Lynx at about 6 to 8 months
Lynx was one of five kittens brought to us by a feral mom in 2019. We had Momkitty spayed and we keep her fed now, but she keeps her distance and I don’t think she’ll ever be socialized to humans. This guy looked much more like a lynx when he was younger. He’s an absolute sweetie of a floofer!
We meant to foster the kittens and find them homes but we foster-failed big-time and kept all five. We just couldn’t part with Boss, Spooky, Stripey, Moonpie, and Lynx. It’s fascinating to watch the ways they interact, stepping around each other and trilling. When I watch them sleep, I feel peaceful. (Most of my photos are marooned in another computer, but the “Kittens” are all pictured throughout this site.)
There are now many animals in shelters needing homes, especially in our part of the southeastern US region. The buzz I see on social media is that shelters are very full this year, the rescue groups are also full and cannot take more, and they need funds. So anyone who is considering adding a pet to your home, please remember shelter pets and visit your local shelter!
For five decades my husband and I have adopted, reunited, and sometimes rehomed, animals who were wandering outdoor spaces. We always checked to be sure no owner was looking for them. We were fortunate to have a great local vet who often helped with rehoming. The sad part is that we never went to a shelter to adopt because we always had plenty of “street and woods cats” in the house. But when at catpacity we also never took newly found strays to shelters, we found them good homes instead. When we first had cats there were no rescue groups and there was no one doing Trap, Neuter, and Return (TNR) of ferals. We and our parents took in cats right off the street, as did many other individuals who adopted off the street in those same time periods. When the marvelous rescue groups and feral caretakers who TNRed came along, they helped enormously. Even so there is still a large population of cats in town. So continued spaying and neutering is vitally important to give the ferals a healthy life and to keep them from producing more kittens.
Humans are healthier in every way when they live with pets. I feel pet companionship is a basic human need and should be recognized as such. That’s one thing to advocate for. To open up more homes for pets, it would help if we could persuade landlords to accept pets in rental housing. I also think people going into assisted living care should be able to keep their pets, pet care should be part of the assistance. These are just a few ways to increase the homes available for pets. There are now many great advocates working to raise public awareness in so many ways and that’s got to help.
So please remember those animals who never got homes.
The kitties and I are joining the #RememberMeThursday Blog Hop at Lola The Rescued Cat. We send thanks to them, and also to the Helen Woodward Animal Center.
I live near a creek in a forest, in close observation and awe of the wildlife outside, as well as the domestic animals of the household. I'm writer Leah T. Alford. I was "catwoods" on this site Catwoods Porch Party, Itchmo Forums for Cats and Dogs, and a few other sites that may or may not exist now. I have now published a book, and the publisher wanted it called Catwoods. I never expected the book title to be the same as my username, so for now I've changed the username to Leah. For more info, click the "About" button above.
Catwoods Porch Party 
We’ve acquired all our pets through shelter adoption, off the street, or from re-homing. I do wish landlords would be more flexible about pets and that group-home facilities and even businesses would do more to help house some of the many pets that do not have homes.
Those are all wonderful ways of finding great pets, Indulged Furries! And you are right, more people need to step up and help. I’m sorry for the delay in answering you. I’m going through an extended illness and am having a hard time keeping up with everything online.
we took in 2 that were headed to the animal shelter.. kittens.. they sure have personalities
Awww, it’s always good to adopt rescue kitties, mzbaddog! Indeed they do all have individual personalities.
Excellent article. Yes, I agree with you in terms of promoting and advocating pets especially for cats. Cats look after themselves and very economic in terms of pet owner’s budget. In return, cats bring boundless joy and happiness that money cannot buy. At least that is what I think. You are right about creating awareness among public especially letting agents to let people keep pets. Non human animals like cats and other vertebrate species simply can improve quality of human life in multi-faceted directions that we humans often take for granted or totally unaware of. Keep the good work Leah! I support your conviction in advocacy remit indeed! Best! Ashraf
Sorry to have missed answering your comment here, Ashraf! Thank you also for kind words and for your insights. I’m still awfully sick and don’t know when, or, if, I can get back to where I was. I am doing a little commenting now but am not yet up to doing new posts. All best wishes to you, Leah
Our Human was a foster failure too! My brother Oliver and I are former fosters and we’re happy The Human failed!
