How I'm Feeling Today - #peawatch

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This morning I woke up with no alarm right around 6 a.m. and my first thought was, "At this time yesterday, I was with Pea, petting her for the last time and hearing her purr and meow." Right before rushing her to the ER. I hit the snooze button a couple times yesterday morning before I got out of bed. I had set my alarm for 5:30, and I wish I'd popped up then. I would have had a few more minutes with her.

But I am so thankful that we had a transport leaving early in the morning or else I would have woken up later and she would have already been gone. I wouldn't have gotten to say goodbye to her and I wouldn't have had any idea what happened.

I didn't want to get up this morning yet, and I just had this overwhelming feeling of hollowness. I stayed in bed and tried to go back to sleep, and when I did I ended having one of those dreams that just seemed so real. I was walking through some amazing house, and it was like it was mine but the rooms were gorgeous and it was huge and beautifully decorated. When I went into each room, it was like I was trying to focus harder, not believing that was my room. And I'd blink and it would become a real room in my house (like it looks now) for a moment. It was like something or someone was walking me through this gorgeous place to show me.

And maybe it sounds silly, but I just had such a peaceful feeling that it was Sweet Pea showing me that where she is now is a beautiful, wonderful place. And that there is still a piece of my place with her there. I don't even know how much I believe in any of this stuff, but I really felt better, and I slept soundly for another couple hours after.

And then when I finally woke up, I only made two bowls of food and then sat in Pea's bathroom for a while holding her little pillow and just cried. I will probably always associate the smell of the Airwick "Trimming the Tree" plug-in that I had in there with Pea. It'll always smell like her room.

A ton of times yesterday and a few times already this morning, I just like saying her name out loud, because I don't want to lose how I say it. I've said it in the car, at home, I said goodnight to her last night and good morning to her today, talking to the couch where she'd normally be meatloafed then.

It took me forever to change out of my clothes and take a shower after losing her yesterday, because her fur was on my shirt and I didn't want to wash it. It's folded on my bathroom counter still. I'm not sure how long I'll leave it there before I finally do.

I have no idea what to do with her stuff. It's not like she had a lot of stuff, but her hidey bed I bought her because I knew it would make her feel safe and the toys that I gave her that she never played with but were always there with her, the fleece bed with the towel on it still -- I don't want to move any of it.

I remembered this morning that I had bought her a pretty pink collar with a pretty pink flower on it a few weeks ago. I thought it was very "Sweet Pea" like the actual sweet pea flower. I didn't know if she'd ever let me put a collar on her, but I thought if she did, she would just look beautiful in it. It's in a basket in my kitchen.

Her Christmas stocking will stay up. With the pretty pink "P" pin that I bought to put on the white part of it.

Last night I looked at my wrist where I have a scar from her. It's a line under my paw print tattoo from a pretty good scratch that she graced me with when I was trying to put a harness on her before flying with her to Pittsburgh back in October. She did NOT want to wear that thing, and she won. She didn't, but she did leave me with a few marks to remind me never to try that stunt again. In the past couple weeks, I've been putting scar cream on it to try and fade it, because I wanted my paw tattoo to not have ugly marks around it. I'm not putting that on anymore. A mark from Pea by my paw tattoo is perfect. It's what that paw is all about, now that I think about it and it adds to it, not takes away from it like I thought before.

I've just been remembering a lot of things about Pea. I've loved her for years as my parking lot kitty before bringing her home. When I was having a sad time, I'd go to the parking lot just to hang out with her. There was a period where I can't remember what I was sad about, but what I do remember is waking up early on those weekend mornings, going to Dunkin Donuts to buy coffee and breakfast and then taking it over to the parking lot to eat it with Sweet Pea. I'd sit on one of the parking curbs and eat while she circled around me and rubbed my legs and back and arms, all the while with her tail straight up and happy like it always was. It was her that I went to be with then for comfort, even though there were other kitties there also.

I just can't believe she's gone. I guess it was better for her that it was very fast and that she was completely fine the day and night before. We were learning that she had something wrong that we couldn't fix, and I knew that eventually I would have to say goodbye. I didn't know how long she had, but I knew that I'd be caring for her whenever she would have started to get sick and show signs, and that we might have a hard time coming up eventually one day. I guess I'm glad that she didn't have to go through that. It was easier for her, but harder for me. Too soon and too fast is what I've been saying over and over again.

