My Cat's 3rd Birthday - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Passionfruition · 04-03-2005, 10:39 PM

OFF TOPIC, I know.
http://img151.exs.cx/img151/6184/pennybday9tn.gif

April 1st was my himalayan cat Penny's 3rd birthday. I made her a blinkie, and thought I'd share her story of her TERRIBLE breeder!

(If you are able to read all of this, thank you very much, LOL.)

My Penny was born April 1, 2002, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Penny's mom was himalayan, and her dad was mostly siamese.

(A few days earlier, I had found her listing for himalayan kittens in the Knoxville newspaper and called the number given and arranged to come visit them on June 12th, early afternoon.)

Their house was in a really poor, run-down area of East Knoxville. When I pulled into their driveway, their yard was unkempt, the paint on the outside of their house was chipping off and the wood on their porch was warped. I became a little worried. Little did I know, that wasn't even the start of it.

She greeted me at the door, pulling the cigarette out of her mouth and shaking my hand with the 'other' three fingers of the same cigarette-holding hand. (I obliged, but only because I really-really wanted a kitten.) (And not just any kitten! Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted a long haired calico cat of my own.) When I called the lady earlier that week on the phone, she assured me that she had one long-haired calico kitten and that she'd hold her for me to adopt.

WELL - Before I was able to walk through her front doorway, I got a huge whiff of the smell of her house: urine! It reaked so bad that it made me sick to my stomach. The smell was no wonder....this woman had more cats than carpet!

She introduced me to her cats first - the mommies and daddies of all the rest of the kittens underfoot. There were at least 8 full-grown cats that I saw, and each of these had been recently bred. I'm not kidding when I say there were literally kittens eev-ery-whereeee!

But eev-ery-whereeee I looked, I didn't see a calico kitten! Crazy Cat Lady (CCL) began to explain to me which of the kittens I was allowed to choose from, etc. I reminded her that I came for the calico one. She immediately gave me a look of disappointment, though told me she remembered and went to go find "Esther," the calico kitten. I sat down on the couch to wait for her.

As I waited, I noticed that all along the walls of her house, behind the couch, etc.....was cat poop. Cat poop eev-ery-whereeee. I'm sure if the house didn't reak so bad of urine that I might have been able to smell the cat poop better but either way it was GROSS! I can still remember exactly what her house looked and smelled like and the kittens and the poop.....nastiness.

Crazy Cat Lady (CCL) returned and informed me that she's sorry, but she couldn't find "Esther." Well, I wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer! I told her that I was very interested in that kitten and that I would be happy to wait for her to turn up (in the house, somewhere). CCL then brought out a huge bag of catnip and dumped it in the middle of the living room floor!

So, by this time, I'm just a *wee* bit freaked out. And if it couldn't get worse....her husband comes out from the next room...smoking through a hole in his neck! (I'm not even kidding here!) He steps around all the cats and kittens and goes out ot sit on the rickety front porch swing.

By the time I turned back around, kittens were coming out of the woodwork! Out of every room in the house came more kittens than I could have existed even at the humane society! They were mewing and play-fighting with each other....and were very cute....but I wanted a long-haired calico one and was willing to wait!

No calico kitten, still. I was beginning to wonder if she'd told me a lie just to get me interested in one of her other million cats. I sat back down on her couch and kindly asked her to look again for "Esther." (By the fact that the Crazy Cat Lady had already NAMED her, it's easy to assume she was trying to keep her for herself.....like she needed another cat, bah!)

Mind you, her house was such a wreck that even I had a hard time getting around, even after stepping over all the kittens.) Two minutes later, CCL emerged from the extra room adjoining the kitchen....holding the cutest little calico kitten I've ever seen! CCL reluctantly handed the kitten to me. I smiled as I admired my 'new baby' and told the lady that I definitely wanted to take her home.

The CCL told me that I then owed her $30. WHAT? Thirty dollars for a mixed-breed cat who had never been to the vet? There was free listings in the paper that week for tons of other "free kittens" ads. Why must she try to charge me $30??? But I couldn't just walk away. This kitten was meant to be. Plus, I wasn't going to leave my dream kitten with the CCL?!

