They have lost the only home they’ve ever known.

They are the Pets Alive Westchester (PAW) Legacy Cats – Colonel Mustard, Tasha, Jilly, Isis, Twinkie, Precious, Larry, Dipps, Ralphie, Concetta, Dottie, Meeshu and Donner.  The Final 13 resident cats from the old Elmsford Shelter from when Pets Alive took over in 2010.
As many of you are aware, our sister sanctuary had to emergency evacuate their facility recently when it was deemed unsafe (http://petsalive.com/blog/2014/03/14/pets-alive-westchester-update/).  Staff at both facilities immediately sprang into action planning, coordinating and implementing our emergency evacuation.
I knew immediately the Pets Alive Westchester Legacy Cats needed to come to us, at Pets Alive Middletown.  I knew this would be very hard on them.  PAW was the only home these Legacy Cats have known.  They were snatched up in the middle of controlled chaos, put in a carrier, went on a two hour car ride and arrived at a new place with new smells, new sounds, new people….This was going to hit them hard.
As hard as we try, how do you comfort a cat that has lived for 10-12 years at a shelter and reassure them that it will be okay, we love you, you’re safe!
Once our new residents were settled in it was time to get to know them better, their histories, their likes, any special needs – knowledge is power in my book.   I pride myself on knowing our cats inside and out and love to tell their stories to anyone who will listen.  Our cats have stories to tell.  Some have been with us for years while some for just a very short time but each and every one of them has a story. We are their voices.  We are their story tellers.
What I found in their files was heart wrenching and made me more determined than ever to be their voice. They are Legacy Cats, their stories must be told.

• Colonel Mustard – 2009 came in as a 6 week old kitten
• Ralphie – 2006 came in as a kitten
• Larry – 2001 kitten, never adopted
• Jilly –2004 left abandoned in a car in a parking lot with nothing more than a note
• Donner – 2003 adopted as kitten, 2009 returned to shelter family had a baby, adopted 2010 returned 2011 no reason given
• Dipps – 2004 originally adopted from NYC Animal Care and Control, 2006 surrendered to Elmsford Shelter reason given moving.
• Meeshu –  2007 found on the road to the shelter with a note

Concetta

Larry – 2001 kitten, never adopted.

Dipps – 2004 originally adopted from NYC Animal Care and Control, 2006 surrendered to Elmsford Shelter reason given, moving.

Donner – 2003 adopted as kitten, 2009 returned to shelter family had a baby, adopted 2010 returned 2011 no reason given.

Colonel Mustard – 2009 came in as a 6 week old kitten

Jilly – 2004 left abandoned in a car in a parking lot with nothing more than a note

Ralphie – 2006 came in as a kitten

Twinkie

Larry came in as a kitten 13 years ago!  To our legacy cats I’m sorry you were failed by the people you were entrusted to all those years ago, but no more I will fight till there is no fight left in me to find you your forever home.
They are all seniors now and just looking for a warm sunbeam, a soft breeze and someone to love them unconditionally, to understand them, to give them patience and time, to give them a retirement home in their golden years.
Colonel Mustard, Tasha and Meeshu and crew are being well cared for and all their needs tended to but what they really need are REAL HOMES!  Please open your hearts and home to our legacy animals.  They have been waiting so long, too long….
To adopt http://petsalive.com/adoptacat.html

Both Pets Alive Middletown and Westchester have legacy animals – animals that have been with our organizations since before our current management took over.  Please consider opening your hearts and homes to one of these very special animals – they are so deserving and have lots of love to give.

 
Written by Becky Lyn Tegze, Pets Alive Cat Manager.  Becky has years of experience in socializing and assisting feral, semi feral or frightened felines.