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| In my life, a cat like Hugo matters! |
I wrote this the other night when one of Anjellicle Cats’
Hugo was missing from his new digs in Williamsburgh, Brooklyn. Hugo, a handsome
grey and white striped kitty and
Anjellice favorite was recently adopted by an aspiring actress-waitress
who works longer hours and was not home when Hugo bolted from his apartment at
about 4 a.m., Friday morning. Apparently, Hugo’s new owner’s roommate let him
out accidentally. It was reported the roommate is not too fond of Hugo and the
last I heard, the organization was contemplating whether or not they were going
to try and get Hugo back. One of the volunteers was upset because she and
another Anjellicle rescuer went into Brooklyn to look for Hugo and put up
flyers while his owner did little or nothing to find him. Happily, Hugo reappeared early Sunday morning in a hallway, not far from where
he disappeared. But I was told there were about thirty or forty group emails about what to do now about Hugo. Not sure why Hugo getting lost (and found) or Meow, the forty pound cat dying from
respiratory problems concern me so much. Perhaps, if I was a "real" parent of "real" children, I’d be obsessing about more important things than this. But since I am merely a
proud cat mommy of four gorgeous felines, this is the stuff that gets to me.
Hugo the cat is missing.
In the scheme of most people’s lives, this is insignificant.
After all, Hugo is just a cat, another scaredy cat who bolted out of his home.
And who really cares? Hugo's just another lost kitty soul, wandering the
neighborhood, who may never be heard from again. Hugo, is just another cat who
may never make it back to his rightful place under the covers of his bed. Hugo
may never be home again. Yet in my life, Hugo matters. Hugo matters to those of us
who were fortunate enough to pass his feline path.
Met this handsome grey fellow a couple of months ago at
Anjellicle Cats’ cat room, at the Spoiled Brats pet store in Hell’s Kitchen. Hugo and some six or seven felines were
living in the very small quarters at the back of the cat room at Spoiled
Brats. Anjellicle is a godsend—rescuing
cats off the street and out of the hellholes aka the city shelters each year.
At any given time, the Spoiled Brats facility houses about eight cats at a
time. Sadly since the cat room is at the back of the pet store, the cats who
live at Spoiled Brats don’t get many prospective adopters to stop by and check
them out. It’s too bad because there’s always so many nice cats there including
another personal favorite, a buff colored kitty named Nice, a very mellow
gentleman who is usually taking a nap on the top shelf in the room but who will
always get up to greet me and allow lots of petting.
Anjellicle is filled with passionate cat people, many of who
are very young and idealistic folks who give up much of their spare time to
save one cat at a time. Actually, Anjellicle saves a lot more than one pet at a
time—rescuing nearly 800 cats last year. Being a TOS (teacher on sabbatical),
has afforded me the time to pursue my passions. So back in March, I started
volunteering with Anjellicle—feeding the kitties, cleaning their cages and
playing with them, once a week at Spoiled Brats. Hugo Love (as anyone who knew
him called him), was the first kitty to meet you at the door, demand to be fed
and given attention. Only “hung out” with Hugo a couple of times but in a short
amount of time, he left many lasting impressions. He’d rub up against you,
follow you around while you scooped litter boxes and refilled food dishes or
simply plop into your lap, settling in for a petting session. No one who met this sweetie could help
but oblige. I’ll never forget how one day Hugo chewed a hole through the bag of
kitten food that was left on the floor. He might occasionally give a little nip
if he felt he was being ignored. Hugo’s quite the character—a little imp in a
cat costume.
Hugo’s story was typical. Another once loved pet, discarded
like yesterday’s news at the city shelter. Hugo was fortunate to escape the sad
fate of many animals who end up at animal care and control. His sunny
disposition ingratiated himself with the folks in the New Hope office (the
folks who desperately try to place some of the neediest pets) and he lived in
their space for a while. Apparently, the New Hope-ers begged Anjellicle to take
Hugo. Not sure how long he lived at Spoiled Brats but it was not long before
Hugo was a favorite with the Anjellicle volunteers and anyone who crossed his
path. One morning when an aspiring, good-looking actor stopped by inquiring about the kitties,
he asked, “Who’s the grey one with the stripes? He was the first one to meet
me.” That’s Hugo. At this point, Hugo had an adoption pending so he was not
really available. “Too bad,” the actor said. “He’d be a great pet.”
(Fortunately, our actor friend adopted another needy Anjellicle cat named Batman).
But I wonder. What if Hugo went home with this actor dude
who made a very favorable impression in my mind? Would he be missing? The actor
seemed like a kind, gentle soul who loved cats and ready to give one a loving
home. He worried that due to his small studio space, “Just 450 square feet,” he
noted, that he may not even be approved to adopt an Anjellicle kitty.
Not sure who adopted Hugo but I know the Anjellicle folks
prescreen all of their applicants and do their best to ensure these kitties go
to the best homes possible. I know that this would have especially been the
case with Hugo, who was such a favorite. How come Hugo’s new owners weren’t
more careful? How come they didn’t keep a more careful eye on their new beloved
family member? Just hope he wasn’t unhappy in his new digs and was actually
trying to escape.
So many sad pet stories—even the ones that seem to end up
going into good homes. When I was at Petco 100 the first time meeting the
Anjellicle folks, a lady walked in, returning a cat she had just for a week.
“Sorry, it just didn’t work out,” she said as she handed him over to Kathryn,
Anjellicle’s owner. Apparently, this was not the first time this lady adopted
and returned an Anjellicle cat. She quickly wrote out a check to Anjellicle but
did that matter to the poor cat who was being returned? Mooka, another Anjellicle favorite was
recently adopted out and returned. The once sweet affable dude returned to
Anjellicle sad and dejected. Thankfully, they were able to quickly re-home him.
Then there’s black and white Dublin at Spoiled Brats. He was once somebody’s
pet who was handed in to the shelter. The poor thing has cauliflower ears due
to an infection (but he’s fine now). Well, physically fine but Dublin looks
like a kitty in serious need of some Prozac, usually sits inside a cat carrier,
occasionally emerging for a bite to eat. He will let you pet him, if you
approach cautiously. He was adopted out only to be returned because he spent
the first week hiding under a bed. The new owners just weren’t willing to give
him a chance. And now poor Dublin sadly sits on top of the shelf inside the
tiny cat room at Spoiled Brats—so nervous and due to his scared and timid
nature, may be there for a while.
Who knows? Just hoping that my feline friend, Hugo Love is
found and returns to the safe arms of somebody who deserves the love of this
sweetie pie. Thankfully, he was microchipped so if he is turned in to a shelter
or vet’s office, he will be returned to Anjellicle. That’s if someone is kind
enough to pick him up and try to help him. Do not want to consider the
alternatives. Holding out hope for Hugo Love and for all of the other nameless
lost pets. Hoping they all make it home again.