We didn't even get to do one official "Three Cats Thursday" after I finally admitted to myself that she was mine.

I promise not to make this a sad blog for long, but I really feel I can share these things with you all and you'll understand. And it helps me to write. So thank you all. And thank you for all the help with her bills yesterday. I can't express enough how that makes me feel. Thank you for sharing Pea Heart with me.

Here is Pea being a happy, wiggly girl on my couch not too long ago. She was so happy to be inside.


I also uploaded a couple other videos if you want to see. There's one of Moo stalking her around the house (that I use a bad word at the end, but it's so appropriate!) and another one of a live #peawatch in action.

Thanks, everyone. Tomorrow we'll go back to cute videos and happy Cute.

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#Peawatch is Over - Sweet Pea is Watching Over Us Now

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I can't believe I'm writing this. Sweet Pea is an angel.

She's always been an angel, of course, but now she really is one. Sweet Pea went to the Rainbow Bridge this morning.

Yesterday I had three cats, and today I have two again. I can hardly even process it. I love that round, sweet girl so much.

Pea asking to be petted. And she was. A lot. 

The one thing that brings me so much comfort and honestly makes me so happy is that I'm so glad I told her she was mine. I'm so glad she knew had someone she belonged to. I told her yesterday that I loved her, that she was mine and that she lived here. I felt silly then telling her, but I did and I kissed her and held her and I was just so happy about all of it.

Her nickname lately has been "Pea Heart" -- like sweetheart, but Pea. It fit her so well. That's pretty much all I called her.

Me and my Pea Heart. Look at the love in those eyes.

I loved coming home and seeing her little head peek out from behind the couch to see who it was. I'd go over to pet her and say hi and, most of the times, I was lucky if I got a little bit of her tail as she took off for between the couch and the coffee table. Then she'd stop, look back and I'd go to her there... and then she'd take off for her fort (under the dining room table). Then I'd walk over there and pet her. I guess it was our game.

When I'd wake up in the mornings, she'd be sitting on the couch in the living room, paws all tucked in like a sweet little meatloaf. Every time I saw that I was just so happy that she had a couch to do that on.

Pea loaf.

Sometimes when I would be sitting on the couch watching TV, she'd hop up there with me, and every single time it absolutely made my day. To go from parking lot kitty to an inside princess -- I'm so happy I could do that for her.

Sweet Pea debating whether to come up on the couch or not.

I can't count how many times I said "I don't want three cats." I want to kick myself for every single one of them. I knew I had three cats and I should have given her the comfort of knowing she was home long ago. I hope she knew it, but I should have told her sooner.

For those of you who have been following, I took Sweet Pea to the vet last week because I just wanted to check on her belly. It seemed hard to me, and I was just thinking it might be worms. Turns out, she likely had a mass on her liver. We did an ultrasound to confirm, and that's almost certainly what she had. We sent a biopsy out to be analyzed, and we were still waiting on that to see if it was malignant or benign. We'll still get the results back next week.

Pea, after deciding to get on the couch.

But Pea Heart was fine. She was not showing any symptoms. She was not sick. I did not take her to the vet for anything like this. And so I thought that, while it wasn't good news and we couldn't really do anything for her, at least we would have some time. And I would make her happy and love her and we'd just flat out have more time.

The ultrasound was Thursday, and she was fine Friday.

This morning I woke up early to leave the house and kick off a transport, and Pea was in her fort. I petted her and said good morning, and she seemed OK, but maybe a little tired. I thought maybe she'd just woken up like me.

Pea liked the sink. Like any cat, really.

Then she came out from under the table and plopped down next to it. I petted her some more and she was purring and meowing like she would, but she was definitely not herself. Just lazy and lethargic, I could tell. Then she got up and pooped some on the floor (which I thought was good - she hasn't been pooping enough).

And then she went under my desk and plopped down again. This time when I went to pet her, I just felt she was very weak and not as responsive as she should be (she'd never let me just pet her like that without taking off after a few seconds), so I picked her up and she just seemed limp in my arms.

And so I freaked out and immediately called her vet, who I luckily have his cell number.

Check out that sexy white bikini!