Purrs & Head Bonks,
Alberto
Those are the best and happiest kind of failures, aren’t they Alberto?! Cheers and Meows from the kitties and me!
Terrific Remember Me Thursday post! Living in rural areas is quite different in homing and rehoming of cats. I am so happy there are people like you around. Thanks for sharing!
We have entered you in the draw for the Caturday digital art and I am so glad I stopped by!
Thank you so much for the kind words, the kitties and I appreciate it! I have wondered if being surrounded by so much agricultural land is one of the reasons there is such a high population of stray cats here, that and the unfortunate fact that rural people often don’t spay and neuter their barn cats. But, we do have many rescuers busy trying to spay and neuter kitties . . .
Thanks for adding me to the draw, but if I won, I may likely be slow to provide a picture, most of my pictures are stranded in a failed computer and time for the hubs to help me try to hook up the back-up drive is scarce . . .
I think those kitties were very happy for the foster fail!
Thank you Hairballs and Hissy Fits, we appreciate it! We do try to make them happy every chance we get. They certainly make us happy . . .
Allowing people to keep their pets when they go into care homes seems like a no-brainer, not just because of the bond they have and the trauma it causes the human and pet to be separated, but also because of the volume of research showing pet companionship has so many positive benefits.
I completely agree and I’d really like to see that happen. I hope we can move towards being a more caring society in every way. I don’t know if that’s possible, but it’s something to hope for.
Lynx is beautiful. There is a special pleasure in rescuing animals.
Lynx and I and all the kitties thank you, Kerry! And I so agree!
😻
Thank you for all the work you have done.
Thanks Terre, I appreciate your kind words! We mainly just accepted the cats who came to the door; we benefitted enormously because we got fantastic pets that way.
I am so glad it has worked out for all! YAY!
Oh, WOW! I didn’t know Boss, Spooky, Stripey, Moonpie, and Lynx are litter-mates! As you might know, Bear was rescued from outside. Bless you, for all you do for homeless cats – I couldn’t think more highly of you!
Thanks Katherine, that means a lot, I appreciate your kind words! Back atcha with all good wishes, for taking in Bear, and your other kitties too. The kittens do have a wide range of color/coat patterns/fur length and the two tabbies do look unrelated to the two black cats and one tuxie. Mom was a tuxie.
Our Franklin (banner cat) was a street cat too, as was our friend’s cat Shelley who is featured here too. There are lots of street cats here.
A meaningful to me and others as well, blog about the very real plight of the outdorians. We adopted off the street all our lives. When I became an adult there weren’t too many out there for us, so we went to shelters and Vets who kept a few for the occasion.
Thanks Carole, for your kind words. Good for you for taking in kitties off the street, too. Our street cat population hasn’t really declined much over the years although there are now many more people out there trying to spay and neuter all the street and feral cats.
Thank goodness for that. I am truly grateful.
Katie Isabella and Mommy
Great adoption about a feral cat story no less.
I started out my adoption with a pet Chameleon when I was in Elementary and continued adopting/rescuing. It’s so rewarding
Thanks Crystal, I appreciate it! I like Chameleons too! Purrs and meows to you also for your long history of rescuing, from the kitties and me.
Boss, Spooky, Stripey, MoonPie an Lynx youss’ landed on yore pawss comin to THE Porch Pawty!!! Miss Leah an yore Mistur are THE BESTEST peepell fore helpin so many catss!!
***purrss*** an ~~head rubss~~BellaDharma~~ an ❤ ❤ BellaSita
Thank you for the kind words and purrs and headrubs, BellaDharma and BellaSita! We send many purrs and hugs and meows to you both!
Charlee: “Our Mama and Dada are pretty good at foster-failing, but you are even better at it!”
Ahahaha it was a gradual process at first . . . we worked hard at failing . . .
Too many people do not sufficiently appreciate or understand the central importance of such caring and kindness (toward whatever species!) in this world, in this universe. I’m glad that, as one can tell from the comments that you receive, some do. Blessings for the blessings that you give, Larry
Larry, thank you so much for your kind words, the kitties and I appreciate it! We wish you all the best, sending meows! I sure agree that the world needs more kindness in every way.
