Here Kitty, Kitty!

This week's stars ~ and they are stars!

Meet Henry ~ handsome, dignified, long and lean Henry.

He's gorgeous inside and out. A quiet fellow he enjoys just sitting with you and the occasional hug.

After a short getting acquainted period his curious side came thru and he started climbing.

This sweet 2 year old neutered boy is available for adoption at the Aurora Animal Shelter, 303-326-8280, 15750 East 32nd Avenue, Aurora, Colorado 80011. Ask for Henry - A174961.

Our next star couldn't be more different. Smokie is a non-stop kitten!  It was difficult to get a decent photo of him as he was on the move!

This 5 month old boy came to play!

And what a curious climber, too!

If you like to play with kittens, this is the guy for you! Frisky, funny and lovable ~ we laughed non-stop playing with him! Aurora Animal Shelter 303-326-8280, 15750 East 32nd Avenue, Aurora, Colorado 80011. Ask for Smokie - A175200

You may remember 4 year old Bella

She was the overweight girl we had made our "project." We were on a mission to help her lose weight, get some exercise and find a loving home. We expected to have her around for a long time.

When we walked into the shelter yesterday we were concerned that she wasn't in "her room." Once we found our favorite Vet Tech we learned BELLA WAS ADOPTED! The three of us hugged, high-fived and even had a few tears. We are so happy she has a home and truly hope she continues on her healthy path. We have to admit, though, we will miss her. Be well, dear girl!

There's a new girl in the private cat room now! Meet 3 year old Penney ~ who actually resembles Bella in her beautiful coloring and markings. 

And like Bella, she needs to lose a little weight so she's our new "project" and we're helping her to get on a healthy path as well.

She is a lover girl who purrs and purrs and loves being pet. The more time we spent with her, the more her funny, silly, adorable personality came out!

I love her. She's 3 years old, spayed and ready for a loving home that will help her along her healthy weight loss path. Aurora Animal Shelter, 303-326-8280, 15750 East 32nd Avenue, Aurora, Colorado 80011. Ask for Penney - A175248.

A return visit from beautiful 4 year old, Nina  ~ she's still looking for a home ~ same shelter, same phone, same address. Ask for Nina - A174675. She's a cuddle bug ~ curious, playful and loving!

And you may remember Suzie from last week. She is a year old, gorgeous, playful, curious and a cuddle bug, too! Same shelter, same phone, same address ~ ask for Suzie - A174295.

After we spend time with these beautiful creatures we develop a connection with them. And although we miss them when they leave we rejoice in their happiness in finding loving homes with loving families!

Go get 'em!

Kittens and - oh my goodness - Puppies!!

Stars of the week:

Suzie!  She is 1 year old and a spayed black and white tuxedo cat. Oh my goodness ~ what a love. I know I say that a lot but just spend time with one of the lovely cats at the Aurora Animal Shelter and you will feel the same.  

Suzie is playful.

Suzie is adorable.

Suzie is curious.

Suzie is a sweetheart.

She is available for adoption at the Aurora Animal Shelter 303-326-8280, 15750 East 32nd Avenue, Aurora, CO  80011  Ask for Suzie #A174295

And, of course, we checked in on our favorite girl, Bella!  

She is still in her own private luxury suite so she can get plenty of exercise and chase her favorite catnip toy. 

And the best news ever ~ she is going to get some special food that will help her lose the weight she needs to lose.  Win-win!! She's like ~ Say what??

I love how much everyone at the shelter cares so much for Bella and is pulling for her to reach her goals! She's one lucky kitty to have so many people caring for her. And someday some family is going to be super lucky to call her their Bella!

She, too, is at the Aurora Animal Shelter and would love a foster family to see her along her journey.  Ask for Bella #A174018.

And on a side note... oh my goodness look what we found!  Three little brothers ~ Saint Bernard Akita mix ~ and all love and snuggles and cuteness!  

Cisco

Scooter

Thumper

Each one cuter than the last ~ all available for adoption from the Aurora Animal Shelter.  Ask for Cisco - A174980, Scooter - A174979 and Thumper - A174981. Go get 'em!!

Friday's Stars

The Stars of the Day ~ available at the Aurora Animal Shelter 303-326-8280, 15750 East 32nd Avenue, Aurora, Colorado  80011 ~ both 1 year 1 month old, totally bonded and would love to be adopted together!