Meanwhile, I grabbed Pea and put her in her carrier and was ready to head out the door. We were going somewhere, whether it was the ER vet or to his clinic, this girl needed help now.

When I put her in the carrier, she was just a puddle. Head not up, just limp and hardly moving. All of this happened within 10 minutes! I can't believe how fast.

We rushed to the ER vet. I ran three red lights on way and sped like a nutcase down the road, the whole time petting her and begging her to stay with me. I honestly didn't know if we'd make it there.

My Pea Heart.

And when we did, the vet took her back and started work immediately. She said she was very critical, but we talked about getting her stable and then transferring her to our vet. Her temperature was very low, which is an indication of advance stage cancer, and the fluid in her abdomen was most likely what was causing her to be like this, because she couldn't breathe well.

I sat and waited and then she came out and asked me to come back for a minute. And my heart dropped.

She said that the little bit of stress from getting her blood and ready for the x-ray had cause her to deteriorate. She had stopped breathing on her own, so they had immediately hooked her up to a breathing machine and given her medicine to keep her heart beating. The vet asked if I wanted them to keep breathing for her.

And my heart just dropped even more. She was fine yesterday! I took the cutest pictures of her last night! How in the world could this be?!

Round Pea. She was the cutest thing. 

I called her other parking lot mommy, Kelly, and gave her the update, and then the vet came in and told me her heart had stopped now also. She was essentially gone.

I went to her before they unhooked her from the machines and called her Pea Heart and rubbed her head and told her I loved her. I always used to say to her, "Oh hai, Pea" in this silly voice, and so I said to her then, "Oh bye, Pea" and then they turned everything off.

Sweet Pea the Ear-Tipped Princess

It's not fair. She was just starting to live the good life. She was the happiest kitty, purring all the time so you could hear her across any room. She meowed every time she saw me for the first time in the day or when I got home.

And she had such a good bodyguard and constant observer in Moo with his never-ending #peawatch. Maybe he knew something we didn't. I want to hug him for that, and I will.

So now Moo's #peawatch had ended, and Pea is watching over all of us instead.

This was last night. Moo's final #peawatch.

I truly hate to ask, but Pea ran up quite a vet bill in the past week. I spend so much money on rescue kitties all the time, but I simply don't have this. I know she was my responsibility (I am her mom!), but I know everyone loved her. Even just a few dollars would help.

Losing her is already too much to deal with. I wish vet bills didn't exist. I took pictures of all her bills and put them on the fundraiser page if you want to see what we did for her. I understand it's the holidays, so pockets are tight, so if you can't give, please share Pea's story. Everyone should see how sweet Pea was.

Thank you, everyone, for sharing Sweet Pea with me and helping convince me that she was truly home with me all along.

UPDATE 5:15 p.m.: Oh my goodness. First, thank you all for the kind words. It helps. I've been a ball of tears off and on all day. Last night I was crying because of all the amazing things we've done together - Santa Paws Drive and then I counted the cats we've rescued/transported this year... 201 lives saved in 2013! And I broke down from the awesomeness of it all. And now today, this outpouring of help and love. Pea's ER and ultrasound bills are already covered, in just a few hours! Thank you. Thank you, everyone. I think Pea was all of ours a little bit. If there's extra, it will go to Pea's private cremation and little ceramic Pea paw prints for myself and her other two parking lot mommies. I don't know what we'll do with her ashes yet. Usually I like to take them back to the parking lot, but she wasn't really a parking lot kitty anymore. :)

I Have Three Cats

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Fine.

This is my cat.

This is my cat.

...and this is my cat.

Are we all happy now? :)

P.S. All three of my cats want to remind you that today is the LAST DAY to donate toys and treats to Santa Paws Drive! Cash donations and the raffle (Have you checked that out yet? So awesome!) will stay open until December 20. Last call to donate presents to shelter kitties and doggies for Christmas!

P.P.S. I'll post on update from Pea's vet visit tomorrow. We both had a long day today and we're too pooped to post.

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Three Cats Tuesday: Moo's #PeaWatch and Pea's Vet Report

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Happy Three Cats Tuesday, Cuteheads! Today we have some new shenanigans and a bit of a report from Pea's trip to the vet on Saturday.

Moo has a new job around here and he takes it very seriously. He doesn't let up on his duties, ever. His new job is Pea Watch.

