cats to people. Goodnight.  So far, that post has gotten 52 likes and about 20 or so comments. What does that tell you?  I'm not alone.  Many it seems DO prefer cats to people.   So that has me thinking: why?  Why are cats better?  Why is it for the past fifteen years, ever since Tyler first exited his carrier and into my heart, that I have had better relations with felines than with humans? Am I just a crazy cat person, or is there some truth to this?  Are cats really better? The answer to that is easy.  Unconditional love.  Cats may have well invented the term unconditional love.  As I've written before, with a cat, you have to earn their trust, in my opinion more so than dogs.  With a dog, from my experience, you start out with trust and then it's the human's job to main...

Today, December 9th, marks fifteen years to the day that I brought Tyler home from the shelter.   To celebrate, I am reposting portions of the blog post I wrote back in April when I wrote about the events of the special day.  Without a doubt, adopting Tyler 15 years ago was the greatest thing I have ever done with my life. Now, back to the story: “I’m here to pick up Tyler.” I proudly exclaimed.  “Oh, Tyler’s going home?” One of the other shelter employees asked.  “That’s great, he deserves it!” He sure did. Just like the night before, Tyler was waiting for me at the front door.  Tail in the air, he was happy.  He just KNEW something was up.  I’m sure it’s the same with your cats, but especially with Tyler.  He always KNEW.  When I was going away, when I was leaving for work, he had this sixth sense.  Gayle was there, all smiles. “He’s waiting for you!”  That he was.  They should have put a little...

Today marks fifteen years since I first met the greatest cat that ever lived.   Tyler . The cat. Has it really been that long since a shelter cat in a little tuxedo changed my life?   Yes it has. To commemorate the occasion, I am re-posting portions of an earlier blog post from April 21st. Tyler : My escort to the cattery was a shelter employee named Gayle.  Or Gail.  I never asked how she spelled it.  Anyway, she had 9 cats and was the resident expert on every cat.  “What are you looking for?  Any specific color?” She asked, obviously expecting a snobby Long Island answer.  Apparently on Long Island (Lawn Guyland) people matched their pets to their decor.  That always pissed me off.  Match their PERSONALITY to your decor, not the color of their fur! “I’m looking for a cool, friendly cat.  I still live at home with my parents, so we prefer one already declawed.” “Oh, we have a few.  You ...

Watching the snow, 2010.

Everywhere we go this week, people are thankful.  Posting thankful lists, sharing thankful memes, some have even been doing a 25 day thankful thing on Facebook where they post each day what they're thankful for.  Who am I not to put my own thankful list?  I always did like bullet points anyway. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.   Here goes: First of all I am thankful to the subject of this blog.  Tyler.  For 14 years of unconditional love, unswerving loyalty, and being without a doubt the best cat ever.  Tyler quite literally saved my life and taught me how to love, and I am forever grateful.   This is my second thanksgiving without you, and I miss you as much today as the first day you crossed the Rainbow Bridge.  I hope they have lots of turkey for you today old man, it's not the same without you waltzing across the table like you were the one paying the rent.  To Tiger, Tyler's cat brother from another cat mother.  You ...

Tyler LOVED turkey, then again, what cat wouldn't? Here's Tyler helping Ashley with the cooking for our first Thanksgiving together, 2012.

Tyler not wanting me to go away for the holiday weekend, 2009.

With Tyler and Tiger, as I've previously written about, I was spoiled.  Tyler never hid, not once, and immediately made himself at home.  Tiger only needed until the evening of his debut day to decide he was happy in my home. Not Jackson. Jackson needed two months. That seems to be the "standard" time it takes a cat to get adjusted to a new home. "Oh, just give it two or three months" countless cat people have said throughout time. Jackson took his time alright. That is not to say he hid for 60 days and then just emerged with his usual "HELLO???"  No.  At first Jackson spent most of his time in one window or another.  The window behind the bed, the window in the living room.  He seemed happiest sitting in the window watching the world go by and I let him do his thing.  Little by little, however, he would venture further and further into the apartment, check things out, look at me, and then run back to the bedroom or a window where he felt s...

It seems I've been taking pics of cats while in my pajamas for almost 15 years. Tyler wanting me to stop taking pictures and play more, 2001.

Sunday, November 18, 2012 My iPhone rang with whatever ring-tone I had at that moment. "Hey, this is Anthony, my wife couldn't bear to make the trip so I'm here in your driveway with Pepe and his things." "OK, be right out."  He was early, I   liked that.  I always like people who are early. A white Audi SUV was in the driveway, and standing in front of it was Anthony, beaming as I approached. "Hey buddy, how YOU doing?"  Yes he sounded like Joey from Friends.  They were from Staten Island, after all.  No offense to anyone from Staten Island. I shook his hand and smiled back. "Here he is.  He had a tranquilizer shot from the vet before I made the trip just in case the long car ride would freak him out, so he may be a bit out of it" Anthony explained.  Wait, they drugged my new cat? A bit drastic wouldn't you think? Oh well, some cats get very nervous in the car, and Tiger used to make that kazoo meow sound, so who was I...

"Adorable cat for adoption." That will get you to open an ad for a cat looking for a home wouldn't it?   Well, it worked for me.    Several weeks after Tiger's tragic death in November of 2012, I had decided, with Tyler's approval of course, to open our home to another cat that needed a forever home.  Tiger would have wanted that. Besides, I had gotten used to a 2-cat home.  Tyler did as well.  Brave as he was in those weeks as the only cat again, I could tell he missed having a friend.  He spent a fair amount of time sleeping in Tiger's old beds and sitting in Tiger's favorite spots. He was quieter than normal, a tiny bit sad, and out of sorts. Out of paranoia I brought him to my elder vet (who had gotten his power back finally) and had him give Tyler the once over.  For a 13 year old cat, Tyler was in pretty decent health.   Whew . Anyway, the I opened the ad. "So much love to give!" I was intrigued...

Since this month we feature Jackson, Tyler's last roommate, I thought I would share this adorable pic of them sharing a bed in 2013. While never close as he was with Tiger, Tyler eventually came to respect and accept Jackson as well.

Saturday, November 3, 2012. Super Storm Sandy.  There have been so many damn stories about the storm I don't feel the need to add my own take. Needless to say, we survived and only lost power for a day and a half.  Tyler and Tiger, to their credit, barely noticed nor cared that a hurricane wrecked Long Island and that my apartment was a charging station and laundry station for all my friends since I got my power back before most people.  Tyler greeted the vast increase in visitors who came and went with his usual flair, Tiger doing his part as Tyler's ever-faithful assistant, hanging with people and being a gracious co-host. It came, it went, we survived.  Let's eat. This particular early November Saturday was our first weekend to ourselves in several weeks, so I was looking forward to just relaxing with the cats and not being the local power outlet. Just as I settled in for a Saturday afternoon to myself.......I noticed something about Tiger. Something abo...

Tyler and Tiger. Feline symmetry, 2010.