I volunteer at the shelter instead of fostering because I would be a foster fail every time.
I know! I think it would be really difficult to foster and then send the kitty off to another home.
Probably impossible for me.
If you want an animal, the best one to get is a homeless animal
I certainly agree, Greg!
I enjoyed it and your blog is great, please visit mine and support it if you like it 🙂 ❤
Thank you skaksation, I’m glad you enjoyed the blog. I have looked at yours and it’s interesting. But in all honesty as an older person with not so good health, I’m really only getting around to blogs with cat and/or landscape themes.
I do agree with everyone, you are great. God Bless you dear Leah, Thank you, Love, nia
Thank you so much Nia and the kitties thank you too. Wishing you much happiness, and with hugs and purrs from the kitties and me, with love.
You have such a kind and charitable heart to care for the homeless cats. God bless you for giving warm homes to them and letting them have a feeling of human love. Thank you for your kind deed!
Garfield Hug, thank you so much for you kind words, the kitties and I appreciate it! I feel we were just in a place with a high population of stray animals. Students would move away and often abandon their cats. We knew of other people who adopted strays off the streets back in those days, so we weren’t the only ones doing this. And we did have a great vet helping find homes when we were at ‘catpacity’.
Your giving heart will be richly rewarded in other ways – love and warmth of the kitty cuddles, happiness and their company. I admire your generosity and time. Oodles of Garfield hugs.
A beautiful post, Leah! Thank you for all you have done, and continue to do.
Lavinia thanks for the kind words, the kitties and I appreciate it! And thank you also, for all the kitties you have kept and nurtured!
Thank you for really walking the walk (five decades … wow!) when it comes to cat adoption and rescue. You are truly heroic in our eyes — and in the eyes of all the animals you’ve save. Big hugs!
Thank you so much for your kind words, the kitties and I appreciate it! I feel we were just in places where there were a lot of cats walking around outside, and a few dogs too, we also found a few canines. We really did have so much to learn after we got our first cat, it was a different time. There is so much more knowledge about companion animals now and the thinking about them is often much more enlightened. And we had the help of our good vet to help us place animals, she would keep them at the clinic as long as it took to find them homes.
I think that you and other rescue-minded people of today, volunteering in animal shelters and networking adoptable pets, are the real heroes who are making a significant difference.
Hugs and purrs and meows from the kitties and me!
Beautiful post. Thanks for spreading the word on cat adoption. All kitties in your care are blessed. XO
Ellen, the kitties and I thank you so much! XO
Thank you for so many rescues and participating in this important day!
Thanks for your kind words, Mocha’s Mysteries and Meows! We appreciate it and we appreciate your rescues, and your participation today too!
Concats on your “foster fails!’ Half of the cats TW owned were street cats. I’m one of the 2 shelter cats she’s had. Rescue is my favorite breed.
The kitties and I thank you, CK! We’re so happy we failed! Concats on TW’s street and shelter cats too! Oh yes I agree, rescue is the best breed!
Adoptions are just the best for each and every species and we hope it’s the next big thing.
We hope so too, Brian! Purrs and Cheers and Meows!
The work (it’s not really work, is it?) you have been doing is wonderful. Thank you so much.
I agree that pets (and animals in general) make us healthier, both mentally and physically. The least we can do is to help them the best way we can.
Lynette, thanks so much for your kind words, I appreciate it and the kitties do too. It doesn’t fell like work, you are right, although it does keep us busy, meaningfully busy.
Cheers, Purrs, and Meows from the kitties and me!
Thanks so much for all that you have done and that you still are doing! Its a big help:)
Minko was an unofficial rescue from a very bad birth home…
Us pups are rescues from Texas, wow that was a long drive to the two shelters were taken to in Michigan, where Petcretary found us looking for her!
Ingrid, thank you for kind words, they mean a lot and the kitties and I appreciate it! And thanks also for adopting your marvelous puppy dogs from rescues, and at a distance at that! Cheers, Purrs, and Meows from the kitties and me!
Five decades of helping cats is so admirable! Thank you for all you do, and for joining our blog hop today.
Lola The Rescued Cat, thanks, we appreciate it and our kitties do too! Thank you so much for your rescue work and for hosting today’s RememberMeThursday blog hop!