I'm telling you, all he does is stare at Sweet Pea. No matter where she's at, if he's in the room with her, he's got his eyes on her.

#peawatch

And now for Pea's vet update. It's not great news. I took her to the vet because she is so round (she's always been!), but her belly is kind of hard.It reminds me of kittens with worms when we get them from the shelter. So I wanted to make sure she didn't have worms and if there was anything I should be doing for her... or if she was just fat!

The vet squished up her belly and listened to everything in there with a stethoscope and declared her to be fat. No news there! I was relieved and he seemed pretty sure that was it, but he suggested he do a stomach tap since she was the to be sure there wasn't any fluids or anything in there. So, of course, I said go ahead.

He took her in the back and did, and came back with a syringe full of fluid to show me. :(

So, a couple things this could mean and none of them are great. The most likely thing is a liver tumor of some sort. Most of the other parking lot kitties have ended up with abdominal tumors or something, I guess from licking oil and grease and fertilizer and eating off the ground, so this wouldn't surprise me, but it would be super sad.

Or worst case scenario, he said fluid in the belly could also mean FIP, which would really not be good. We don't really think this is it though.

We did an x-ray to see if he could see any masses and it was hard to see because of the fluids. He did think her liver was a odd shape and didn't have clear, hard lines like it should, so that could mean a tumor, but he can't say for certain from the x-ray alone.

That squiggly shape on the bottom of her liver should really be a pretty hard, straight line, he said. Click to biggify. 

So he said he was going to talk to an ultrasound specialist, and that will be our next step. They'll have to shave her belly and do an ultrasound, and that will tell us for sure if that's what it is.

I will keep everyone posted. In the meantime, Pea is ABSOLUTELY FINE. She is not sick, there's nothing wrong with her and I had no reason to take her in other than being an overprotective and overly cautiously reluctant-to-admit-I'm-her-cat-mom mother. She's eating fine, drinking fine and acting normal. Although I do think she could poop more often. (That's not TMI, is it? Hehe.)

Please keep Sweet Pea in your thoughts and let's hope for the best possible outcome -- which is NEITHER, of course, and something we can fix.

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Three Cats Tuesday: Hand-Painted Ornaments of Pimp and Moo!

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Happy Three Cats Tuesday, Cuteheads! Today I have something amazing to show you. We got our first Christmas presents -- hand-painted ornaments of Pimp and Moo's faces!

Our wonderful friend and super Cutehead Melanie M. had these made for us for Christmas, and I can't tell you how much I love them. They look just like the boys!

They look just like the boys!

They are painted by the owner of Safehaven Small Breed Rescue in Pennsylvania. With the money raised from them, they purchase toys, leashes and blankets and things for their dogs and to send home with them when they get adopted. She a dog named Calvin who was rescued from a puppy breeder after he was born with a heart defect. Now he's all fixed up and is the mascot of the rescue!

What a wonderful cause! You can see more of her ornaments on her Facebook page.

 a dog named Calvin who was rescued from a puppy breeder after he was born with a heart defect. Now he's all fixed up and is the mascot of the rescue!

Now back to our fabulous ornaments... They came in the cutest little boxes.

I'm keeping these boxes to store them in. So cute! 

And Moo couldn't wait to open them.

Mom! Stop taking pictures and lets open them!

Here are close-ups of each one. You can click on them to biggify the pictures.

Pimp's ornament

Moo's ornament

Melanie has helped drive more transports than I can count and even adopted a transport kitty. Remember Poppy from the Bakery Bunch? She was the momma of Pumpernickel, Wonder, Melba and Raisin. Well, when her kids all got adopted... We transported Poppy back down south to be part of Melanie's family! And she couldn't have ended up with a nicer mom.

Thank you so much, Melanie! 

Oh, and because it's "Three" Cats Tuesday, here is a picture of Sweet Pea checking out her first Christmas tree ever.

Smells like outside... Where I'm NOT anymore!

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Three Cats Tuesday: Moo and Pea's First Encounter and Pimp is Tall

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Happy Three Cats Tuesday, Cuteheads! Today we're going to update on the latest on the Sweet Pea front as well as discuss how tall Pimp is. Both equally important topics, of course.

Oh hai. I'm Pea.

