Adopting Shelter Cats for a Lifetime

Yesterday, I had posted on Instagram and Facebook that we adopted two new cats. Many of you wanted to know more about them. Thus, here is your desired post about adopting shelter cats.

Growing up with Cats

My husband and I both grew up with cats. While there were sometimes several of them in the household of my in-laws, in my family, there was always just one cat at a time except when Cesar had kittens.

We both grew up in the outskirts of a large city. Thus, the cats roamed the yards and neighborhoods for mice. However, here in Alaska, a missing cat means an eaten cat. Thus, you can’t let them outside. Otherwise they are at risk to be dinner for a family of owls, a hawk, bald eagle, fox or even wolves on the trails. More on wildlife in Fairbanks.

Our First Cat as a Couple

I wanted a cat for a long time. In the fourth year of our marriage, my husband surprised me with a special gift before Christmas. It was a ride to the animal shelter to adopt a cat. This cat loved to travel. Kasi was in Vienna, Nice, The Hague, on Fuerteventura on the Canary Islands, at the Baltic Sea on Rügen, in Cologne, the Rhein-Ruhr area, Montferrat,  Sacramento, Davis, at the American River, in Boulder, Deadhorse, Cold Foot, Denali Park, Arctic Refugee, Glennallen, Tok, …. On rainy days, he loved to accompany my husband when hubby picked me up from work with the car. His favorites were the many caribous on the Dalton haulway.

On our travel back from the Canary Islands, Kasi was in his carrier under the seat. Upon deboarding the guy in the seat in front of us saw the cat and said to his wife

“There’s a cat.”

His wife got angry and said “Now stop it. We would have heard that.”

Kasi immigrated with us to Alaska. On the contrary to us, he only needed a rabbis shot. He also didn’t have to have paw prints taken upon arrival. Ours had to be taken by ink and five years later we had our fingerprints taken digitally.

Black Potatoes from the Farmers’ Market

On the Saturday before 911, we were at the Farmers’ Market in College. I was waiting in line to buy black potatoes. My hubby was browsing around. Next, he stood in front of me with a little bundle of fur, Celestina. He had the same face that he had had when he proposed. Looking at his face, I knew that No wasn’t an answer.

Did I ever tell you that he proposed after the third time we had met?

Celestina was a safety gal. Whenever we traveled, she would hide under the seat or under a blanket. She and Kasi traveled with us to Prudhoe Bay from where hubby and I took a tour on the oilfields to see the Arctic Ocean, a peaceful place.

Kasi and Celestina passed away at the age of 16.5 and 19.25 years, respectively. Both times it was a long, hard grievance.

Adopting a Cat in Fairbanks

When we finally decided to be ready for  new feline companions, we browsed the Fairbanks North Star Borough Animal Shelter’s website for a while. At that time, they only had dogs, rabbits and reptiles, but no cats. Finally, I started browsing on Facebook. There was a site from the Kenai Creek. I messaged them that we were looking for a boy and a gal. The next day I got a call. The lady gave me the tip that Pet Pride in Fairbanks rescues cats. If they wouldn’t have any, I was willing to fly out to Kenai to adopt two cats from them.

Saturday was the big day.

We had an appointment at Pet Pride, a no-kill, non-profit, cat-rescue shelter based in Fairbanks, Alaska. They focus their efforts on spaying/neutering and placing around 200 cats a year.

When we entered the shelter, there was a beautiful red longhair cat who immediately bounded with my hubby. But that tomcat was there only while the owner was out of town. There were three beautiful black cats looking for a new home, a red short hair, a white one and patchy ones. We picked the ones that they had suggested would fit character-wise and they were right.

The female is a Calico cat, while the boy is a Tiffany like Celestina.

What You Need to Know When Adopting Shelter Cats

We filled out the legal paperwork. When signing the paperwork you commit to non-cruelty and to not have them declawed. Furthermore, you will have to pay an adoption fee which depends on the medical history of the cat. All fees and donations go towards food and medical bills.  The cats come with rabbis shots, spayed/neutered and are micro-chipped.

It’s best to come with a pet carrier despite you can borrow one for the transport. While they offer you a “starter kit” (food, etc.), it’s best to buy the food, litter, cat bed and toys before you adopt.

Also you can buy a pacifier spray at the vet. It helps to calm them down while you take them home. You just spray it on a blanket or towel and put it over the carrier. It works on about 90% of the felines.

e-Meet Isabella and BT

Remember the advertisement movie by Ikea many years ago? They let a bunch of cats explore one of their stores. Inspired by them, I took videos of our new feline household members exploring our home.

Yesterday, I had posted a short movie of BT on Instagram and Facebook. BT’s “second” act was to rip my pink sweater. Many of you wanted to know more about them and see photos of both our new family members or should I say our new bosses?

Watch this movie of Isabella exploring the house. I apologize for speaking German in the video.

Photos and movies: N. Mölders

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