2024 Feline Birthday & Gotcha Day!

[tarasgirl06]

And here's a long-ago Gotcha Day - 3rd December 1974 was the day I got my first cat. Fifty years ago today! Cindy was about three months old and dumped in our back yard. I was eleven. These blurry pics are the only halfway decent ones I have of her - the rest would be in the photo albums I gave to Mum when she moved into care. These were taken on my first camera, a very cheap little plastic thing. (Btw AI "enhancement" did nothing to improve them.) Cindy crossed the bridge when she was fourteen.

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Beautiful Cindy! I love to hear about beloved cats in members' past. I was literally conceived, born and raised "with cat" and there has hardly been a day spent without their company. I've got lots of 35mm and even more primitive catpix. Have scanned a few, but there are probably thousands. Haven't kept track of special days, though, as every day with cats is so special for me. I really don't know how I'd get through life without the unconditional loyalty, love, beauty, grace, camaraderie, empathy and so much more, that they bring to me.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Beautiful Cindy! I love to hear about beloved cats in members' past. I was literally conceived, born and raised "with cat" and there has hardly been a day spent without their company. I've got lots of 35mm and even more primitive catpix. Have scanned a few, but there are probably thousands. Haven't kept track of special days, though, as every day with cats is so special for me. I really don't know how I'd get through life without the unconditional loyalty, love, beauty, grace, camaraderie, empathy and so much more, that they bring to me.

I agree with every word! I too came into the world with a cat in it - Sooty, the first cat (bought as a kitten for my sister, I think). Then when I was about six came Sheba, a darling tuxie dumped over the back fence - so small her eyes were still blue. Then Cindy, and Abbey, and Thomas (all dumped/abandoned), and the shelter ones - Mamie, Magnus, Katie, Freya, Maddie, Phoebe and Daisy, and our one feral, Mum's darling boy Hadji, barely a month old when Mum rescued him from a car park. I dread the day when I'm no longer able to care for cats.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I agree with every word! I too came into the world with a cat in it - Sooty, the first cat (bought as a kitten for my sister, I think). Then when I was about six came Sheba, a darling tuxie dumped over the back fence - so small her eyes were still blue. Then Cindy, and Abbey, and Thomas (all dumped/abandoned), and the shelter ones - Mamie, Magnus, Katie, Freya, Maddie, Phoebe and Daisy, and our one feral, Mum's darling boy Hadji, barely a month old when Mum rescued him from a car park. I dread the day when I'm no longer able to care for cats.

I think that's a spectre in every cat lover's life. But I've learned to plan for the future for my loved ones in the best possible ways, and then, to live each day as if it's the only day. Everything is SO uncertain in these times that for me, this is the only way I can navigate through it all, with my spiritual strength, logic, and all of the loving memories and wise life lessons of extended family (human and feline). My first big brofur was 3 when I came along, and had been rescued from the streets by my parents. Our second guy was found in the street beside his mom, who was the victim of a hit-and-run driver. He was a little kitten and extremely ferocious; but he and my big brofur got along very well. Those two guys were part of our family when I was growing up. They were so different in character, and both loved and cherished by us. The ferocious kitten grew up to be a fearless warrior and defender against all humans (i.e., my mom) who dared to invade his lizard patch (the "back 40") of our yard, where the clothesline was and where lizards could sometimes be found sans tails. The tails grew back if the lizards were lucky enough to escape the jaws of the mighty lizard-vanquishing monster. My mom could often be seen with blood running down her legs after one of these episodes. Of course no questions were asked. We knew exactly what had happened.

 

[neely]

A very Happy 4th Gotcha Day to the lovely Miss Daisy!

Happy 2nd Gotcha Day and many, many more to sweet Long Legs!

 

[Antonio65]

Wednesday, December 11th, 2019, five years ago.
It was a Wednesday as it is today. It was a freezing cold day, unlike today (sunny and 50°F).
It's the day when I rescued two kittens with my trap cage and took them to the local shelter. One of them came home with me two days later.
She was named Giada, though I decided that this had to be her name since the day before the rescue, when I first saw her.
Happy Gotcha Day, my dear Giada

Giada (left) and her little brother on the day I rescued them, in the trap cage.