First, Sweet Pea. Yes, she's still here. No, I haven't given in yet.

Second... Moo is a giant chicken and he kind of wants to meet her, but kind of isn't sure. He slowly walks up to within about four feet of her, does a little growl and then slowly backs away. He's done this more times than I can count. And Pea is just sitting or lying there the whole time, not saying or doing anything. Moo is just a big chicken (but we knew that already because he only likes his mommy).

Until last night, when something must have given him a little bit of extra courage and he actually got close to her! He snuck under the chair I was sitting on and crept over to where Pea was lying, right next to me. I thought they were going to nose-to-nose or something, but instead the little pooper scooper bit her leg! I think that's what he did anyway.

She quickly got up and ran off, and Moo just looked at me in some kind of triumph.

This is how it happened:

I like to pick on all cats whose name starts with the letter P. 

Since then it's been back to the usual routine, lightly growling from afar. Pea is super brave, though, and prances around lies near me like she owns the place.

Pimp, on the other hand, I'm pretty sure he couldn't care less about her. The first while I thought maybe he'd try to lunge at her, but lately he just kind of minds his own business and let's Moo do all the talking.

He's also very tall, as you can see from the picture I just took of him. I think he's trying to impersonate that wooden leg next to him.

I'm a little thin, but it makes my fancy features stand out. Right?

If you don't come by again before Thanksgiving, happy Thanksgiving to all of you! And happy Thanksgivikkah for all of you who get to celebrate two holidays at the same time.

But do come by on Thanksgiving if you have time... We're going to bust out the turkey costume again.

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Three Cats Tuesday: Moo's Box Match, Pea's a Poster Child and Pimp Curls Up

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Happy Two Three Cats Tuesday, Cuteheads! Man, these titles are getting long with all we have going on here, huh? We have so much to share today!

First up, let's start with the shenanigans, which means Moo first since he's the goofball. You all know Moo loves boxes, right? Well, getting in them is no problem (he can conquer any box!), but sometimes getting out... not so much.


That is the box that has our Cute Transport Network bags in it, so for future drivers: If yours has cat hair on it, you know who to blame!

Next up, let's talk about Sweet Pea's latest news. I went to the Alley Cat Allies national conference last weekend (AH-mazing!) and they had a Message Board up where they asked everyone to feel free to share something inspirational or something about a special feral kitty that stood out for them.

So you all know who that is for me!

I put this up:

When I went back the next day, someone had added a little something... :)

Meanwhile, on the couch, Pimp has curled his little paws up beneath his little chin for a little nap. Love this guy so much.

Hope everyone has a fabulous day! Don't forget Santa Paws Drive is officially open for donations! If you haven't seen the shelters we chose this year, go check them out! I'm so excited to send Christmas to these wonderful animals!

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Three Cats Tuesday: Pimp Then and Now with His Bear (He's Grown!) and More

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Happy Three Cats Tuesday, Cuteheads! No, I haven't given in (Pea is looking for a home!), but I figured since Sweet Pea is here, she might as well get some blog time, right?

So today we have a bunch of stuff going on, but the coolest thing is the first one. I went in the bedroom a couple days ago and found Pimp lying next to my white bear (Florida people: Remember the Burdines bears from when Burdines was still around? He's one!), and I immediately thought of the picture I have on my fridge of him as a teeny baby, cuddled up to the same bear.

I stealth-mode went and got my camera (so he wouldn't move) and got the picture! Then I put them next to each other to compare...

Same bear, same Pimp... 14 years later! (Click to biggify.)

And meanwhile, later on the bed...

You want rub my belly?

And then on the other side of the house, miss Sweet Pea has found herself a new spot to sit in. When I walked into the bathroom, she was curled up in the sink, but by the time I got the phone to take a picture, she was up. Still cute though! (If you live in Florida and want to adopt Sweet Pea, let me know!)

I've never had a sink before! This is cozy...

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THREE Cats Tuesday: Wait... What is This About a Third Cat?!

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Happy Three Cats Tuesday, Cuteheads! Three cats, you ask? It's not just Pimp and Moo? Nope... there's a third cat in the house, folks.

And her name is Sweet Pea.

Before you get all excited, she's not a permanent resident (I'm fighting that single-with-three-cats tipping point with all it's worth, OK?), but she is getting really comfortable really fast.