I looked into my wallet, but all I had was a $20. I offered it to her with a promise that the kitten would have the best home ever! Frustrated, CCL suggested that I mail her the last $10. She discussed this over with her husband, still on the front porch swing, and we all agreed that it was a deal. As I walked with the kitten out to my car, CCL tearfully "confided" in me that her husband had just just been informed by the doctors that he has 6 months to live and that if I could spare any extra money....

"Oh boy," I thought. I kindly wished her and her husband the best, thanked her for her "good care" of my new kitten and drove the 25 minutes back to my new apartment. I really did have every intention of mailing her that 10 dollars....hmph, but I never got around to it. Oh well.

That first night, she purred and slept on the corner of my pillow all night with me! I always think that she must be really grateful to me for rescuing her from the Crazy Cat Lady!

I named her Penny Lane, of course, after the famous Beatles song. I also really liked the "Pretty Penny" song by the Stone Temple Pilots - and decided that was two reasons I had to go with that name!

Itspuppyluv · 04-03-2005, 11:13 PM

Happy Birthday Penny. She is so pretty.
That is crazy. I don't know how anyone can live in those conditions. Poor cats. I just learned from Animal Cops that one female cat and her offspring can have 400,000 kittens in seven years.

aimee · 04-04-2005, 04:48 AM

Wow - what a story! Happy Birthday Penny

rrosenberry · 04-04-2005, 05:45 AM

What an entertaining story! LOL @ more cats than carpet! I've always been a "CAT PERSON" until I got Bailey.. now I dont know what to say I am?! ha
I can appreciate your story,, we also have a CCL in our town,, it is CREEPY!
Happy Birthday.... to your baby! My cats 7th birthday was on Easter.

YappyScrappy · 04-04-2005, 08:10 AM

I don't think I would have even pulled up in the driveway...yuck....Happy Birthday to Penny, anyhow...that reminds me of when we went to get Ruby (just over three weeks ago) and our mapquest directions sent my husband and I to a hud housing project...two white Suburbanites in a nice car...I was like "no way I'm getting out"...I did not feel safe...anyhow, I called Ruby's mom on the mobile phone...turns out we were off by miles and miles.... dumb old mapquest...it was a NE - NW mixup...anyhow, the family was nice and we are so happy with her!!

whispersmom2 · 07-22-2005, 01:48 PM

BLESS YOUR HEART FOR STICKING TO YOUR GUNS!!!!!!! BTW, have you ever talked with the CCL? How is her hubby doing? Probably had a big case of LUNG cancer due to his smoking and hers. Your poor baby might have been sick too if it had stayed there longer..
I have a sorta friend whose neighbors called the Animal Control and the health dept because her house is in such bad repain and she has a bezillion cats. She does not drive and when one of her friends takes her somewhere, he car has to be deodorized. Anyhow, AC trapped 27 cats ALL FIV positive. Next day 7 more. There is still an unknown number of cats and kittens. This woman is well-educated-a MS nurse!! The cats are her family and she is grieving so much because her oldest male cat is her son and she is so afraid they will take him. They AC said she could keep 7. Her cats are beautiful-Siamese and Himmie blue, lavender and flame points.. It is so sad that they will have to be put down because of their FIV status.
Okay, I have managed to make y'all sad, but bottom line is that Penny Lane is safe and making you happy. Give her hugs for me.. And, tell her Happy Birthday!

MeganS · 07-22-2005, 02:14 PM

What a story!!!!! that is the strangest adoption story i've ever ehard. Penny is GEORGEOUS!!! she looks kind of like my cat smokey, but he's all balck and penny is multi coloured. here's a pic of smokey. (he thinks he's a dog) its not the best pic. but the only one i have on the digital.

txshopper73 · 07-22-2005, 02:31 PM

Penny is beautiful! I don't understand how people can live like that. GROSS! At least you have a beautiful girl for your troubles. I would have turned them in...personally! Poor kitties!

rachelfraim · 07-22-2005, 02:33 PM

Happy 3rd Birthday, Penny!!!! What a CUTE picture & a great (but sad) story. I'm sure Penny is thankful that you stuck to your guns about getting her & ONLY HER! She is beautiful!!!

