Happy Anniversary Tilly!

Meet Tilly, a gorgeous Chantilly kitty, who has graced our lives for just over a year. Her story is one of compassion, emotion, and at the same time, joy. Recently we ran into her person and learned a fabulous thing—she has taken over house and home, and added more laughter and fun to her new person than we ever hoped was possible. For that, I share her story, and offer the utmost appreciation to the kind-hearted woman who took her in and gave Miss Tilly what she deserved.

Tilly was just a tiny gal when Will picked her out at Nevada Humane Society. This was long before the shelter was a no-kill organization, and therefore many animals were losing their lives unnecessarily. Tilly, with her long black fur, was more than likely overlooked by people on a daily basis, as studies show that black pets in general are usually the last to be adopted (the why will come in another blog). Despite her looks though, Tilly was one of the lucky ones. Will knew that she was the one for him, and in essence, he saved her life, because her stay at the shelter would have been very short lived.

Fast forward eight years, which equates to a year ago. Will was battling a severe cancer. Facing the worst, we knew his time is limited, and so did Tilly. Over time she became the kind of cat who spent more time outdoors than in, and although she loved him, she was also fiercely independent. As she discovered that something was seriously wrong with Will, she took to him more than ever. She stayed by his side day and night, and made it a point to watch over him and protect him as best she could. In the middle of all of this, people would come and go, pay their respects and offer help, as we all tried to make the best of the inevitable. Throughout it all, no one mentioned Tilly, nor did anyone make any effort to plan her future.

Brandon knew she was important to Will, and knows that animals are my passion. He briefly mentioned one day the idea of us taking her in… but we didn’t discuss it fully. I knew in my heart that there was no decision to be made—if Tilly needed help we would give it to her.

The day we all knew would come arrived, and Brandon, along with several others, spent the day with Will. It was clear to Brandon that Will was hanging on to something, that something was left unsaid, something was keeping him unsettled. He noticed that Tilly hadn’t left Will’s side all day, and when he looked her in the eyes, he saw her pain. Leaning in to Will, he spoke the words that would make the most difference to his friend in his final hours. He told Will that Tilly would be in good hands, that we would keep her as long as it would take to find her a home of her own. He promised she would be happy, and that Will would not have to wonder if she was ok—we would give her the life she deserved.

Will passed away that night and Tilly remained at the house for the next several days. She needed to grieve, as did we, but it wasn’t long before Brandon and I took her home for good.

Tilly came to us with all of her belongings. I have learned how easily cats get stressed out and that by keeping their things, their scent, with them it helps prevent any unnecessary stress. We wanted to make the transition as easy as possible for her.  Tilly moved into our home, separate at first from our existing brood (because who are we kidding—our 3 cats and 3 dogs are quite the family!) but then right into the mix of things. It definitely kept the spice in our life! Tilly has a very vibrant, strong, bold personality. She lets you know when she needs her space, but yet portrays the attitude of running the house. Our other pets bowed to her instantly, and she knew it. Her feisty cattitude even had us fearful at times! She joined us on the couch one evening and sat next to me, tail going strong. I was just waiting for her to give me a piece of her mind, but luckily, she didn’t. However, for all of her ornery characteristics, she definitely had a sweet side, which is especially revealed when she is alone with people (yes that means no other pets). She is gorgeous, and she wears it well. She loves to sun herself in a window, relax on the back of a fluffy couch cushion, and play. And treats! You should see her beg for a treat! We fell in love, cattitude and all.

Tilly resided with us for over three months, but we knew she deserved better. We promised Will we would care for her as long as was needed, but we also knew it wasn’t the best situation for her or our pets. She wasn’t as happy as she could be, and after all she went through, that wasn’t ok with us. She deserved better, so we set out to find it.

We promoted Tilly to our friends, family, and colleagues. She graced the pages of Facebook, Craigslist, and more. We found one potential home, but then decided they weren’t the right fit. Another couple of weeks went by, and then we found Dana, a regular at Wet Hen Café, Brandon’s restaurant. She saw our poster and wanted to know more. Not long after, we brought Tilly to Dana’s home for their first meeting. It was love at first sight.