But first, let's start out with the two heads of the household, Big Pimpin' and Maniac Moo! They did something different this week -- synchronized cat napping!

We are mirror images of each other... except stripes and spots.

And now on to miss Sweet Pea. As you may recall, I flew to Pittsburgh with her last week to see about a forever home for her. Unfortunately, it wasn't a perfect match and Pea is back at my house. Which is not a horrible thing, of course -- she's an absolute angel. But it does mean we'll be on the hunt for a new home for her again soon.

Sweet Pea lounging on the couch as if she's always had a couch to lounge on.

Sweet Pea is blowing me away with how immediately comfortable she is in the house. After being in a parking lot for 13 years, this is incredible! She gets on the couch, curls up and just purrs and purrs. She likes to give headbutts, have her belly rubbed and make biscuits on you. It's amazing!

She trusts me, so this was easy. She will need someone with patience and time so that she can learn to trust them too and come out of her shell. She will hide at first (so she needs a home with a place she can be with no hidey spots at first), but will purr when you reach in and pet her. She would also like a quiet place, with preferably no other cats or maybe another older, calm cat. I have no doubt she'll be an awesome cat for the right person -- preferably local to the South Florida area so we can check in on her.

Belly up!

Isn't she just gorgeous? Sweet Pea is the sweetest!

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Sometimes When You Love Something, You Have to Let It Go (A Happy Story!)

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Chances are that I'm on a plane right now as you're reading this, with my favorite parking lot kitty in a little red soft-sided carrier, comfortably nestled on a towel with familiar smells and a few toys to keep her company under the seat in front of me.

Chances are I'm breaking the airline rules and petting her while we're in the air, sticking my fingers through the top of the carrier and scratching her pretty head and telling her I love her. If I think I can get away with it, chances are that little red carrier is in my lap.

And the best one: Chances are Sweet Pea is going to have an amazing, loving, wonderfully safe life... because I'm on that plane flying her from South Florida to Pittsburgh, to meet her new forever mommy.

Sweet Pea's glamour shot in the parking lot. 

For those of you who have been reading the Cute for a while, you know how I have been feeding a bunch of parking lot kitties for years at my old office building. I love them like my very own, and Sweet Pea is my favorite kitty from the crew right now. What started out as 14 cats is now down to 3 (not counting Sweet Pea, because she's not out there anymore!), thanks to TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) and finding some of them homes.

Most of them have been too skittish to make really great inside cats, but a few of them have been very special, and Sweet Pea is one of them.

Sweet Pea's name is perfect for her. She is an absolute doll. She is a big chunker of a girl with tiny dainty feet and a tail that sticks straight up in the air, as happy as can be. She prances some when she walks, and loves to be petted (especially between her eyes and on the top of her head) and rub on you. She does the little hop, too, when she rubs. Sometimes she even hops when she's trying to get her head to your hand for a pet.

She's one of the friendliest kitties from the parking lot. I've always said if something happens to her, I'd take her in.

Well, a couple months ago, when I went to go feed the parking lot kitties, I noticed Sweet Pea's tail was straight down and puffy at the base. The next day Kelly saw she had a chunk missing from it gave her antiobitics in her food for the next couple weeks to make it didn't get infected while it healed. She was good as new after that.


Then a couple weeks later, I didn't see her one Saturday when I went to feed them. Sometimes one of them doesn't show for a day, so we don't worry too much. But then on Sunday, I called and called and no Pea. So I immediately went into "look for Pea" mode and started checking bushes, worried something had happened.

After looking for a while, I saw her peeking out at me from some of her usual bushes. I could tell something was wrong from just seeing her face.

And then she started hobbling over to me, not putting any weight on one of her back feet and clearly in pain.

That "something" that I said I'd bring her in if it happened? It looked like it happened. There was absolutely no way she could stay in a parking lot not being able to move around, but I also wasn't really in a position to bring her in my home and I had nothing like a carrier to put her in.

So I called Kelly and she came right over with a big carrier. We scooped Pea up and, since it as a Sunday, she stayed overnight with Kelly and then she took her to the vet in the morning.

Sweet Pea at Kelly's. 

