For someone who doesn’t take love lightly, falling in love
with animals, especially young kittens, comes especially easily to me. Whether
this goes back to my childhood days of caring for stray cats on a regular
basis, or this is a recent development within the last so many years, it will
forever be instilled in me. As a child, I remember loving animals, but because
so many came and went, I think I tolerated, subconsciously, the fact that they
never seemed to stick around. The one cat that seemed to change that was our
little black kitten, Murphy, who stuck around for almost 17 years. She moved
from Maine to Florida, and then stayed with my parents when we went off to
college. When she finally passed away, I had just moved to Reno, but it still
affected me. It was then that I became interested in Nevada Humane Society, and
my dedication to homeless pets and the foster care program began.
In 2007, I brought home my first foster kittens, little tabbies,
Simba and Dolce. I fell in love within minutes. The pure joy, entertainment,
and bliss that kittens bring compares to nothing else. They love you unconditionally,
whether they are with you temporarily or forever. I was lucky enough to keep
these two for a month, and then found them a home… with my boss! I was hooked.
Several litters and several months later, I had fallen in love with fostering,
and made it my goal to not only foster the kittens, but to find them homes as
well. Fast forward about five years, and this pattern continues.
Meet Pantera, an adorable little gal who struck me from day
one. OK, yes, they all make my heart purr, but every now and then there is one
that really reaches into my soul. Pantera is that kitten. She arrived at the
shelter with five other siblings… but no mom.
They went to one foster home, but were returned. We tried to find
another foster, but no one stepped up to the plate. Enter… me.
Pantera and her siblings came home that night, and stayed
with me for about a week. Six kittens is the largest litter we have fostered,
and they were just under a month old… therefore learning to eat, use a litter
box, and just becoming active. Six kittens at that age… are messy.
Despite their chaos, they were all amazingly charming, beautiful,
and handsome. Four boys, bigger than the girls, very playful. Two girls, teeny
tiny, not very active. Pantera and her sister, Camaro, turned their big blue
eyes on me from day one, pleading for me to help them, care for them, make them
grow big and strong. Both went through a rough patch in that first week with me—not
adjusting to life, and not thriving. Force feeding the two round-the-clock and
offering nothing but love didn’t quite do the job. They spent the week with me,
then went to another foster—the four boys to one family, only because they
could care for themselves, and the two girls, to another wonderful foster,
Marcy. My attachment to the girls was strong, so Marcy kept me updated daily.
Not three days later, Camaro passed away, much to my devastation. In this business, we have to take the bad with
the good. Some kittens simply don’t have it in them to thrive, and we have to
be able to let ourselves go, care for them anyway, and give it our best. In the
end, if they wind up looking over us instead of at us, well, we have to accept
that, because otherwise we’d give up. Camaro was the one I figured would make
it; Pantera, sadly, I expected to take the full turn for the worse. Marcy called
me to give me the bad news, and I couldn’t understand her message—I thought she
said Pantera passed. I lost it, but found out hours later that I had the wrong
kitten. While it still hurts to think about it, I am so overjoyed that Pantera,
who was fighting for her life at one point, has turned into a beautiful little girl.
Pantera came in just a couple weeks later for her shots and it was love at first
sight all over again. I was so excited to see her I almost took her back from Marcy.
September 6th Pantera will be spayed and made available for adoption. In such a young life, this sweet girl overcame such shortcomings. She was separated from her mother, her brothers (for good reason—she needed more care), and then lost her sister. While I don’t know that animals have the same intense emotions that humans have, I do know they feel plenty. They grieve over loss and they stress in uncomfortable situations, yet they are also grateful when a person gives them the chance at life they deserve. They are resilient and tolerant and we as humans should admire them. Pantera went through so much in such a short time, yet she has come back and is now ready for love—again. She understands that while times get tough, she needs to be grateful for what she has, and no matter who walks into her life next, she will give them an unconditional love like no other. Maybe that is why I tend to choose pets over people—I know they will always love me, always be there for me, and will give me endless inspiration.
Pantera looked at me from day one with her big blue eyes, seeking a compassion that would allow her to grow and learn from her troubles. Even though she is now in a different foster home, she brings me joy. She is strong, playful, affectionate, and enthralled by the human touch. She is looking for a family she can truly call her own, and I hope all of you will help me find that for her. She deserves all that and more, and while I would love to find her a home before she comes back to Nevada Humane Society, I know she will find one regardless. Pantera, who taught me once again that kittens have a heart bigger than anything else, is now ready for her future.
