It's Leia's birthday!
Well, I mean it's the birthday I made up for Leia. I got her March 23, 2004, and the shelter estimated that she was 6 months old. So I decided her birthday was September 23, 2003.
She is 8 years old today!
Leia is the best cat. She's friendly to everyone, and she loves to snuggle. And sure there's that whole excessive vomiting thing, but ... okay, she's mostly the best cat.
I always take the opportunity on Leia's birthday to promote pet adoption. There are way too many pets born in the world, and I encourage you to please give one of them a home. Otherwise ... well, you know what the shelters do with unwanted animals.
I got Leia from the Pasadena Humane Society in Pasadena, California. She was from humble beginnings, crouched in the corner of a cage while her brother meowed at the world. I asked to see her in the "meet and greet" area, which was like a little closed cubicle where you could get to know your potential kitty.
She was shy at first and didn't want to be held. I respected her wishes and let her jump down and wander around the cubicle.
"Please don't let the cat walk around in here," said the shelter employee.
I wasn't sure about Leia at first, because I didn't want a "run-away kitty" as Bill and I call them.
I told the lady I wasn't sure, but, well, yeah, I'll take this one.
And then on the way out, I looked into Leia's eyes and I just felt a bond. I know that's silly to say, but I did. I think we bonded over getting in trouble together with the stupid humane society lady.
Leia had to get fixed the next day, so I couldn't pick her up until two days later. When I got her, she had greasy fur and, umm, possibly some of her own excrement stuck to her leg. She required no fewer than 7 medications to repair her shelter-based ailments, and she had to wear one of those head cones.
Eight years later, Leia lives all the way across the country, and is the fattest, softest, silkiest, most spoiled kitty ever.
She's come a long way since her shelter days.
In honor of Leia's birthday, I'd like to help other shelter pets at my local humane society.
And all you have to do to help me help the animals is leave a comment!
For every comment on this post, I will donate one item off the shelter's wishlist. Please answer the following in your comment:
Tell me about a special animal in your life (past or present).
Thank you for helping me help the South Suburban Humane Society!
5 comments:
I guess i would have to sing the praises for Tabby who lived with us for over 20 years. She was primarily an outside cat and with all the other critters in the neighborhood rarely had to visit the vet. I guess you could say she held her own ground!
Happy Birthday Leia, you lucky kitty!
What a great idea! And how did you get your Leia to sit still with that hat on her head? I'm totally amazed. ;)
My best animal ever was a Yorky named Nikki. Sigh... she was like my baby. Even dressed her in doll clothes. ...
What a wonderful idea, I think I'm going to steal it for my Bella's 2nd birthday in November. She's a wienie dog that we adopted form a rescue.
Great idea! Sammy was adopted through PAWS in front of Lori's Shoes on Armitage. I was browsing for shoes and walked home with a dog!
Happy b-day Leia!
We walk Cooper to preschool (it's about a 10 min. walk) and our cat Jackson followed us for the whole walk one day when Cooper was very upset to have to go to school. It was very cute -- almost like he was protecting Cooper :)
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