Wednesday's Waif: Trinity

"Pleased to meet you! My name is Trinity, and I think it's because I only have three legs."

 "I'm missing my back right leg, but it doesn't get me down at all! I'm a beautiful dilute torbie girl, which means I have both tortoiseshell and tabby markings. (Get it? Tortie + Tabby = Torbie!)

I also have super soft fur, beautiful golden eyes and one of the sweetest faces around. People here at Wayside describe me as an active, friendly kitty who loves being talked to and petted and has a wonderful purr."

We Tripod girls love to participate in Boxing, too! I'm Expert Level!

"I was adopted from Wayside once before, but I did not get along well with the other cats and the dog in the home. Also, I can get a little nippy when the sides of my back are touched. So it's best if I go to a calm, quiet home with no children under 7, and I would love to be the only pet!

At 10 years of age, I'm right in my prime. I'm past all the silly kitten stuff, which means I will be a stable, loving companion. My Felineality personality assessment is Personal Assistant. That means I'm moderately brave in new situations, and I'm very people-oriented.

Whatever you're doing around the house, whether you're cooking dinner or watching TV, I will be right by your side, ready to lend a lovely paw.

If you're looking for a sweet, gentle girl with a lot of love to give, come to Wayside and ask for Trinity, won't you?

Purrs,
Trinity"

Trinity is available at Allie's Alma Mater, Wayside Waifs.

Shelter Sweetie #SundaySelfie: Flopsy

"Hi there! I'm Flopsy. I'm pretty darn adorable, aren't I?
I know, I know. I hear it all the time. It hasn't gone to my head though.
I'm as sweet as anycat could be."

"You'll no doubt notice that I start my purr motor the second you say hello to me.
No one knows how I got separated from my family, but I was obviously very loved by someone. I have such great lovey kitty skills!

I've been through a lot of challenges, but I'm so grateful that I wound up here at Great Plains where they take such fantastic care of animals."

"What you'll notice first is I'm missing one of my hind legs. It was badly injured and the docs here knew I'd get along better without it.

Us tripods learn to get along just fine though. Unfortunately, due to some other conditions (that have all been treated by the great docs here), I wasn't able to get as much exercise as I should have after my surgery.

I need to find a family who will be patient with me and help me gain my strength back.

I promise that I'll pay you back with lots and lots of love. And cuteness.
Did you notice how cute I am?!?!
Come visit me soon and let's get acquainted!

Purrs,
Flopsy"

Flopsy's available at the Merriam Campus of Great Plains SPCA today!

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Sunday's Shelter Sweetie: Camila

"You know that great feeling when you know somebody loves you? That's just what I need, because I'm a really good kitty who loves to be loved.

My name is Camila, and I'm looking for my special person - the one who can give me my forever home."

"A very kind person brought me in to Great Plains after she found me wandering outside. I was in a lot of pain at that time, because I hurt by back leg a while before that. But the Great Plains staff has taken such good care of me. I've been here a while, but that's only because they're getting me ready for my forever home.

You see, I have a few special things about me. First, as I mentioned, I had a hurt back leg. Well, that's not a problem anymore because I am now what all the staff and volunteers affectionately call a tripod! I had my leg amputated in April, and now I have no problem hopping around!

I'm also special because when I came in, the staff noticed I was having trouble seeing. Since then, I've lost most of my vision. But, if you watch me explore a new place, you'd never know the difference!

They call me the biscuit maker because that is my BEST talent. Whether I'm making biscuits on you or in the air, it's my favorite thing in the world to do. The best times are when I'm getting petted or held - then I'll make biscuits all day long for you!

My foster mom says I'm the sweetest kitty she's ever met. I take that as quite the compliment! Speaking of petting, you'll notice I have beautiful long fur - it might look black to you, but I assure you, I've got style in my fur. It's an ombre of colors - starting with a smoky black around my face and transitioning in to a chocolaty brown near my belly.

I am very beautiful if I do say so myself! So what do ya think? I'm a pretty great catch - especially if you're looking for a cuddly loving experienced girl. Don't let my special traits stop you from meeting me! Now that they're all taken care of, I'm just like any other kitty - waiting for my forever family."

We love differently-abled cats like Camilla and we're purring she finds her forever home very soon.



Camilla is available at the Merriam Campus of Great Plains SPCA!

Wednesday's Waif: Ramona

"Meow there! My name is Little Ramona, but I have a great big personality! I'm what's known in Felineality circles as a Leader of the Band -- a bold, confident cat who loves people and adventure."

"I'm a very pretty brown and black tabby kitty with super soft fur.

I was transferred to Wayside from another shelter that was out of space. When I came to Wayside, I was in pretty bad shape. I had a terrible upper respiratory infection, which, thankfully, is now cured.

Also, my left front leg was severely atrophied and was hurting me. I must have badly injured it at some point. The vets here at Wayside decided it would be best to amputate it. So now I'm a three-legged kitty.

It hasn't gotten me down at all. In fact, I still love to play with toys, even with just one front paw. People here at Wayside say I'm playful, affectionate, and a "real sweetheart."

I've also been told I have an indomitable spirit. If you're looking for a sweet, beautiful friend who'll help you keep your sunny side up even when life gives you rain clouds, come to Wayside and meet me, Little Ramona!