Gorgeous blue-eyed Flame Point Siamese and Cream Stefon (ask for A173873). He is shy at first but in just a few minutes he relaxed and was so affectionate! He's gorgeous and so very sweet. I kept saying... "If I didn't have Kia..."  See what I mean? Gorgeous. And a little goofy. 

His bonded "sister" is Hoda (ask for A173876). She is Blue Cream & Orange ~ just beautiful markings. And this girl came to play! She was full of energy and anxious to explore and have fun. She is confident and curious and affectionate ~ the total package.

They are such fun.  Someone go get 'em!!  YY

P.S. And the best news always is ~ we saw the sweetest 3 month old grey tabby kitten go home with her new family today.  Love seeing littles go home to a forever family!!!  

And Yet Another New Experience...

My volunteer-ship (is that a word?) at the Aurora Animal Shelter has been kind of backwards - by my choice and I'm grateful they were willing to let me do it this way. Typically the first step is to attend a Volunteer Orientation meeting, have a tour and sign up for an individual training session to experience a typical day at the shelter. I had to miss the June meeting because I was out of state. I was given special permission to have Yukari train me because I was ready to get started.

So the other night I attended an official Orientation meeting and met the Director, the Manager, the Shelter Vet, the Volunteer Coordinator and an Animal Protection Officer. They all provided helpful information followed by a Q and A session and a tour. The room was packed and I was excited to see so many wanting to help the animals there. I came away energized, excited and motivated!

So Friday morning I donned my shelter shoes (I have special shoes I only wear in the shelter so I don't bring anything home to my pups) and my shelter uniform of cargo capris (plenty of pockets) and a tee. I walked into the shelter with new energy and confidence. It was fun to see some of the friendly faces I met at the Orientation meeting all ready to get to work. Yukari and I chose three cats to visit with.

This grey tabby girl with enormous green eyes was a hoot!  I think she was about a year old. She is full of curiosity and playfulness. She cracked me up. She's adventurous, loving and sweet. What a purr machine! We think she would be great for a family and most likely would get along well with other family pets. Ask for #A173704.

And a sweetheart

And then there was this gorgeous 1 year old Siamese mix little boy. He was a little shy at first but warmed up to us quickly. He enjoyed playing with the feather toys and being pet and snuggled. He was very affectionate and curious ~ just a sweet, sweet boy.

And lastly we visited with this 12 year old beauty. She was quite shy at first so we let her take her time to feel comfortable. As we talked she started exploring the room. Before long she was wandering over to us and crawling up on our laps. When she curled up on my lap and purred endlessly I was really touched. She seemed to be in no hurry to leave! She is a real cuddle-bug and loves snuggling! Although she is 12 years old she is full of energy and quite vibrant! Cats can live a long time ~ my cat A-choo lived to be 21.5! So this sweet one could have many, many loving years ahead of her. Ask for #A173616.

Here she is posing for her close-up with Yukari

*Full disclosure* When this little one who went by the name Puddy Tat... would not leave my lap I started getting choked up. I thought about how every time ~ every single time ~ I visit the shelter there is always one cat that stands out and I think hmmm... should I adopt?

This is the first time a cat has found me. I really felt she was asking me to please give her a chance. I know that the kittens and 1,2, and 3 year olds have a much, much better chance of adoption than an older cat and because of that I have a passion for senior cats (and dogs). She was the oldest cat I had seen in the shelter and I worried about her chances of finding a home. In fact I overheard someone admiring her but rejecting her as an adoptive pet because of her age. That was an arrow thru my heart.

But I didn't know if we really were ready to adopt ~ and my dogs are my first priority. They are my family and I have to respect their well being and their feelings. Yukari suggested maybe fostering her. I have never fostered and didn't know what it involved. But in talking with her and learning about her vast fostering experience I called my husband to see if he would be willing to let us give it a try. 

He loves animals as much as I do so I thought he might say yes. He sighed and said, "You can't bring them all home ok? But bring this one home."

So as I type Puddy Tat ~ now renamed Kia (K-eye-a) is sleeping comfortably in the guest room just off my studio. I'm a foster Mama and he's a foster Papa and we are ever so slowly going to introduce her to Kizzie and Koko. I'm over the moon in love with her. She is a little ball of furr and purr. 

Stay tuned to follow the adventures of foster parenthood and a little bundle of love named Kia. Y