Thursday, March 28, 2024
adopting a catcats

A Pretty Tri-color Needs a Home

calico cat in leaves
Callie in autumn leaves.

I’d noticed a new kitty around the neighborhood over the summer, a very unique tri-color I hadn’t seen before. After some investigation (asking the neighbor kids who know everyone’s pets) I discovered she actually lived in the duplex next door to me.

I haven’t had much opportunity to talk to these people, a young couple with a son in first grade and a newborn and a visiting daughter on the weekend, plus a bunch of jobs between the two. It turns out the kitty’s name is Callie, and while she’d always been an indoor cat, the older son racing in and out the door with his friends had given her the idea she could go out, too, and then she began racing out the door all the time. They tried keeping her upstairs, and downstairs, anywhere away from the door, and they tried to warn the kids not to let her out, but she still managed to get outside.

callie in the grass
Callie in the grass.

They had actually fallen on some hard times from job loss and, when they found they were expecting, gave up their house knowing it would be too expensive with a new baby. The half duplex was a little crowded so a friend offered to rent them a small house for less than the duplex, and Callie was invited too—that wasn’t the problem.

They didn’t realize until they were at the house painting how much traffic passed the house, and how fast it moved, and the road is pretty close to the front door. Even if they managed to keep Callie contained most of the time, it would only take one time…

The woman came over to talk to me about how frightened she was and that she didn’t want anything to happen to her Callie, but she was afraid to take the risk, and I felt she was sincere—believe me, I’ve been delivered every line there is when someone simply wants to get rid of their cat, but I know with two adults and three kids and four jobs and caring for an infant, no one can keep their eye on everything.They’ll take her with them, they won’t abandon her, but I’d even be afraid to risk it.

Several years ago I fostered two cats for a friend who had lost her house and rented another, then realized her old house had had a vestibule and her cats never got outside. In the new house, because she is slightly disabled and can’t quickly get in and out the door, they could get right past her, headed right for another busy road. She felt she couldn’t risk taking them back, so I helped find new homes for them through one of the shelters.

calico cat standing
Callie can't decide if I'm friend or foe.

So Callie is looking for a home! She’s about five years old and spayed and has the typical tri-color personality: “Hello! Hisssss…….”, just can’t decide if she’s happy to see you or should keep you at bay.

And her markings are really unusual—her head, legs and tail are calico, but her torso is tortie. Is she a calitort? A tortico? Not sure, but once you get under the tri-color crust she’s a sweet girl. She also has four white paws and a white tip on her tail. Snowshoe calitort?And a white chest and belly. Tuxedo snowshoe tortico?

If you or anyone you know is interested in her, please let me know. I’d hate to see anything happen to her. I’d love to help, but it’s just not time yet for me to take in another kitty, and my spare cat room is completely out of commission for fostering right now.

Yes, she would make a great photo subject. It’s not time for me to take in another kitty, even as a foster unless it’s only for a day or two.

Bernadette

From health and welfare to rescue and adoption stories, advocacy and art, factual articles and fictional stories, "The Creative Cat" offers both visual and verbal education and entertainment about cats for people who love cats, pets and animals of all species.

10 thoughts on “A Pretty Tri-color Needs a Home

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  • Roxanne–Renee sometimes signs that way, and on the blog itself I can’t see your e-mail address, only in the message I get in e-mail.

    Calicos are very popular, so I’ve distributed her to plenty of other places and I’ll hope for the best!

    In the meantime, I can see by her expression she’s expecting me to do something about the situation.

    Reply
  • That sure is a beautiful cat. Are you sure Peaches didn’t send Callie to you??? Just think of the pictures you could do of her and she needs you desperately. Anyway, we do hope she finds a purrfect home. Take care and have a great day.

    Reply
    • Marg, maybe not to adopt, only to rescue. I’ll have to pick up my pace–their moving day is soon enough.

      Reply
  • Oh my – she’s a beauty. I hope she finds a loving lap to curl up on very soon!

    Reply
    • Chris, I keep hoping one of the neighbors who’ve been talking to her might want to take her in. She certainly is unique.

      Reply
  • What a cutie! And, yes, you can see the attitude. 🙂

    How long could it take to get your spare/fostering room in some kind of order?

    It is said that when a door closed, a window opens.

    Maybe someone is sending Miss Callie your way?

    Reply
    • Renee, I thought of that, especially since I didn’t see her for a while until after I had lost Peaches. But I really feel Peaches passed when she did to allow me the time and space to get back to my artwork and other activities, which had been kind of crowded out of my day; just guessing from some other things which have happened since. Right now, the room is totally out of commission! Oh, what to do…

      Reply
    • I’m not Renee — though I am honored at the mistake.

      Just follow your heart. It will tell you what to do. If it is not time, then it is not time.

      Callie is very beautiful and I am sure it will not take long to find her a good home.

      Post everywhere you can (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Can you put a sign (with photo(s) in the store? And how about at your vet’s office?

      Good luck. And take care of yourself.

      Roxanne

      Reply

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