Please Don't Pass the Sugar

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Today is the last day of "Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week," and so I wanted to finish up on a super sweet note -- with Sugar, a gorgeous ginger with special eyes. Whatever you do, don't pass her up!

Sugar is a very sweet, beautiful, timid cat who was rescued from animal control by the nice people at Animal Aid. She is a delicate girl and her pretty little body reminds me of that of a dancer's... she has long legs, a lean physique, a perky little nose and a graceful way about her.

Sugar is perfect in every way, except her eyes (but, really, they are perfect, too!). She has some scar tissue around her eyes from an infection she had before she was rescued, and as it healed up it gave her eyes a unique little shape and squint.

If you ask me, it makes her even prettier and even more delicate looking. She is a beauty, and if you can just look past the scar tissue and into her expressive, sensitive eyes, I think you'll see she's even prettier inside.

If you want more information about Sugar, please contact Animal Aid in Boca Raton, FL. She gets along with other cats and is friendly and sweet around people, even strangers. Please share her story... and THANK YOU ALL for reading this past week and sharing and taking the time to be the change for pets.

I'm proud to be a part of the change, and I hope you are, too.

P.S. I can't say thanks enough to Stephanie Sonju from Sonju Photography for all these great pictures of less-adoptable cats. I think she made them all look absolutely PERFECT (and adoptable!). Please head over to her Facebook page and "Like" it. Good people... you'll be glad you did. :)

P.P.S. There are even more cute cat pictures (and kittens, too!), so keep an eye out on the Cute for them. I can't wait to share!

Wanted: One Good Lap

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When you were little and you had a booboo, someone could kiss it and make it all better, right? Did you know it works for cats, too? A little love can cure anything, and I've got the cat to prove it!

When BooBoo was brought to Cats Exclusive, he was a stray that a nice woman rescued and brought in to get neutered... and attention for tail. Well, for where his tail used to be. The poor thing was in a lot of pain, and just had a big booboo where his tail should be.

The amazing and caring people at Cats Exclusive's clinic helped BooBoo to get better (but not before having to remove even more of what should his tail to make him better again), and they say that no matter how much pain he was in, BooBoo was always affectionate and gentle.

No one will ever know exactly what happened to BooBoo, but regardless, it's like he knew and appreciated all the help he was getting from people who actually cared. Here was a stray who once had to fend for himself, who was now getting all the special attention -- and he was loving it.

That was two years ago. BooBoo is turning five now, and has lived at Cats Exclusive ever since then. He isn't really one for other cats; he much prefers keeping to himself by the reception desk and hanging out with the people there than with other cats. Most of his time is spent in people's laps or close enough to snoopervise the office work.

He may have no tail, but he has lots of love. He has a few things making it harder for him to get adopted: He is black and he prefers not to be around other cats... and that whole no-tail thing, of course. But if you want a lap cat who wants nothing more than to be with YOU all the time, BooBoo is your man.

BooBoo is at Cats Exclusive in Margate, FL and here is his Petfinder page so you can see more info and what you can do to adopt him. Please share this post and help Be the Change for Pets. This handsome man deserves the perfect home!

Note from Cute: Wow, BooBoo was a difficult cat to photograph, what with his tendency to just want lounge on your lap and burrow his head into your body... and away from the camera. But, as usual, Sonju Photography did a fabulous job!She is a cat person like me (only maybe a little less crazy, hehe), and volunteered her time, her camera and her love to help get these gorgeous photos to help get some less adoptable cats a home! THANK YOU!

If you're interested...
Sonju Photography on Facebook: Click here.
Cats Exclusive on Facebook: Click here.
Tom Cat (Cat's Exclusive's office cat!) on Facebook: Click here.

Return to Sender: No Such Cat at This Home

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A couple days ago, I had the pleasure of being kissed by a total stranger. I have no idea where this stranger came from, and I don't even know their name, but it was one of the sweetest kisses ever.

From a cat, that is. (Seriously, people, this is a family-friendly blog!)

My friend Stephanie and I were at Animal Aid to photograph some less-adoptable pets for the Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week, and both of us were immediately smitten with this gorgeous cat. Sharing one pretty kitty wasn't a problem, though, she had enough love for both of us.

She was a scrawny little cow cat, too skinny for her little body, but incredibly bold and brave. We didn't know her name, so since all of the cats there had their names written on their collars, we checked hers. But it just said "Returned 1 of 3." Returned?! Who could return such a sweetheart?

Well, Returned was her name then, we decided! (Click to biggify the pic...)

When you walk by, Returned reaches out her paw as far as they can go, trying to grab you, touch you, just get some attention. And, oh, the love! All she wants to do is be held and rub her little face on yours and cuddle in your neck.

