The Tails of Once Stray Cats.

all species need love.
big or small.
black or white.
furry or hypoallergenic.

this weekend, i spent the morning giving love to furry orphan kitties. some were scratchy, some were shy, some were loving, some were scared, some were healthy, some were lucky to be alive. but all were worth loving. i haven't really been around cats in my life, mostly because growing up we mostly had aquarium animals like fish and turtles. in high school, we got Lucky from the OC Shelter and had dogs for the first time. the first pug entered my life in graduate school and that's when i knew i would be a dog person for life. when i was living with dkf back home, he inherited his sister's cat, who i named Penelope. she was one of the coolest cats i had ever known, and one of the few. she's the first cat that made me begin to appreciate the idiosyncrasies and doglike-ness of cats.

we took a 45 minute van ride out to Bao Shan, on the outskirts of shanghai on sunday morning. when we got there, we entered a shack house in the middle of the countryside, right behind a military facility. there we encountered 4-5 stray dogs that were taken in by the owners but were originally strung out to die, said the owners. i was sad that we were not able to play with them b/c most did not seem socialized. there were 2 pekingnese and some larger dogs. then we entered the cat area. there were at least 100 cats there, we were told. the man who lived there began taking in cats but could not resist taking in more and more of them. so he ended up with a patio, 3 rooms and a loft full of cats. many were so dirty, a contrast to the neat freak nature of cats. most had colds and were sneezing the whole time, with snot on their noses. they loved to bask in the sun, their eyes closed, their bodies sprawled out, smiling. it was so adorable. many crawled up on people's laps and looked right at home. some scratched me when i tried to pet them or groom them or just wanted to sharpen their claws. some ran away as i approached. they came in all different shapes and sizes and species and had different faces. they each had their own character. if each cat could tell his/her story, what an interesting book that would make..The Tails of Once Stray Cats. oh but it smelled so awful there. their blankets and beds were soiled and reeked of feces and cat spray. the floors and walls were drenched with urine and cat spray. there were feces scattered. throw up here and there. some cats had such rotten teeth, there was yellow puss foaming out of their mouths. some cats had worms that covered up their poopholes. but they had such amazing eyes. one had a blue and green eye. and my favorite cat cuz he's my hero..a cat with nerve damage that would walk a little bit in a crooked path then fall over and do it all over again. he was such a trooper! SCAA, Second Chance Animal Aid, actually pays for the medical bills, provides food, and toys and supplies to these cats. they have different projects in the area. It is a private, non-profit organization committed to protecting and improving the health and welfare of companion animals through education, health care, advocacy, outreach, adoption and the promotion of foster care as an alternative approach to traditional shelters. We believe it is the right of every companion animal to have a safe, healthy life in a loving home. read more about SCAA.

the owners are amazing too. one man and one woman lived there. they had no hot water. only his room has heat. it was freezing there too. the woman spent the entire time handwashing the dirty blankets and linens because their washer was too small. you do not know what true cold is until you have washed your hand in cold shanghai water. it literally throbs and is very painful. and to think, she does laundry all day with her bare hands, which looked weathered and red. SCAA is now fundraising to purchase an industrial size washer so they can wash the blankets more readily. there were too many to count and all so dirty. bless their hearts for taking in these animals that would have died otherwise. although they don't get much human contact besides volunteer visits, at least they have a home and the company of so many brothers and sisters.

thank you kitties for touching my life. i hope i touched yours too, even for a second. you will stay in my heart. i hope to see you next time.