Missy writes:
Hello! Foster Mommy said I can write my story here in hopes of getting adopted faster. So, here's my story, as much as I've told the humans:
I was hanging around Norse Hall, just south of the Franz Bakery, in Portland, OR, on Friday night. It's a busy neighborhood, with four bus lines, major streets, a lot of industrial buildings of various kinds, and near a highway. There are some houses, but not many. Anyway, I was outside Norse Hall, telling the world that I needed food and attention, and hoping someone would listen. Foster Mommy was teaching a class, and her whole class stopped when they heard me yowl. Everyone looked at Foster Mommy, knowing that she was going to investigate the cat outside. Sure enough, she came out to see me.
I was a bit scared of her at first, although she looked like someone who wouldn't hurt me. I have some bad memories of humans, though, so I was wary. I looked at her, went toward her, then ran away under a dumpster. She followed me over there and knelt down to look at me and talk to me, so I came back out and sniffed her hand. She picked me up and scruffed me, asking a passerby to go inside and tell Foster Daddy (who was in the office) that she'd caught me. Foster Daddy came out and held me, asking her what she wanted to do since I couldn't go inside the building. I was still talking, telling them I wanted down and wanted some food. They decided to put me in their car until after Foster Mommy's class was over, then take me home with them. They could see that I had a deliberate cut on my left ear, done by a vet to mark me as a spayed feral, but I'm not feral.
I was put in their car and immediately explored the back seat, then the front seats, then hopped up into the back window to look out. The humans went inside the building again, so I sniffed around and found some cat food on the floor of the back seat. I wasn't sure about it, since I haven't had kibble that many times, but I tried it because I was so hungry. Then I curled up in the driver's seat for a snooze.
When the humans came back and opened the door, I made a break for it, running under some trucks in the next driveway. The humans followed, and eventually I came within reach again, but only after going behind a chain link fence where they couldn't get me. They talked me out of there and caught me again, bringing me back into the car. The whole way to their home, I was wedged between the driver's seat and the door, where I felt safe but could still have Foster Daddy pet me. That helped calm me down somewhat, even though I talked and talked.
They brought me into their house, and I saw and smelled the other cats (and hissed at them). I was scared about being in a house, but I didn't struggle much. They took me to the office room (computer room), where there was a litter box already set up, and brought in food and water bowls. I ate a few bites, then huddled under the computer desk.
Later on, Foster Mommy came in to type, and she brought another kind of food. This new kind smelled like what I'd had before, or at least smelled like food to me, so I gobbled it up from its little container. Foster Mommy was so happy that I ate something, because I'm really skinny (and a bit dehydrated). Later on, I drank a lot more water, ate a lot more, and used the litter box, then curled up on a fabric-covered binder that I found on the floor.
Saturday, Foster Mommy and Foster Daddy each spent time with me. Foster Mommy especially spent a lot of time in the room, and she brought in her cereal. I'd never smelt it before, but her soymilk seemed yummy enough that I jumped up on the computer desk to try to steal it. She petted me, and I curled up in her lap for the first time and purred. When she came in again to type for longer, I hopped up again on her lap for more cuddles and petting. Today, I even sat on Foster Daddy's lap for a few minutes while he petted me.
Here is my description:
Female tortoiseshell/tabby (torbie), approximately 8 months old.
Left ear recently cut to mark her as a spayed feral.
Recently spayed.
Flinches when left ear tip or spay area is touched.
Loves to be petted and held, will let you pick her up by her front shoulders. Loves chin scritches and neck rubs.
Very talkative, wanting someone in the room with her all the time.
Hisses at the other cats when they peek under the door at her or put their paws under.
Was found in the vicinity of the Franz Bakery in Portland, OR, on 5/20/11. Had been hanging around for at least 2 weeks before she was caught. Was fixed within the last 2 months, probably.
I am definitely NOT feral!
No one has put up flyers or put ads in the paper or on websites about me, so I was probably written off as a feral.
If you or someone you know would like to adopt me, please leave a comment here so my foster parents can contact you. We are asking for a small adoption fee, the name of the vet you use, a brief history of your pet ownership, and (if you're in the area) a home visit where I would come to your home to meet you and check out the place for potential hazards (electrical wires, plastic bags, string, etc.) to see if I would be the right cat for you.
I'm only adoptable to an inside-only home. No more running the streets for me.
Here's a nice slideshow that Foster Mommy put together for me. Feel free to share it with any potential adopters.