Love, LR"

Some people might think our little girl here is less adoptable because she's a tripod kitty, but we think that's rubbish.

Differently-abled kitties like our girl here are very special, and we're looking for someone equally special to adopt her.

Are you the one? She's waiting at Allie's Alma Mater, Wayside Waifs.

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Thanks to you, A Tonk's Tail is up for the Petties' Funniest Blog Award!

Winning would mean $1,000 for the cats of Great Plains SPCA.
Their numbers are creeping up to 800 - and they are running out of supplies.

You have our heartfelt thanks!

Sunday's Shelter Sweetheart: Eliza

"My name is Eliza!

Yes, like the Eliza Doolittle character in "My Fair Lady."

I'll bet you know that story, where a Cockney flower girl gets a totally awesome makeover and is transformed into a elegant young lady. Well, I've been feeling a bit like Eliza Doolittle lately."

"You see, awhile back, I somehow found myself alone on the streets. OK, they were the streets of Lenexa, not London, but still, pretty scary for a little cutie like me!

And just like Eliza Doolittle, I was trying to get by as best I could, but it wasn't easy. Then, fortune struck! I was rescued and brought to Great Plains SPCA.

Wow, you should see this place! It's like a palace--warm cushy beds, yummy treats, toys galore! Then one day as I was playing with my new friends here (have I mentioned how much I LOVE to play?), I jumped down from a high counter and hurt my leg.

The vets took a look at it and, lo and behold, I had something called a chronic fracture. That leg was just never going to heal right and would always give me lots of pain. The best thing to do was to amputate--so now I am a three-legged cat. Quite a transformation, wouldn't you agree?

Well, believe me, it's all for the best! Now I can run and jump and play without pain just like all the other kitties.

I'm a young girl, and I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to play!

I'm also very friendly and funny, too. I'm energetic and a bit of a clown (or so they say). To tell you the truth, I feel quite elegant now, just like Eliza Doolittle.

I have beautiful silky black fur, gorgeous eyes and a sweet, loving purr-sonality! But most of all, just like Eliza Doolittle, I have a huge heart filled with love.

Now all I need is my happily ever after ending---a true forever home to call my own. I just know there's someone out there who could love a friendly, frisky, little black cat like me even though I do just have three legs.

And when that special someone finally finds me, I'm going to "dance, dance, daaaaance all night " ... with joy!

Love, Eliza"


The adorable Miss Doolittle is available at the Merriam Campus of Great Plains SPCA. Come meet Eliza today!

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Less Adoptable: Tigger the Tripod

Today's blog is written by guest blogger, Jeane Ann Baumgartner. This is Tigger's story. This is her story, too. Enjoy...and have a tissue handy!

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This post is #12 in a series. You can read post #1 at Sebastian's blog, www.seabasscat.com.

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Two weeks had gone by since we had lost our cat Junior. The house was sad and empty and I couldn't stand being home. We started our search for a new male kitten less than 48 hours after our loss. My husband patiently took me from shelter to shelter but I wasn't making that connection. I wasn't ready.

My Dad called me one evening to let me know there was a kitten in the Kansas City Star that needed adoption. My Mom had been worrying about his chances all day because he only had three legs. I immediately felt an obligation to this cat. How could I not rescue the crippled cat?

Baby Tigger
(photo: Jeane Ann Baumgartner)

I looked up the shelter's website and was instantly disappointed because the first cat I pulled up was the one I wanted. I had found our next family member and I couldn't have him because I needed to save the kitty with the missing leg. I looked closer at the sweet face and saw some black stitches where a front leg should be.

This WAS the crippled kitty. I read that he was a Manx. A Manx is a wonderful breed and that meant that he was missing more than a leg, he was missing a tail as well.


My husband and I went into planning mode before we went to meet him the next day. We prepared our guest bathroom where we would keep him the first few nights. We devised a plan for ramps to be built along the wall of our stairs. My husband would have built anything on those steps to make me smile again. I was taking the loss of Junior hard.  


I look back on that night now and laugh. One of the first things Tigger did when we brought him home was hop down those stairs. Ramps not included. Tigger pretty much hops wherever he likes. As a younger cat he would get himself in trouble by getting up where he couldn't get down. 

Tigger in his new home
(photo: Jeane Ann Baumgartner)

  

We've installed our "Save the Leg" Campaign all over our home. Losing a front leg is the hardest for a four legged animal to overcome because it affects their balance. Our campaign generally consists of some doggy stairs and foot rests placed throughout the house so he can get down from places without a crash landing.

Tigger prefers a food bowl where he can rest his stump while he eats. When we put him down we place back feet first. He needs a little extra help bathing. His feline brother and sister help him with the right side of his face and some personal areas that need extra attention. Pet wipes handle the rest. 

Tripods have to keep their weight in check so we offered up a baby brother to help him exercise and I keep an eye on his food intake. What strikes me most often is that I forget his disability unless he is hamming up his Tiny Tim impression.

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Adopting Tigger has shown me that good can come from bad. We have a deal. He doesn't have to be glad he lost his leg, and I don't have to be glad we lost Junior. Without both events we wouldn't have found each other. I can't imagine my life now without this joyful creature.

I hope you can offer an animal with special needs a home. My wish is that you forget their disability as well and focus on what they add to your life, not what they have lost.