Giving Up My Beautiful Cat – The Hardest Thing I Have Ever Done

My love for KC (pronounced Casey) was the one thing that helped me through some extremely difficult and lonely years. His love for me was unconditional and something that I could count on during the entire time we were together.

KC brought me so much joy as a kitten.

“KC was a very gentle kitten but he liked to box with me! We would sit on the living room floor and exchange blows. I had to wear oven mitts to protect myself”.

See: http://maralexa.hubpages.com/hub/A-Furry-Little-Star-is-Born

KC and I had so much fun together. I put a big plastic pool on the deck of my home and KC would not let anyone else use it when he and I were there. And he was such a handsome cat as he grew up. And such a clever cat!

See: http://maralexa.hubpages.com/hub/The-Renaissance-Cat

This is what the flyer looked like in the pet stores around the neighborhood.
written by KC April 2008

Hi! My name is KC (pronounced Casey) and I need a Foster Mom who will love and care for me for one year. I have been loved and admired since I was a little tyke. I don’t think I was spoiled but certainly had a lot of very kind attention. That’s why I’m so laid back now.

Then a catastrophe happened – mom was sent on assignment for a year! Mom had no choice. She had to take the assignment. And, although she tried so hard to find a foster home for me, she couldn't find one. She really tried and so did her friends.

Mom says she wants to find someone who would like to take me home for a year while she completes her assignment then finds a home for both of us. She says we will get back together again but she wants what is best for me. We have discussed the possibility of someone (who fosters me) loving me so much that they want to keep me. So, I want to be as positive as possible about where I am now and where I go next. It’s very important to Mom. She loves me so much.

Would you like to Foster me for a little while?

On the very last day when mom finally had to leave she took me to an animal shelter. She chose this one because of who was running it.

Sarah! Do you remember Sarah from the pet hospital where I went when I had my accident. Eliot (who saved my life by giving me blood for a necessary transfusion) was still with her.

http://maralexa.hubpages.com/hub/Blood-Brothers-Friends-for-Life

I met a couple of cool guys at the shelter: Skittles and Squeek. Very handsome fellows! So here the three of us were, KC, Skittles and Squeek being well looked-after while waiting for someone to adopt us. Yes, that’s right. I was now up for adoption.

When you go to an animal shelter you either get adopted or that’s it. You stay in the shelter. Unless an animal is very ill, this particular shelter does not “destroy” long-staying, non-adoptable animals. (Whew!!) So it tries very hard to find loving homes for its four-legged guests.

http://www.deltacommunityanimalshelter.ca
A link to the wonderful shelter that cared for KC

The shelter manager, Sarah, didn’t want me to stay at the shelter very long. My buddies and I couldn’t get outside like we were used to doing. And our quarters, although extremely clean, were pretty cramped. Also, Sarah knew that more people go to a pet store to find a new pet rather than going to an animal shelter. So, as soon as possible, Sarah arranged for me to go to a pet store, Pets-N-Us, in South Delta, part of Greater Vancouver.

Next to living with my mom, this is a great place to hang out! Pets-N-Us is big and airy and I had a huge cage from which I could come and go, right in the front window of the pet store. Although I missed my shelter buddies, I had so much fun racing across the floor at night (when there were no customers in the store) and climbing all the cat climbing equipment.

So here I was in a new place again. But I was looking fine and feeling great. It’s no wonder I was adopted in just a couple of weeks.

That’s right, adopted. Not fostered, adopted.

Before I left for my new home I tried to reassure mom that I was all right. But she is heartbroken without me. She misses me so much and feels so bad that we will not see each other again. She misses brushing me. We would sit together in the evenings (or during her morning coffee) and she would brush my fur and scratch my back. And I won't be able to hop up on her bed and snuggle with her at night.

So, farewell for now. I’m on to my next assignment. I’m sure I’ll be well taken care of and loved.

But, I will sure miss my mom.

Special Note from Maralexa:

Today (Aug 8^th, 2011) is KC's birthday. If he is still alive he will be 12 years old. So I wanted to write my fourth and final Hub about KC Jones on this day.

Farewell to You - My Beautiful Boy!

©2011; Maralexa, Marilyn Alexander, MBA. All rights reserved.