The vet thought maybe a bite or something and gave her 10 days of medicine. We found her a wonderful foster home with Cutehead Leslie W. (neither Kelly or I could keep her long-term at our places) and she was off the streets and safe for now -- and we knew then and there that we needed to find her a forever home. Something was picking on her out there, and she is such a sweet girl that she's make a perfect inside kitty!

I posted on Facebook, looking for a home for my favorite parking lot kitty, but no one really came forward... and then something just clicked in my head. There is a longtime Cute reader named Carol who I for some reason thought would be the perfect match for Pea. Only a couple problems: Carol lives in Pittsburgh, and she said has said she wasn't really sure if she'd have another cat (for a couple reason, none of them being that she didn't want a cat).

This picture of Sweet Pea cracks me up. 

Carol has been a huge supporter and cheerleader of my parking lot kitties from the beginning, and the quiet home she could provide Pea, along with the benefit of not having to work and always being home for her, so she could work with her and gain her trust and make her comfortable, seemed like the perfect fit. She sends me card almost every month with coupons to use to help feed the parking lot kitties and the sweetest notes in them. Two sweet personalities, Carol and Pea... it had to be meant to be!

So I gathered my courage to make my first-ever adoption cold-call (she had no idea it was coming!) and messaged Carol with what I was thinking. And then waited.

Lunchtime for Sweet Pea and some of her buddies at the parking lot.

And a couple days later she responded, saying that she was honored that I asked her and trusted her with Pea -- and that yes, she'd love to be her mommy.

HURRAY! I couldn't have dreamed up a better match.

And so today, Sweet Pea and I are hopping on a plane to Pittsburgh. We leave bright and early in the morning, and get there in the early afternoon. I have a few hours before I catch the next flight home, so I'm grateful for time to take her to Carol's house and help settle her in and make sure she feels comfortable... and say goodbye.

I took yesterday off work and got Pea from Leslie's house to spend the day with her before we took off today. I think it just hit me that I was never going to see her again, and I just wanted to love on her some more and make sure she knows I didn't abandon her. It was one of the best days ever, and I'm so glad I did it.

Sweet Pea and I hanging out on the couch yesterday. Can you believe she was in a parking lot?!

I'm going to miss that chunky girl and deep down I know I wish I could keep her (and I think everyone else knows that too!), but I also know that I am not home enough for her. (Plus, I'm already cat over my pet limit in my condo! Shhhhh!) But I do know that she is going to be loved plenty and she is going to a great place, and that makes me happier than anything.

Sweet Pea is a rare gem of a kitty. Super special. I couldn't have written a better fairy tale ending for her than the one she is getting today.

My new favorite picture of me and Pea. Love. So much love. And trust. 

Have a wonderful life, Sweet Pea! I can't wait to hear how you settle in and get pictures and updates. And I am so happy that I don't have to worry about you in the parking lot anymore. Lucky girl!

FLY WITH ME AND PEA! I'll be posting updates about our trip on Facebook and Twitter! Follow along!

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Cat vs. Soda Can (and an Update on Sweet Pea, My Parking Lot Kitty)

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Empty soda cans should not be left on the table, and this cat is going to make sure that's how it is -- no matter how many times the silly human puts it back on the table. Will he ever learn? Sheesh!

Or maybe he's teaching his human to fetch. In that case, well done, kitty! Looks like it's working!


NOTE FROM CUTE: Many of you probably saw on Facebook Sunday that we had to take my favorite parking lot kitty, Sweet Pea, to the vet. When I went to go feed them that day, it took a while for her to come out, and when I did finally see her I knew immediately something was wrong.

Her back paw was very swollen and she wasn't putting any weight on it. She was walking with a horrible limp, and there was a gash scratch across her nose. Oh no!

Click to biggify and see her paw better.

I immediately called her other parking lot mommy, Kelly, and she came right over with a carrier and we scooped Pea up and put her in. She stayed overnight at Kelly's and yesterday she went straight to the vet in the morning. We had to make sure she got all the care she needed!

We don't know exactly what happened to her, and the vet couldn't tell either. It's possible it was a bite. There are huge dinosaur-sized iguanas that hang out near the bushes where she does. Or maybe a raccoon, but we highly doubt that because they get all get along just fine, and always have.

