The Goodbye Girls

On Saturday, I arrived at our rescue's adoption event with three little girls who were looking for their forever home.

They look thrilled to be there, don't they? This is their normal adoption event behavior. Snooze with their paws outside of the cage and pretend that they're not interested in meeting anyone.

"Princess Torii won't look at you. You don't look at Princess Torii. Then Princess Torii goes home and forgets she was ever here... Deal?"

Apparently, that deal was not to be honored this weekend. By the end of the afternoon, we had met a wonderful couple, approved an application, and on Sunday we said goodbye to Princess Torii.

Our pretty girl went to the perfect home with a mom and dad that love her very much and an older kitty to show her the ropes. 

We planned to complete the adoption during Sunday afternoon's store event. Normally, adoptions are emotional and seem to take forever to accomplish. Torii's went by in the blur, however. Within seconds of my arrival, (while I was still pushing a cart down a PetSmart aisle that contained a large carrier with three kittens inside, a tote bag full of their necessities, a camera bag, and a purse), I heard these incredible words: "This family is here to meet Garnet."

"Who, ME?"

This family had come to the store Saturday evening and explained to one of our volunteers that they were looking for an older tabby kitten to fill a void in their family. They had recently lost their tabby girl to cancer and both the family and their boy kitty were grieving and looking for companionship. The volunteer directed them to our blog, where they fell in love with Garnet.

They met Garnet and Belle, and a miracle happened. My normally brave and outgoing girl who turns frightened, nervous, and anti-social in the store was putty in their hands. She accepted attention, allowed herself to be held, even permitted being held on her back like a baby while getting her chin and belly rubbed. She not only allowed it, but she loved it. A match was made, an application was submitted, and Garnet will be going home to her new family on Monday. She will have a mom and dad, a human brother and sister, and a kitty brother who is waiting to romp and play with her.

While Garnet's new family was filling out their paperwork, another family arrived looking for a quieter, snuggly kitten to share their lives. They looked at some smaller, younger, and livelier kitties before setting their gaze on Belle.

They loved her markings, loved her quiet nature and soulful eyes, asked all of the right questions and (before I knew it) asked to fill out an application to adopt her. Before they left, they consulted every expert in the store, filled up a cart with items just for her, and went on their way home to prepare a special room for her arrival. When Belle goes home on Monday, she will have her own mom and dad, two human sisters and a human brother. She will be an only kitty, which just might be the perfect situation in which our quieter, shyer sister can brightly shine.

It's amazing how the universe sends the right people at the right time. While it seemed these girls had been with us for far too long, it was simply because their families hadn't been looking for them yet. 

We still have Garnet and Belle in the house for one more night, so we'll be doing lots of snuggling, playing, and celebrating before we send them on their way. 

This little girl moves into the main house where she belongs on Monday night.

Fosterless? Perhaps. Perhaps not, though. Stay tuned.