Here’s How Awesome It Can Be To Adopt A Shelter Pet

It's been a couple months since I had to have my orange tabby, Raw, put down.  I suddenly learned his kidneys had shut down, and I had had him since before my kids or even my wife.  At one time, it was just me and him in my apartment.

Someone told me recently that the best way to honor my little buddy's memory is to adopt another cat.  Yesterday, I did that.  And it was my wife and girls' first-ever cat adoption, so they are really excited.

We started at the Larimer Humane Shelter.  They have a few cats, but they also have just pictures of other cats that they have at places like Petsmart in Loveland.  I had to be a little picky.  I would like another male cat, because Raw was the only other guy in our house, out of five humans, two dogs, and two cats.  I mean, come on, I need some backup here!  I would also like the guy to go outside and enjoy the sunshine, because that's just fun.

Although there was a cat we really liked at the shelter, we went to Petsmart to see what they had there.  Now, it was between two, as we had now discovered this long-haired "Tuxedo" cat (I just learned that is an actual breed!)

We had to introduce both to the kids, to make sure all was good there.  When we went back to the shelter to do that, that cat had already been adopted!  So that made the decision easy.  It's perfect anyway, because in our house, we are always making our "serious" faces, oftentimes with the aid of a fake mustache.  And, since this guy has one, his name is now 'Stache.

I just hope our longtime cat, Arrow, warms up to him.  So far it's been all attitude.  But is that really surprising?

Petsmart also has pets from Animal Rescue of the Rockies, and that's where 'Stache came from, via another shelter in New Mexico.  Poor guy.  He must wonder what his life even is right now.  Little does he know, his ship has come in at last.  Kind of like our own lives sometimes!  (That's as deep as I'll get here.)

Filling out the paperwork from ARR?  You would think we were buying a house!  But, at least they care about putting these animals in good homes.  I hear it's about a 10-minute process with Larimer Humane.

One last thing that is super heartwarming:  'Stache is 8 years old.  He had been locked up for well over two weeks.  Everyone wants kitties and puppies, but few want the elders.  We are honored to give this guy another chance at life.  We did the same with our two dogs whom, for various reasons, were doomed as well.  I look at them every day and wonder how someone could let them go.  But their loss is our gain!