My sister’s cat Sox went missing the morning after she moved to a new house. She let him out in the morning, the habit he was in, and he hasn’t been seen since.
It is difficult writing about his absence, more so because my sister reads my blog and she still misses her Kitty Boy very much. She had him from kittenhood. We all hope and pray he shows up some day or that some family took him in and he’s getting the love and care he was used to with my sister.
Sox, still missing in Seattle.
My sister, family, and friends did all the usual to try to find Sox: posters posted, walks through both the new and old neighborhoods, talking with new and old neighbors, notice given to area shelters, check up with shelters daily for any news and to view possible cats brought in.
At some point, my sister decided she needed another cat. Not to replace Sox, who is irreplaceable, but as a companion for Sox should he show up. And as a kitty for my sister regardless of the outcome with Sox: She missed having a kitty around the house.
She decided to adopt an older cat, checked out possible “candidates” available at shelters, and sent me photos of some of those she felt would do well with her. Then I received an e-mail this morning that she’d adopted one named Molly Moon, a name my sister says her new Kitty Girl will continue to go by.
Molly Moon!
Welcome to the family, Molly, and thank you for helping lift some of the burden my sister feels about Sox.
Molly Moon looks like a sweetheart to me, and my sister says she is a sweet dispositioned kitty, too.
I’m proud of my sister for adopting a shelter animal, too. Not only did she give a cat a new home, she gave an older cat a new home. Everyone wants the kitties, but it takes real love of creatures to take an older one home. Molly Moon is eight years old, mellow, and very affectionate. The photo shows she is adapting quickly to her new life. That’s a happy, confident cat in the photo!
I am so sorry to hear about Sox. I had a friend whose cat escaped the house and went missing for several weeks, she wrote a blog post about it.. Maybe it will help?? http://www.kittyblog.net/2013/11/what-i-know-finding-lost-cat-guest-post.html
I too lost a kitty to the great outdoors, it is so hard, the not knowing.. my heart goes out to your sister. and I thank her for rescuing an older kitty..
I can pass it on. I think my sister has pretty much done it all, but I know she really would welcome Sox back even though she has Molly now. Losing a pet any way is a heartache, and that’s part of the contract we sign when I take them in to our homes.
I especially liked the suggestions about time of day to look (seems obvious, but maybe not…!) and the way to handle a homecoming so the kitty is gently returned to normality. I’ll make sure my sister has the link you gave instead of hoping she picks up on it in these comments. Thank you a lot for your comments, concern, and help!
A bitter sweet story.
Our furry companions are never replacable but well done on your sister for taking another older cat. You are right it is the kitties that always find homes and I dread to know what happens to the older ones. We have an open door policy with cats and it is usually the older, abandoned ones that arrive at the doorstep and move in.
Molly Moon sleeps with her, my sister says, so clearly is a well-adjusted kitty that didn’t need a lot of time to settle in! It is a bittersweet story. There’s always that hope that Sox will show up sometime, walk in the door as if he hasn’t been missing for x months or however long it might be, and hiss at Molly till he gets used to his new “sister”. I am encouraged that more and more shelters are “no kill” shelters, but I will be happier when all shelters are that way.
More than that, I hope that people like you and I can get it across to people thinking about getting a kitty or puppy (or any other animal, for that matter) that they are sentient, living beings with physical and emotional needs we are obligated to provide them for as long as they live, and that some — cats for example — live into their third decades!
I missed out on the kitten stage of the late Louie the ginger cat, the five year old shelter cat I had before Andy and Dougy. Part of the reason I am committed to documenting their lives in photo, video, and on this blog is in case they outlive me. That way, whoever adopts them will have access to what they were, how they are, and what they might expect them to be if adopted.
Molly looks like she’ll be a wonderful addition to any family, to bad she couldn’t have been a companion for Sox.