04-03-2005, 10:39 PM	#1
Passionfruition Proud of my Sully! Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: beautiful CHARLESTON, S.C. Posts: 5,454	My Cat's 3rd Birthday OFF TOPIC, I know. http://img151.exs.cx/img151/6184/pennybday9tn.gif April 1st was my himalayan cat Penny's 3rd birthday. I made her a blinkie, and thought I'd share her story of her TERRIBLE breeder! (If you are able to read all of this, thank you very much, LOL.) My Penny was born April 1, 2002, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Penny's mom was himalayan, and her dad was mostly siamese. (A few days earlier, I had found her listing for himalayan kittens in the Knoxville newspaper and called the number given and arranged to come visit them on June 12th, early afternoon.) Their house was in a really poor, run-down area of East Knoxville. When I pulled into their driveway, their yard was unkempt, the paint on the outside of their house was chipping off and the wood on their porch was warped. I became a little worried. Little did I know, that wasn't even the start of it. She greeted me at the door, pulling the cigarette out of her mouth and shaking my hand with the 'other' three fingers of the same cigarette-holding hand. (I obliged, but only because I really-really wanted a kitten.) (And not just any kitten! Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted a long haired calico cat of my own.) When I called the lady earlier that week on the phone, she assured me that she had one long-haired calico kitten and that she'd hold her for me to adopt. WELL - Before I was able to walk through her front doorway, I got a huge whiff of the smell of her house: urine! It reaked so bad that it made me sick to my stomach. The smell was no wonder....this woman had more cats than carpet! She introduced me to her cats first - the mommies and daddies of all the rest of the kittens underfoot. There were at least 8 full-grown cats that I saw, and each of these had been recently bred. I'm not kidding when I say there were literally kittens eev-ery-whereeee! But eev-ery-whereeee I looked, I didn't see a calico kitten! Crazy Cat Lady (CCL) began to explain to me which of the kittens I was allowed to choose from, etc. I reminded her that I came for the calico one. She immediately gave me a look of disappointment, though told me she remembered and went to go find "Esther," the calico kitten. I sat down on the couch to wait for her. As I waited, I noticed that all along the walls of her house, behind the couch, etc.....was cat poop. Cat poop eev-ery-whereeee. I'm sure if the house didn't reak so bad of urine that I might have been able to smell the cat poop better but either way it was GROSS! I can still remember exactly what her house looked and smelled like and the kittens and the poop.....nastiness. Crazy Cat Lady (CCL) returned and informed me that she's sorry, but she couldn't find "Esther." Well, I wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer! I told her that I was very interested in that kitten and that I would be happy to wait for her to turn up (in the house, somewhere). CCL then brought out a huge bag of catnip and dumped it in the middle of the living room floor! So, by this time, I'm just a wee bit freaked out. And if it couldn't get worse....her husband comes out from the next room...smoking through a hole in his neck! (I'm not even kidding here!) He steps around all the cats and kittens and goes out ot sit on the rickety front porch swing. By the time I turned back around, kittens were coming out of the woodwork! Out of every room in the house came more kittens than I could have existed even at the humane society! They were mewing and play-fighting with each other....and were very cute....but I wanted a long-haired calico one and was willing to wait! No calico kitten, still. I was beginning to wonder if she'd told me a lie just to get me interested in one of her other million cats. I sat back down on her couch and kindly asked her to look again for "Esther." (By the fact that the Crazy Cat Lady* had already NAMED her, it's easy to assume she was trying to keep her for herself.....like she needed another cat, bah!)* Mind you, her house was such a wreck that even I had a hard time getting around, even after stepping over all the kittens.) Two minutes later, CCL emerged from the extra room adjoining the kitchen....holding the cutest little calico kitten I've ever seen! CCL reluctantly handed the kitten to me. I smiled as I admired my 'new baby' and told the lady that I definitely wanted to take her home. The CCL told me that I then owed her $30. WHAT? Thirty dollars for a mixed-breed cat who had never been to the vet? There was free listings in the paper that week for tons of other "free kittens" ads. Why must she try to charge me $30??? But I couldn't just walk away. This kitten was meant to be. Plus, I wasn't going to leave my dream kitten with the CCL?! I looked into my wallet, but all I had was a $20. I offered it to her with a promise that the kitten would have the best home ever! Frustrated, CCL suggested that I mail her the last $10. She discussed this over with her husband, still on the front porch swing, and we all agreed that it was a deal. As I walked with the kitten out to my car, CCL tearfully "confided" in me that her husband had just just been informed by the doctors that he has 6 months to live and that if I could spare any extra money.... "Oh boy," I thought. I kindly wished her and her husband the best, thanked her for her "good care" of my new kitten and drove the 25 minutes back to my new apartment. I really did have every intention of mailing her that 10 dollars....hmph, but I never got around to it. Oh well. That first night, she purred and slept on the corner of my pillow all night with me! I always think that she must be really grateful to me for rescuing her from the Crazy Cat Lady! I named her Penny Lane, of course, after the famous Beatles song. I also really liked the "Pretty Penny" song by the Stone Temple Pilots - and decided that was two reasons I had to go with that name! __________________ - - - - - - - - - - - - I love my Sully (the Wonderdog!)

