Tenth Cativersary

Ten years ago this week I brought Shelley (formerly “Little Gray”) home from the East Harlem ASPCA. She was 20 months old, very underweight, timid, and FIV+, the last of which might explain the “owner surrender” notation on her adoption papers. Shelley was so freaked out upon arrival in my apartment that she first tried to escape by climbing up the chimney, then spent the next three days cowering under the sofa.

Today she’s a healthy eleven pounds, the friendliest cat I’ve ever worked for, and spends her days standing guard in case the elderly German shepherd across the alley learns how to climb the fire escape. As I like to do on this date, I encourage you to visit your local shelter and consider adopting an adult cat. At this writing there are about a dozen adult cats up for adoption at the East Harlem shelter. I quite like the intense Bevis.