Did I mention that she's also a very good kisser? Is there anything better than a kitty tongue delicately licking your nose? Maybe... if you add in two paws furiously making biscuits on your chin, neck and chest at the same time like Returned likes to do. See what I mean... Muah, Returned!

We don't know what she did to be returned. The nice volunteer at Animal Aid said she was brought in with her two siblings to be spayed and neutered, and their person never came back for them. How she said goodbye to such a precious bundle of cow-cat and left her there, I'll never know. But what I do know is, this ridiculous bundle of love and affection doesn't belong in a shelter.

Returned belongs in the crook of your neck or in your living room reaching her paw out to you from the top platform of a fantastic cat tree. She deserves to go to a home, and stay there. She deserves a real name (although, after calling her Returned for an hour, we're both secretly hoping she keeps that silly name!).

If you don't have a cow cat in your life yet -- or if you have 10 already (hey, what's one more?) -- please consider Returned. And if you do adopt Returned, and you don't mind, send me your address and I'll send her a present -- to her real address, where she won't be returned from.

You can contact Animal Aid here: http://www.animal-aid.com/aboutus.html. They are located in Boca Raton, FL. Returned is just one of about 40 cats at their center, and many more in foster homes. Please share her story and let's help her get a happy FOREVER home!

Note from Cute: Just like yesterday, all of Returned's pictures -- and the beautiful pictures in the days to come -- were taken by my amazing photographer friend, Stephanie, from Sonju Photography. She is a cat person like me (only maybe a little less crazy, hehe), and volunteered her time, her camera and her love to help get these gorgeous photos to help get some less adoptable cats a home! THANK YOU!

Black Cats are the New Black

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Black cats are all the rage, and if you don't have one, you better go out and grab one quick before they run out. Act fast! All the cool people have them...

Man, I wish this were true. Black cats are beautiful, amazing, gorgeous creatures. I have to admit I have a soft spot for them because of Daddy Meow (One of the best cats ever, and I miss him every day.), and so it breaks my heart that they have such a hard time finding homes.

They're often overlooked at shelters just because they're black. Black is boring, people think. Black has no personality and is creepy. They all look the same...

No! No! No!

Look at a black cat's eyes -- they way they're shaped, the expression, the feeling, the difference in color.

Now look at their nose -- such cute shapes! Some hearts, some triangles, some little button-noses.

Now look at their fur -- long, short, medium, soft, fluffy, maybe a little wiry. No way these cats are the same!

Now look at their personality -- this, my friends, is where they can excel. Notice how loving they are. Notice how loud they purr. Take the time to see that they are full of life, full of fun and full of cute. Don't just glance over to the next cat because they don't have cute markings or silly stripes...

Today, I want you to meet Knight. All of the pictures in this post are of him. I met him at Cats Exclusive and instantly fell in love with him. There are tons of cats there, but he stood out immediately and made his case for being the cutest. He jumped in my lap, curled up his little ebony paws and purred up a thunderous little storm.

And yet, he's been there for over a year and hasn't found a home yet. He was brought to Cats Exclusive with his mom and three brothers. They were found in a South Florida mall parking lot.

His brothers (two looked like Maine coons and one was a long-haired black boy) all found homes fairly quickly, but Knight -- with his average black-cat looks and regular, uninteresting short hair -- was left behind. (His mom is there still, as well, but she's not so much of a people person. Content to keep to herself and happy to be safe, though.)

Why is he still not adopted?! This cat is easily one of the cuddliest cats there. He deserves a home and he would make anyone the BEST companion. You want a lap cat? Knight is a lap cat! You want a loving cat? Knight is a loving cat! You want a beautiful cat? Knight is your cat in shining fur!

Knight just turned one last week -- let's give him the best birthday present ever... A HOME.

He gets along with other cats, has a calm personality and is immediately friendly to new people. He's a little camera shy, but that's OK. Trust me, he's not shy about showing you affection. :)

Please, let's not let him live out his life without a real family. He's well-cared for at Cats Exclusive, believe me, but it's not the same. He wants a house, a couch, a human's bed, a basket full of toys and a closet full of treats.

And let me sweeten the deal: Adopt Knight and I'll reimburse you for the adoption fee myself. Once you take him home and make sure it all works out (maybe after a month or so), I'll give send you over a check, signed and sealed with love from Cute! I'll And maybe I'll even send some mousies and catnip toys on his birthday and during the holidays. I spoil my favorite cats... and right now, he's one of them.

Here is Knight's Petfinder page for all the info you need. Let's Be the Change for Pets by making all the difference in the world for Knight. One pet at a time...