04-03-2005, 11:13 PM	#2
Itspuppyluv Gus Is The Fuss Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 2,277	Happy Birthday Penny. She is so pretty. That is crazy. I don't know how anyone can live in those conditions. Poor cats. I just learned from Animal Cops that one female cat and her offspring can have 400,000 kittens in seven years. __________________ Erin & Gus Gus You lost me at stay! "He is a good heart and a kind soul, and an angel on four feet." MW

04-04-2005, 04:48 AM	#3
aimee The Royal Mommy Donating Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 2,010	Wow - what a story! Happy Birthday Penny __________________ (`'·.¸(`'·.¸ ¸.·'´)¸.·'´) «´¨ `·.¸¸.Aimée, Sandy, and Tia.¸¸.·´¨`» (¸.·'´(¸.·'´ `'·.¸)`'·.¸)

04-04-2005, 05:45 AM	#4
rrosenberry & Bailey & Bella Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,164	What an entertaining story! LOL @ more cats than carpet! I've always been a "CAT PERSON" until I got Bailey.. now I dont know what to say I am?! ha I can appreciate your story,, we also have a CCL in our town,, it is CREEPY! Happy Birthday.... to your baby! My cats 7th birthday was on Easter. __________________ Rhonda, Bailey, Josie and my angel Bella Rue' "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." ~Anatole France~

07-22-2005, 02:31 PM	#8
txshopper73 Donating YT 14K Club Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 14,226 Blog Entries: 1	Penny is beautiful! I don't understand how people can live like that. GROSS! At least you have a beautiful girl for your troubles. I would have turned them in...personally! Poor kitties! __________________ As always...JMO (Just My Opinion) Kimberley

04-04-2005, 08:10 AM	#5
YappyScrappy YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 370	I don't think I would have even pulled up in the driveway...yuck....Happy Birthday to Penny, anyhow...that reminds me of when we went to get Ruby (just over three weeks ago) and our mapquest directions sent my husband and I to a hud housing project...two white Suburbanites in a nice car...I was like "no way I'm getting out"...I did not feel safe...anyhow, I called Ruby's mom on the mobile phone...turns out we were off by miles and miles.... dumb old mapquest...it was a NE - NW mixup...anyhow, the family was nice and we are so happy with her!!

07-22-2005, 01:48 PM	#6
whispersmom2 Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: MD Posts: 2,985	BLESS YOUR HEART FOR STICKING TO YOUR GUNS!!!!!!! BTW, have you ever talked with the CCL? How is her hubby doing? Probably had a big case of LUNG cancer due to his smoking and hers. Your poor baby might have been sick too if it had stayed there longer.. I have a sorta friend whose neighbors called the Animal Control and the health dept because her house is in such bad repain and she has a bezillion cats. She does not drive and when one of her friends takes her somewhere, he car has to be deodorized. Anyhow, AC trapped 27 cats ALL FIV positive. Next day 7 more. There is still an unknown number of cats and kittens. This woman is well-educated-a MS nurse!! The cats are her family and she is grieving so much because her oldest male cat is her son and she is so afraid they will take him. They AC said she could keep 7. Her cats are beautiful-Siamese and Himmie blue, lavender and flame points.. It is so sad that they will have to be put down because of their FIV status. Okay, I have managed to make y'all sad, but bottom line is that Penny Lane is safe and making you happy. Give her hugs for me.. And, tell her Happy Birthday!

07-22-2005, 02:33 PM	#9
rachelfraim Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Edmond, Oklahoma Posts: 472	Happy 3rd Birthday, Penny!!!! What a CUTE picture & a great (but sad) story. I'm sure Penny is thankful that you stuck to your guns about getting her & ONLY HER! She is beautiful!!! __________________ Kodah, Stormy & Rachel Kodah pics!