As I have been quite candid with throughout my blog, I love cats. LOVE them. However, as I am entering my late twenties, I have become less of "any kitten will do, gimme that kitten, I want a cat now" and more of a "I want a long haired dark or tabby cat, preferably female and not necessarily a kitten." I've really come to understand that the cat I choose (and that chooses me) will be with me for a good many years. You have to know what you want. You could say that I have matured. I knew what I wanted in a cat companion so while all the other offers for adoptable cats or kittens were HIGHLY tempting, I held out. Then as I was browsing Facebook for rescue cats (an activity I am EXTREMELY proficient in) on that fateful night, Westcott Acres put up this photo with the captions "Some of our rescues and boarders."
There was Millie. I quickly, with almost saliva running down my chin messaged them asking if she was a rescue or boarder, could she be adopted, and when could I come in? The answers? Yes she's a rescue, come in during these hours, and she has no pending adoption papers. I quickly planned my trip to Irmo... All unknown to my parents 😊😊 but with my sister (a good influence or bad influence depending on how you look at it). I met her casually in the cat room where she came right up to me (NOT Sara) and I fell in love.
Our First Photo, IN LOVE.
My sister and I stayed in the Cat Room for almost an hour. The room was heaven. It reminded me of a time in Jackson Hole, WY when I was really deprived of cat attention and somehow convinced (actually I probably tricked her) my friend Caroline to visit the Cat Room at a local rescue there.
I think Caroline actually dry heaved taking this photo
Similar setting and experiences except I did not have a connection with a cat in Jackson Hole despite trying very hard. When I saw Millie, I knew that she was going to be My First Cat. How she ended up at Westcott is sad but what a fairytail (hehe) ending. She was from a loving household where her parents tragically went through a divorce. Her mom moved in with her brother but the brother did not want a cat in the house so he gave her two weeks to find a new home. She did not have my phone number and could not find anyone in two weeks so made the difficult decision to take her to the vet to have her euthanized. The vet , recognizing the fine specimen that she is, decided to call Westcott Acres (thank goodness!) to see if they would take her in, and they did! I don't think her former mother was being cruel but had a very difficult decision to make. Knowing that most people only want kittens/typically don't adopt senior cats, she did not want her to suffer in a pound before then being euthanized. I'm grateful she took her to the vet and Westcott rescued her. Millie is a senior cat at 10 years old which did give me a pause, but age is just a number! She certainly doesn't act it, and let's be honest...she could help me mature.
I filled out the adoption papers, gave my three references, and was eagerly awaiting the news I could pick up Millie the next day when I found out that since I lived at home....they needed to talk to my parents or "my landlords". EEEEEK. My parents have been VERY candid about the fact that their Cat Days are over after Buster died (RIP). I was trying to go under the radar and show up with her on NYE, and argue "I can't take her back." Since that plan fizzled, I knew I would have to work a miracle. I wrote out a contract, I began begging my mom, I started crying, I spent some anxious hours in my room while she and my dad talked about it, and then the verdict came. While I would not ever declaw a cat, Millie was declawed as a kitten which became a huge plus for me since my parent's just had their living room furniture recovered and some new rugs put in. They wanted to make sure I was ready for the responsibility, knew how to slowly introduce her to the dogs and grits, and made sure I knew it was my cat....but it was A YES!!!!!!!!
On My WAY!!!
The next day was New Years Eve, I went and picked up my glorious, majestic beast and have taken over 1,000 photos and videos of her since! I will definitely be updating my blog more frequently especially telling stories of how she is doing with the dogs, Grits, and me. It's been such a wonderful experience. I could write a 20 page essay on our first week together, but for the sake of y'all's attention span I won't.
Here she is helping me write, and edit today's post.
When Westcott allowed me to take Millie home, they said we would have a 2 week trial and if anything was wrong/didn't feel right/just didn't work out; no questions asked she could come back there. As. If. I'm more worried they're going to think we are TOO obsessed with each other (or more accurately, I am TOO obsessed with her) and want her back. I do love her name Millie but wanted a full name for her so I've settled on Amelia Bedelia Shrimp Casserole W, Millie for short. She's agreed on the name and you'll be hearing more from us!
Millie's Mom Out,
BetC
PS--- Seriously. How BEAUTIFUL IS SHE?
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