My sister says Molly Moon is a very well behaved cat. She’s trying to learn more about her new cat’s past so she can better understand why Molly is so good (for example). When I had Louie the ginger cat, he was estimated to be five years old when I got him. He was very well behaved inside, too. I never learned anything about his past, but worried that such a good cat might one day end up identified as “my cat, Felix, who got out of the car when we stopped in your town for lunch and disappeared” or some similar scenario. I had him wanded at one point because I couldn’t believe anyone would not want such a wonderful cat back, i.e. would care so much for him that they’d have him microchipped! I mean, he was neutered, so someone was a responsible owner of Louie at some point! (Frankly, I was very relieved when he turned out not to have a microchip!) Andy and Dougy are microchipped. My sister’s new kitty is microchipped as part of the service the shelter where she came from gives with the pet. What a good idea! They also spay or neuter the animal, set up health insurance that the new owner has the option of continuing after six months (I think it is), and some other things, but, mainly, they do everything they can to place all animals with responsible families.
Sounds wonderful. Your sister won’t have to worry about losing Molly! You two are terrific with your animals buddies!
Thanks! We come from a family that always loved our pets. Whatever faults we may have (I have one or two!), love of animals is not one of them.
You really can be proud of your sister. I wish more people would do this! The shelter here in Munich takes care of more than 8000 animals every year. It is a real tragedy. It’s absolutely wonderful of your sister to give a chance to a shelter animal. Best wishes for her and for Molly Moon.
(I wanted to write yesterday but had some curious problems with the wordpress app. Hope this text will).
More and more shelters are no-kill shelters here. That becomes possible because volunteers help care for the animals (fostering them in their homes) or provide money and needed things like food, toys, and time to play with the animals to help them with their socialization issues. It is a good trend! There are shelters that follow the old model of euthanizing the unwanted animals after a certain length of time, so it is imperative that people considering cats,m dogs, or other animal;s that might be available seriously take a look at what’s available in the shelters. \
It is fun having a fancy pedigreed animal, but only if the cat or dog came from a humane breeder who doesn’t run a puppy mill style operation with dirty cages and animals bred to death. Better yet, though, is having a moggie or mutt from the shelter, knowing you’ve saved a life by taking a shelter animal into your home!
I do hope Sox comes back, cats can be so unpredictable like that, so there’s every chance he’ll turn up one day wondering what all the fuss is about. Molly Moon is a doll, and I’m pleased your sister has her. I always feel animals should be homed from shelters, never bought, it only encourages breeders and leaves the poor furries already here and homeless with no-one. And an older cat, yes, all the better, they’ll get a great deal of happiness out of each other I’m sure.
*smiles.
– sonmicloud.
I am in total agreement, and am pleased to add this comment to those already posted! I’ve been a shelter pet advocate for years. Though Andy and Dougy weren’t shelter pets, they were kittens that had no economic value to the breeder because of illness. I don’t know that they would have been euthanized, but I do know it was the right (if ultimate expensive!) decision to take them in. Once their initial health issues were resolved, I began to truly appreciate what precious little guys they are! They grew up to be characters I enjoy having around the house, quirks and all.
We are hopeful Sox will show up the way you note.
So sorry about Sox. Hope Molly Moon lifts their spirits. Ellie
My sister reports Molly Moon has pretty much acclimated herself from the start, and is enjoying her new home and human! She didn’t need any time at all to make my sister’s home hers, which made my sister happy. I think it was a good move on my sister’s part to adopt another cat, but she would still be very happy if Sox turned up, too. She’s ready for two cats if Sox does turn up.
We are sending prayers that Sox returns home to your sister and Molly Moon is a pretty girl. She looks like a sweetheart.
My sister would appreciate this very much. She still misses Sox a lot, of course. I just got an e-mail from her, and she says Molly’s pretty much explored the house, and is settled in. The photo I posted pretty much suggests that, too, eh!?
I hope it all works out for the best.
Thanks! Molly Moon has made herself at home, according to an e-mail I just got from my sister, something the photo pretty much substantiates! She still hopes Sox shows up one day because he was her Kitty Boy.
Settling in is sure a big hurdle to cross … I’m happy to hear it. And I’m praying for sox.
From things my sister said about how she met Molly Moon at the shelter, it seemed like Molly did a pretty good job of choosing my sister. That she looks a lot like Sox certainly didn’t hurt, but that wasn’t the main reason she was chosen. She’s will have a good life with my sister!