Giada at home, a very few weeks ago.

 

[DeesCats]

Happy 5th Gotcha Day anniversary to Giada! Such a pretty cat with her markings and green eyes.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Wednesday, December 11th, 2019, five years ago.
It was a Wednesday as it is today. It was a freezing cold day, unlike today (sunny and 50°F).
It's the day when I rescued two kittens with my trap cage and took them to the local shelter. One of them came home with me two days later.
She was named Giada, though I decided that this had to be her name since the day before the rescue, when I first saw her.
Happy Gotcha Day, my dear Giada

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Giada (left) and her little brother on the day I rescued them, in the trap cage.

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Giada at home, a very few weeks ago.

Happy Big Fifth Adoptiversary to you, Giada! *and I pray your brofur found his loving permanent person/family/home very quickly!*

 

[rubysmama]

Happy Gotcha Day Giada

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Wednesday, December 11th, 2019, five years ago.
It was a Wednesday as it is today. It was a freezing cold day, unlike today (sunny and 50°F).
It's the day when I rescued two kittens with my trap cage and took them to the local shelter. One of them came home with me two days later.
She was named Giada, though I decided that this had to be her name since the day before the rescue, when I first saw her.
Happy Gotcha Day, my dear Giada

View attachment 490179
Giada (left) and her little brother on the day I rescued them, in the trap cage.

View attachment 490180
Giada at home, a very few weeks ago.

Happy Gotcha Day, Giada!

 

[Lari]

Happy Gotcha Day to Giada!

 

[IzzysfureverMom]

Happy Gotcha Day to beautiful Giada

 

[Alldara]

Wednesday, December 11th, 2019, five years ago.
It was a Wednesday as it is today. It was a freezing cold day, unlike today (sunny and 50°F).
It's the day when I rescued two kittens with my trap cage and took them to the local shelter. One of them came home with me two days later.
She was named Giada, though I decided that this had to be her name since the day before the rescue, when I first saw her.
Happy Gotcha Day, my dear Giada

View attachment 490179
Giada (left) and her little brother on the day I rescued them, in the trap cage.

View attachment 490180
Giada at home, a very few weeks ago.

So beautiful. You can see how well your ove and care impacted her positively.

 

[neely]

Happy Gotcha Day, Giada! A bittersweet memory of a sweet and gentle soul.

 

[Antonio65]

Happy Big Fifth Adoptiversary to you, Giada! *and I pray your brofur found his loving permanent person/family/home very quickly!*

Actually I lost trace of Giada's siblings. They were two girls and two boys.
She came home with me two days later. Her siblings were all adopted within the following two or three weeks. I lost traces of the boys, the other girl was returned to the shelter five months later because of her very bad character. She died two years later to a sudden hemolytic anemia.
Giada's parents are at the shelter as well, they are doing great!

 

[Antonio65]

Happy 5th Gotcha Day anniversary to Giada! Such a pretty cat with her markings and green eyes.

Thank you D DeesCats , lots of people say she has beautiful eyes
Her mother's eyes are even greener.

 

[Antonio65]

My Giada's parents, currently at the shelter:

Bonnie, mother. She has wonderful very green eyes.

Clyde, father

 

[tarasgirl06]

My Giada's parents, currently at the shelter:
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Bonnie, mother. She has wonderful very green eyes.

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Clyde, father

Yes, I remember about Giada Gone too soon. But you will reunite in due time. I am glad her siblings were adopted. I'd be applying to adopt Bonnie & Clyde!!!

 

[iPappy]

Happy Gotcha Day to the beautiful Giada!

 

[Antonio65]

Yes, I remember about Giada Gone too soon. But you will reunite in due time. I am glad her siblings were adopted. I'd be applying to adopt Bonnie & Clyde!!!

Actually Giada is still here with me, healthy and happy. She's 5 years and 4 months old now.
Her parents, though, can't be adopted out, they are far from friendly

 

[tarasgirl06]

Actually Giada is still here with me, healthy and happy. She's 5 years and 4 months old now.
Her parents, though, can't be adopted out, they are far from friendly

Oh, my error -- sorry! and I am glad Giada is well, safe, and loved. Her parents are beautiful and may they always be safe and well cared for as well.