You guys are angels to these wayward kitties–thank you for all that you do. And amen to your sentiments about how animals are vital in our lives and should be permitted in assisted living and more rentals. Even where I live, in a community that embraces animals, I was hard pressed to find a rental that permitted cats; but lucky to have finally found this little cottage.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Pam, we appreciate it and the kitties do too! I’m glad you were able to find a place that permitted animals. I’m always surprised that so many don’t, and sadly it means a lot of people who would take cats in off the street or adopt from a shelter, just can’t do so.
I would also be a huge foster fail. I always say when a cat comes in the door, he/she never leaves again. We nurture them through health and illness and ease them when it’s their time to go. I only wish all animals were so lucky.
That is wonderful Kate, I appreciate what you do for the kitties! I wish all the stray animals would have someone too. LOL, being a foster fail is the best kind of failure, isn’t it!
That’s what my cats say.
We have five rescue kitties indoors (two from the colony we look after), have found homes for 20 from said colony, and still have 19 that just aren’t adoptable but come around for meals and love. Only three have evaded TNR … but we aren’t giving up. Thank you for this post.
That is marvelous, Sharon! I appreciate all you do for the kitties. And I sympathize about those who just refuse to be safe-trapped for TNR. We were fortunate with the recent momkitty, she went in the trap the first time it was set. We had been feeding her in the open unset trap for awhile . . .
Dearest Leah,
We also failed in fostering the five kittens born at our home from the Momcat we rescued in Acapulco and got her a ticket to fly home. We were unaware of her being pregnant. But we kept them ALL. Still four of the five siblings are alive at 14.5 and we only lost Sacha as she got killed by a car, no obvious wounds but she was gone… SAD, for all as Bandido slept with her, with his arms around her and she too did the same and they groomed each other.
We have visited in Chattanooga once the parents of a dear friend. That brand new assisted living home (then) allowed small pets. So much happiness on the faces of the elderly residents as they often sat outside in a rocking chair under the covered area in front of the home, pets around. Pure BLISS and that concept should be adopted more by others! Any pet, also adds greatly to the wellbeing of the elderly! Better health and not feeling lonely. They are the BEST companions.
Hugs,
Mariette
Foster fails are the absolute best fails, aren’t they! I’m so sorry you lost Sacha, that is a hard loss to endure.
It’s so fascinating to watch a group of siblings grow up together. Ours sometimes pair off together as though in special bonds.
That’s very encouraging about the nursing home allowing pets! That’s an idea I’d really like to see catch on in the future!
Purrs and hugs from the kitties and me!
And Bill…? 😉
Oh yes, but I alone write the blog and he’s so busy with his own projects now he doesn’t usually read it . . .
🤔
A wonderful post, Leah! I grew up with dogs, poodles specifically. Great dogs but at this point in my life, a dog or cat doesn’t fit which is unfortunate. I feel guilty, LOL!
Thanks John, I appreciate you kind words. I like puppy dogs, too. Sorry you have no pet at this time, but no need to feel guilty. Life can just be that way, sometimes.
Your welcome, Leah. Some time going forward I’ll have a pet. If I had a dog, it would be a Shitzu, such a sweet breed.
The ex and I had one which she took of course. A cat is a fine choice too, I love them! So beautiful yet mysterious too but they can snuggle up just like a dog.
I follow Cats Of Instagram, so many beautiful kitties! Especially the Bengal cats. Are you on Instagram? I can’t remember.
Cats are certainly beautiful and Bengals are very pretty. I do have mixed feelings about cats being bred while there are so many cats in shelters who don’t find homes. I am on Instagram under catwoodsporchparty. I don’t always post there though.
I completely agree. God bless you and everyone else who takes care of God’s creatures! And what a good-looking kitty.
Lynx and I thank you so much Polly Morse, we appreciate your kind words. And thanks for making us laugh so much over at your site! I stay busy lately and haven’t commented enough to tell you how funny your posts are!
Thank you. I really appreciate that! Have a great weekend.
I completely agree with you that pets are essential for humans. In fact I try to thank God every day for making pets!🐱🐼
Thank you for your support, nanasworld web! Pets are a wonderful gift for sure!