My story

My name is Wendy Owen, and I think I've had a cat since the day I was born!!!

My husband and I currently have 8 cats, all of which are strays except for 1. Cats always seem to find me wherever I live. (Not that I mind!!!) Duchess is my oldest. She's a tabby point Siamese I adopted from a shelter (along with her brother who has since passed away). She is now having health problems herself, and I am dreading the day we have to put her down.

Next oldest is my husband's favorite, Angela. Angela strutted her way into our lives 2 days before we were to move. All of our stuff was in storage, we were staying with a friend while waiting for my brother to come help with driving the uhaul halfway across the country. After taking my friend to the vet to put her 18 year old cat to sleep, we were all quite emotional. Then we realized one of my cats was missing (or at least doing a good job of hiding!) So we called 'here kitty kitty' and heard a plaintive wail from OUTSIDE a window sill. Now, my friend lived on the 3rd floor of an apartment building. We looked outside and here sat this beautiful longhair tuxedo cat. Somehow she'd jumped onto the window ledge from a fire escape. We let her in and she promptly made herself at home. We went right back to that same vet, who told us she was perfectly healthy, but also pregnant! So into our little family she went.

A little over a month after we were settled into our new apartment, Angela had 5 little kittens. We kept 2, a tortishell named Zoe and a all black girl named Midnight. The others found homes quite easily.

By this time I was feeding a feral colony outside my apartment. Like I said, cats find me very easily. I had been noticing one cat in particular kept bringing her kittens. Then they vanished. About a week later, one of the kittens showed up, and walked right into my apartment when I opened the door. Ok, little guy, you made your opinion known!! That is my Fizzgig.

Then comes Pepper. My best friend showed up shortly after that, with a kitten in her arms. 'My boyfriend won't let me keep him, maybe you can find a home for him??' Yeah ok, I gotta learn to say no! We cleaned him up, and he purred and snuggled his way into our hearts.

Now for my baby...Merlin is the only one who was actually purchased from a pet store. I had been looking at this cute Siamese male kitten for a couple of weeks. Every time I stoppped in the store, he would meow like crazy at me, and demand to be held. My husband finally relented and bought him as a present Its a good thing too, the poor little guy had pneumonitis and took a long time to get healthy.

My latest addition is a feral that I tamed from the aforementioned colony outside my apartment. Madame is Fizzgig's mother, who also decided to just walk into my apartment...pregnant with yet another litter. She is currently recovering from her spay surgery, and is extremly affectionate. You'd never know she was feral a few months ago.

Hope you enjoy reading this, I will post more stories later.

If a cat is pregnant, it will find you. Also, if a cat is pregnant, it suddenly becomes homeless (or its former owner doesn't know who that cat could possibly belong to).

CPS. I never met a cat I didn't like.

Well it sort of drives home the point to have a cat spayed or neutered doesn't it?

Ah, Norm, I barely remember the days when I had only 4!! When I lived in Cincinnati (where I met my husband), I also shared 6 cats with my roomate. Once again, all but one were strays or adopted from shelters. So I have become quite used to the chaos. Everyone at my job keeps wondering when my husband and I are going to have children. I tell them I all ready have enough children, thanks! *grin*

Eventually I would like to start a no-kill shelter or something of my own, but I live in a small town where there is not enough people to help, not to mention to come up with donation money. Its amazing how many strays can live in such a small community. I know of at least 3 feral cat colonies besides my own. I definitely have a knack with getting any cat to trust me.

In addition to Madame and Fizzgig being rescued and tamed from my colony, I rescued and tamed a pretty little calico that eventually found a home with my best friend (yes, the same one who gave me Pepper). Turn about is fair play!! *laugh*

Believe it or not, when I grew up we only had 2 cats! My beloved Siamese, Duke, was with me from the time I was 2 until I was 16 years old. He was my teddy bear, my best friend, and the best cat I ever had. He died of cancer when he was 14 and I still miss him. My mom pulled me out of school the day he died. Our other cat, Morris, developed diabetes which eventually couldn't be controlled with insulin and was put to sleep.

After Duke's death, I got my first experience with a shelter. I told my dad I had to have another cat, but I wasn't quite ready for another Siamese. So down to the humane society I went, and came home with a pretty calico named Callie. My parents still have her, altho she's slowed down quite a bit considering she's nearing her 12th year.

Moving away to college was hard, because it was the first time in my life I couldn't have a cat with me. During my second year, I found a stray Himalayan sitting by my car getting ready to leave work. So, I gave her to a friend's parents until I could find an apartment that accepted cats. Shortly afterwards, I adopted my tabby point Siamese, Duke and Duchess. Its a tradition in my family to name Siamese cats with these names!!

I dearly love every single one of my cats, and can't imagine life without one of them purring in my ear at night.

Perhaps to be continued yet another day...

I think it is wonderful you want to start up a rescue to help cats. As for donations and such I would contact some other no-kill shelters in the city closest to you and see how they were able to get donations. If you have a Petsmart or Petco in your area why not visit them and talk to the manager. Both stores have adoption centers where groups can display some of the cats up for adoption. You can also contact your local Humane Society as well to see if they can help you get started as well. Good luck.

I was with a group that started a shelter in mid-1999. Start-up takes a tremendous amount of money if you're going to do it right. But what you *can* do is work as a foster home for an existing shelter, if you have one nearby. You'll be saving animals from euthanasia, and with most foster programs, all your expenses, including food and litter and veterinary, will be met by the organization. You sound like a perfect foster mom. Any shelter would be thrilled to hear from you.