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Monty's Story

Monty's story as told by his foster parent Joe:

The first cat I ever liked was a big tuxedo so I have a weakness for them. I first saw Monty when he was carried into our adoption event in the arms of a young man late January 2003. He looked a bit scared. The man and his friend told me Monty's owner had to go into a nursing home due to Alzheimer's and her affairs were being handled by a lawyer. Monty's home and its furnishing were being sold so lots of strange people were going through his home. The lawyer had decided to put Monty down, because he was inconvenient  The man and his friend didn't want to see that happen. Unfortunately, all the RAIN foster homes, including mine, were full. I told them to bring him back next week with a letter from the lawyer surrendering him to us if possible. I worried all week that he might not make it back.

Next week they brought him back and I took him in. I brought him home and put the carrier in the spare bathroom with a litter box, food and water and opened it, which is my usual procedure. Most cats come out within an hour or so. However I couldn't find any evidence that Monty came out of the carrier for two days.   After that he spent most of his time in the sink for another week. By then I had the spare bedroom available and moved him in there. Every time I went in he was hiding under the bed, but came out to be petted. I got on the bed and he jumped up to give me head butts and rub against me. He continued to hid under the bed for about three weeks and then I found him on the bed when going in. 

After another week I let my Merlin into the room. Merlin thinks everyone is a friend so I always introduce him to newcomers first. Monty immediately hid. His medical records showed he was treated for cat bites when six months old so I guessed he was still suspicious of other cats. A few days later I left the bedroom door open to allow free access to the house for him and the bedroom for my crew. A couple of nights later I was awaken by a whining sound. Monty had come into the bedroom, however one of the cats was now between him and the door. I picked up the 'road block' and Monty hurried back to the bedroom. Over the next couple of weeks Monty became braver and would come into the bedroom during the day to get up in my lap.

I started bringing him up to adoption events to be adopted in late March. Everyone liked him, but no one wanted to take him home. Since many people like the little kittens I would bring up kittens for adoption instead of Monty if I had some. There is only so much space to show the cats and kittens grow fast, whereas Monty wasn't going to get any bigger. Sometimes I would put Monty on a leash and put him in a cart and ride him around the store. He preferred that to being in a cage.

By June, Monty was completely comfortable in the house. He slept on the bed with the other cats and was even grooming and being groomed by some of them. All I had to do was sit down to watch TV and he was right in my lap, purring, giving head butts and wanting his head and ears scratched. Whenever someone came to the house Monty came to greet them. No more hiding for him.

Then Monty got his own kitten. A little orange and white nine week old kitten came into an adoption event and I took her as a foster. Alexis was a little doll and when she was released from her ten day isolation she went right into the bedroom with all the 'big' kids, got up on the bed and curled up next Monty as if she had always done so. They had never seen each other, but were instant friends. Monty would groom her and they slept together. Check out their pictures here. It was a short two week friendship. Alexis, being a cute kitten, was adopted her first weekend at Petsupermarket. I had put them in the same cage together hoping they would be adopted together but it wasn't meant to be. That was the middle of July.

Then came the e-mail. I had started worrying that the wrong person might adopt Monty. Then I got an email from someone who saw him on petfinder.com. They wanted to know some more about him. I was happy that one of the woman's first concerns was 'would he be happy inside'. That meant she wouldn't let him go outside and get hurt. I told her they could come over to my house to see him. The woman brought her husband and two boys to see him. They loved him immediately and I liked them too. Monty is making himself at home and is much loved. I got to save the life of a wonderful cat and enrich a family's life too.

E-mail from Monty's new forever family:

Joe,

Thank you for sharing this with us.  Mr. Mont (as we call him since he's such a gentleman) is
such a love muffin (this is what I call him being his Mom).  He seems to be feeling much more
comfortable now in his new home.  He's starting to greet us sometimes at the door and sleeps on
our pillows on our bed.

We have a nightly ritual where I pull  his brush out of the drawer.  I call him for his brushing
and he jumps up on the couch where he sits on my lap.  He seems to like having his belly brushed
which I found surprising.  He gets lots of kisses from all of us and at times, gives them back.

I truly can't thank you enough for letting us take Monty to our home.  He is such a joy.  The
first thing we all do when we get home at night is look for the 'baby' as he is referred to. 
After all, aren't all cats 'babies' as they need a human to take care of them.  We are lucky and
blessed to have Monty with us.

Karen

Original on-line write-up:

LS Looking for GH*

I’m Monty. I’m very confused. I was living with a nice lady until she became sick and had to go into a nursing home. She doesn't know what is happening to her or me. People started coming at all times to look at her house and I became scared. The lawyer handling her affairs wanted to put me to sleep. I like to cat nap, but I'm too young to go to sleep. Luckily some nice people knew about me and brought me to RAIN.  When I arrived at my foster home I was so scared that I hid for several days, barely coming out to eat and use the litter box. I'm more comfortable now like to cuddle, have my head scratched, ears rubbed and purr. I'm suspicious of other cats (I was attacked by some when I was a kitten) so it takes me a while to trust them. I would love to find a good home that I can take care of.  In my tuxedo I will always be properly dressed. I'm a big boy. I weigh 17 pounds, all muscle, just like Arnold Schwarzenegger. I was born July 1999. *Lost Soul looking for Good Home
MAJOR LAP CAT !!!!! BIG PURRS TOO!!

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