Note from Cute: All of Knight's photos today -- and the beautiful pictures in the days to come -- were taken by my amazing photographer friend, Stephanie, from Sonju Photography. She is a cat person like me (only maybe a little less crazy, hehe), and volunteered her time, her camera and her love to help get these gorgeous photos to help get some less adoptable cats a home! THANK YOU!

UPDATE! Am realizing I never updated this post. Knight finally got his forever home! Finally! Am amazing couple walked into Cats Exclusive a few months ago and asked about which cats were having a hard time getting adopted. They had just lost their black cat and were ready for another. They LOVED Knight, but he looked just like the one they just said goodbye to, so it would have been too hard for them. They ended up adopting another black cat who had been there for a long time, Boo Boo. Boo Boo came to Cats Exclusive with severe injuries to his tail and it had to be removed -- he is happy and perfect, if not shy, otherwise. Yay, Boo Boo!

But then... they realized they loved Knight, and decided to foster him until he found a home so that he could live in a home and not a cage. See? I told you. GREAT people! And then one thing lead to another and... FOSTER FAILURE. :) The best way to fail. And so Knight now has a forever home with a forever brother.

I love a happy ending.

Two Cats Tuesday: 7 Things Pimp Taught Me About Why Older Cats are Awesome

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Happy Two Cats Tuesday, Cuteheads! Today, Pimp is taking the spotlight because he has taught me some very important things through the years about why older cats are fabulous. (Don't tell him I called him "old!" He's not old yet, just a little bit on his way...)

Pimp is 11, and every single year he gets better and better. The longer he's with me, the more love he shows and the more grateful I am that I have him. He's taught me a lot in his 11 years -- a lot of it recently.

I have always adopted kittens, but I'm starting to see why older cats deserve to be adopted, too, and maybe even more. They have so much love left to give. And so without further ado...

The Top 7 Things Pimp Wants You to Know About Older Cats

1. Old men are not dirty.
You know the stereotype about dirty old men? Doesn't apply to older cats. He knows where his litter box is, and doesn't need to be taught. He doesn't raid the garbage can like rambunctious kittens and doesn't knock over my red wine glass in a fit of flying kitten fur.

2. A little gray is sexy.
Don't you dare tell Pimp his gray whiskers aren't sexy. He's one good lookin' older dude! Maybe he's not quite as shiny as he used to be, but he's just as soft as ever... and just as cute.

3. Good food is one of the most important things in life.
(And so is good wine, but that's for me, not Pimp. Ahem.) It's crucial to feed your older cat good food, because their tummies are more sensitive. But seeing how much different food affects Pimp has taught me that even younger cats need good food. You are what you eat... and you want your cat to be good, right?

4. It's not picky, it's "particular."
You don't need every toy in the world. Just because some new gadget comes out or there's some fancy new model, it doesn't mean that what you have isn't perfectly fine. Some of Pimp's favorite toys are older than his brother, Moo, and he'd rather play with them than anything new and flashy I get him. He doesn't ask for much. :)

5. A comfy bed is better than any flashy toy.
Adding to #4, older cats realize that there are more important things than how many toys are in your toy basket. I used to get Pimp mice every year for his birthday, and he loved them, but lately I've gotten him things to make him comfy -- and he uses them way more than all his toys combined! Soft beds = 20 hours a day. Fun toys = 30 minutes. (Don't worry, he still gets tons of toys!)

6. Peace and quiet is underrated.
Pimpy says relax. Older cats are content to just lie around, lounge and not create too much ruckus. You don't have to entertain them (or else lose your nice curtains or favorite vase) and you don't have to babysit them like kittens. They are easy and content to "just be"... so you can just be, too.

7. Love never stops growing.
Sure, your older cat may be done growing, and may actually be shrinking a little instead, but their heart somehow keeps expanding with more and more love. When Pimp looks at me, it's with such love and adoration, and such happiness and sweetness. He knows he's loved and he'll always be taken good care of. He knows I'll do whatever I can for him, for as long as he needs it. And he knows how lucky he is.

Older cats are extremely special. They often easily adjust to your home and don't cause much trouble. If you have the room in your home and your heart, why not take a look at some of the senior pets in your area that need homes and go adopt one today. (Or tomorrow, Cute knows you may need a day to get their comfy bed and good food ready...)

Sure, they may need some extra care as they age (For the record - Pimp is going to live forever. I've already informed him of this.), but the love you'll get in return and the fulfilling, incredible feeling you'll get from taking care of them will give you a ton of joy.

Think of your grandma or grandpa -- you would want them to be happy and comfortable in their sunset years, right? Older pets should have the same luxury!