Tilly made herself at home right away. She fell for Dana, and Dana, for her. Her one kitty sibling is Simon, and he has enough sense to know that she rules the roost—even though he was there first! We spoke to Dana the other day and she verified what we knew would happen. Tilly is flourishing, loves her surroundings, is queen of all the neighborhood cats, and her home. Dana is so grateful to have brought Tilly into her life and has gone above and beyond giving her the life she deserves. Simon has even been a good match for Tilly, giving her the space she needs but still expressing that kitty love when he can. Secretly, we know Tilly enjoys his company, as the two can be found sunning the same spot, or waiting for mom to come home at the end of a long day. We were so happy when Tilly moved on to a new life with Dana, and we talk about her frequently. When we visited Dana the other day, just after the one year anniversary of Will’s passing, it became even clearer that she, Dana, brought so much to those of us who cared for Tilly, and Will. Tilly needed someone who was there for her, just as Will did, and as hard as it was to see him pass, it is so amazingly joyful to know Tilly is in a better place. Looking over the four-legged has become second nature to me, but this strikes my heart for so many other reasons. We can’t wait to go visit Tilly, but until then, we know she’s happy as can be in her new home, with her big-hearted person, and we wish them the very best every day that they are together.

A Tribute to Homerette

I am so passionate about being a voice for the animals.... but it certainly isn't without trial and tribulation. Recently, a tiny kitten by the name of Homerette rocked me to the core, and I am still feeling the loss and disappointment. It took several weeks to make a simple video, but now, I am glad I did, as it has helped me heal, and helped others hear my story. Fostering is an incredible experience (said as I have five foster kittens spread amongst my lap) but it does affect you in a variety of ways. Still, I encourage everyone to try it, if only once, and I guarantee you'll feel the rewards immediately.

Homerette affected me more than most... but what can I say, it's who I am. With that, my tribute to little Homerette...

And So It Begins....

Born and raised on the coast of Maine, my childhood was spent frolicking in the great outdoors. Skiing, sledding, and snowshoeing in the winters, catching lobster and having clambakes on the beach of our family’s lake house in the summers, life may have been quiet in the small towns of New England, but it was never dull. The economy took a turn for the worse just before I turned 13 though, and my parents moved us to southwest Florida.

One of my many favorite beaches in Southwest Florida

After years of vacationing in the Sunshine State, everything about it won us over and we turned a bad situation into a positive one. Florida was (is) so different from Maine—palm trees, turquoise water, sand soft as sugar and year-round sunshine—but I loved it with a passion. We literally spent life on the water when we weren’t working, whether at the beach or on the boat. Growing up I moved to Tallahassee for college, then to Orlando, then to Jacksonville. No matter where I went, living on the water was my priority, and I spent every waking minute I could in the sun.  I worked hard, but I played harder, and gained friends and experiences along the way. Life was good, but apparently something was missing, because 16 years later, in 2006, I got the bug to try something different. My Dad was living in Reno, and I decided to take some time off and visit with him for a few months, then move on to southern California. I knew it was similar enough to the Florida lifestyle I’d become accustomed, and was still thriving in real estate, my career at the time. Reno was a huge change for me, and although I consider the East Coast home, I will never regret my move to the Silver State. I was lucky enough to find and fall in love with the man of my dreams and I discovered an intense passion for a new career—saving the lives of homeless pets. Reno is still growing on me, but I am thankful for my new family out west, along with a job that makes a true difference in the world. I know I want to end up back home, as I still call it, but until we are ready to make that adventure a reality, Reno it is. I’ve got my loves (two & four legged), an amazing job, and my entire future ahead of me. I know wherever we go I will have Brandon, and a desire to speak for those who don’t have a voice—animals.  That is why I chose to begin this blog… not to speak about me, or us, but about the animals. In two short years of employment, and three years of volunteer work, I have it in me to share my stories, good and bad, with the world. I hope you will follow and share my journey, and maybe even become inclined to make a difference yourself, and help us create a world where there will be No More Homeless Pets (my credit to Best Friends Animal Society for that worldwide known slogan and mission) because that, in my opinion, is what they deserve.

I begin Arwyn’s Tail, Barley’s Paw  with my simple background, but the animal stories will follow. I may dance around when it comes to a timeline, so don’t expect these to be in any kind of order. Those stories I share first are probably those that have the biggest impact on me. My tone will vary, as do my emotions. Animals are so very delicate, but even those that bring tears to your eyes have a meaning and a mission as to why they are brought to you—to me. I can think of so many off the top of my head, some recent, some not, so please, read, share, and decide to make a difference wherever you are, because that is what is important. I may be saving lives in Reno, but I am only one person, and it isn’t unless I gain the support of many, many others that we can make that dream come true that Best Friends Animal Society has already set in motion. I understand there are so many causes across the globe, but I choose animals because they do not have a voice, and because I have learned to speak for them.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading, sharing, and learning.