Charmaine first met Bob while volunteering at the shelter to keep homeless cats well socialized so they'd be more likely to get adopted. (If no one handles them they'll get so depressed they'll sit with their heads hidden back in the corner of the cage. Not real attractive when potential parents come through!)
Bob is a male Tuxedo manx who was brought in very young but already obviously with a history of abuse. He got adopted once but when shelter workers came in at 7 a.m. the next day, the lady was waiting in the parking lot to return him! Since he was old enough for a little, er, "improving" now, one of the local Animal Welfare groups paid to have him neutered in hopes he'd not be so ornery. Still no takers. One day a shelter volunteer knocked on her door, tears streaming down her face, a cat carrier in her hand. She knew this couldn't be good. "Bob" had reached the end of his time limit at the shelter. He would have to be euthanised now unless ... would she considered fostering him? That was almost four years ago. He started out as an awful cat who would run out from under furniture and sink his teeth and claws deep into her or her granddaughter's leg and draw blood (not to mention tears!). But after he figured out that they loved him and would never hurt him he settled down. He's still a feisty little sucker, but sleeps with his paw on her face, and snores louder than you'd think an animal that size possibly could ... they all love him to pieces ... speaking of which ...

When they saw the ad for Gus ("Loves kids and cats!"), they couldn't resist. Soon five month old Gus joined their household, and he and Bob get along famously. When Bob wants his bowl filled more, he'll bang on the window shade. Gus comes running to get Charmain, doing his special "Quick! Mom! My cat needs more food, and I can't do it!" yap, and leads her into the room to refill Bob's bowl! They're quite a pair. Gus was also a rescue pet; he nearly died of Parvo at 10 weeks, then spent the next few months living in a kennel in a garage, but is fine now and a healthy, happy, super-playful three year old.

MooMoo

This is "MooMoo the Great and Terrible," named for his dairy-cow-like markings and the fact that he is Great with dogs but TERRIBLE with other cats. He would run out of the bushes on the next street to greet my dog Gus when we were out walking. Many claimed to love this baby kitty but none would actually "claim" him, as in "take responsibility for him." He was malnourished, had flea/tick infestation and anemia, infected ears, and no immunizations against disease. One sad day in November 1999 his older friend/mentor-cat was killed by a car while bringing home a dead rat. We said "ENOUGH!" and informed the neighbors that WE were claiming him. Now strictly an inside cat, he is extremely happy and healthy, has doubled his weight, and so loves attention that when we reach for him he purrs in anticipation before we get our hands on him! His collar has the same phrase repeated all the way around it: "PAMPER ME! PAMPER ME! PAMPER ME!" And boy-howdy do we ever! We LOVE our little Moo!