Sweet Pea got some medicine to thrwart off whatever is causing the swelling and I'm working on a temporary foster while she heals. She can't go back in the parking lot like that. She needs to be able to run if needed and be fast and not hurt. Paws crossed she heals quickly. It breaks my heart to see her like this, and hurts me to know that something hurt her.

Here is a video of me petting her. She is the sweetest girl! You can hear her purr some, too, in it.


Her vet bill was several hundred dollars (whew!), but she's worth it. We got all bloodwork and testing and everything done, since she was there.

I will keep everyone posted on how she is doing. She is my FAVORITE parking lot kitty right now. She has to get better!


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Two Cats Tuesday: Moo's Prissy Crossed Paws

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Happy Two Cats Tuesday, Cuteheads! Today Pimp wants to apologize because he didn't do anything cute this week. Well, nothing cute enough to report or that I caught on camera, anyway!

Moo, though... Of course that silly boy came through.

In fact, he has his paws crossed that Pimp will be more cooperative for next week's Two Cats Tuesday...

Paws crossed I don't have to carry the whole Cute load myself again next week!

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National Feral Cat Day: You Don't Have to Be Cuddly to Be Cute

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Some of the cats that mean the most to me won't even let me near them. I can't hug them or kiss them and they don't sleep in the bed with me. If I can catch them off guard and get a little pet in on their back while they're eating, it's something to celebrate.

These are feral cats. They're not cuddly, but they're cute... and very special to me.

Today is National Feral Cat Day, an annual day started over a decade ago by Alley Cat Allies, one of my favorite organizations in the whole wide world. Other big organizations say they support all cats, but Alley Cat Allies is special -- they focus on feral and stray cats, or as they call them, "community cats."

National Feral Cat Day was started to promote the humane care of feral cats and to educate everyone about how important (and effective!) Trap-Neuter-Return, or TNR, is. I can't think of a better day to get behind and support. I am behind this 100%!

The Meows! Little Meow in front, Daddy Meow in back.

I don't remember exactly when I realized how much feral cats needed our help. About seven years ago, I saw a black cat in my office parking lot. I probably tried to call it. I'm sure it didn't come.

I kept seeing that same cat, and noticed he had a friend... a beautiful, petite tuxie. After I saw them a few times, I decided to bring a small Ziploc of my cat's food with me to work to give to them. I named those two cats The Meows, and I really believe it was them that got me so active in the rescue and cat-saving world.

Fast forward about a year later, and there were suddenly 14 parking lot kitties in different lots at office park I was helping care for (with the help of two other wonderful women!). Most people didn't even know the cats were there, but they were -- and some still are -- a huge part of our lives. They were all spayed/neutered.

Now, seven years later, thanks to TNR and making sure they each get any vet visits they need (and us helping them to the Bridge when they tell us they are ready), there are only five cats left there.

Me feeding Lilo, one of the parking lot kitties. (She is at the Bridge now.)

We've found wonderful homes for some and we've cried over many as we've had to say goodbye for various health reasons, and every single one of them has had plenty of food to eat and fresh water every single day.

Over the years, we've had some rough times where we've had to convince different property managers or close-minded people to let them stay. It seems like every couple years it comes up; last year the hotel next door even hired a company to set traps for them (not a kitty was caught, smart kitties!).

Sweet Pea, looking gorgeous as usual.

Sweet Pea and Westin will let me pet them and love to rub and get attention. Crybaby, Stitch and Orange Guy keep their distance. Orange Guy hisses from two feet away, but we know it's out of love. Stitch is coming around, I think, and this weekend I actually pet her a few times while she was eating. Crybaby is, well, he's Crybaby. He darts away, but if you time it just right, you can maybe rub his back one time.

Feral cats have been getting some really bad press lately and it's up to us to change the way the world thinks about them. They are not rabid, they will not hunt you down and bite you and they are not a health risk. Feral cats keep to themselves and most of the time you don't even know they're there. They are scared of people and hide in bushes. All they want is to live in peace (and maybe a little water and food if you can).

So won't you help me spread the word? Feral cats are our friends!

Some resources:

Alley Cat Allies
National Feral Cat Day stuff to share on Facebook
TNR Guide
Great resources for dealing with property management that wants feral cats removed

P.S. We may need to launch an all-out campaign to find Sweet Pea a home real soon. More details coming. She is my favorite one out there right now!