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As we continue marching forward in the holiday season so many thoughts and feelings spring to mind. Home, family, giving, and togetherness are just a few. For many the holidays can be a time of loneliness, loss and sadness for both people and cats. The shelters are full of orphaned cats and dogs awaiting their forever homes. Some find their families before Christmas, and many do not. It’s a thought that can weigh heavily on a volunteer’s mind. This I know to be especially true for my friend and fellow volunteer Shannon.

Shannon and I met a couple of years ago while volunteering with the cats at Williamson County Animal Center. Our shared compassion, enthusiasm, and love for cats was a glue that bonded us almost immediately. Shannon is one of the most genuine, affectionate, compassionate, and positive people I know. She is one of those people whom you meet and feel at home with almost immediately. Her presence is one of comfort and warmth to both humans and felines. Time and again, I’ve seen the kitties light up and start meowing when Shannon enters the room. Few kitties can resist the cuddles and kisses she shares freely with her second family of kitties. A good majority of the cats at the shelter were abandoned by previous owners. The confusion, fear, and rejection can be overwhelming for so many cats. Shannon is a safe harbor for all the kitties who are in this transistionary period of their lives while awaiting their forever home.

Amidst juggling the demands of a full-time job, volunteering, and the general rigors of life, Shannon has her own family (both human and fur babies) to nurture. Witnessing Shannon at home with her own fur babies is much like that at the shelter, filled with ample affection and sweet talk. Gilbert and Ricky are both so handsome and irresistible, so loving them is pretty darn easy! Since 1990 cats have played an important roll in her family. Currently, she is a guardian to Gilbert (4.5 years old) and Ricky (8 months old) who were both adopted from WCAC.

Gilbert, a buff baby who grew into a butterscotch adult, had eyes for Shannon immediately upon meeting her. During this time she visited the shelter three times, all of which he starred her down. The third visit was a charm for both Gilbert and Shannon! “He came home with me and was one of the best surprises of Ella Rose’s childhood. He snuggles in bed with her every night and entertains all of us with his rambunctious play, especially his talent at fetching toys.”

Ricky, the newest addition to the family, was adopted a few months ago. He wrapped his paws around her heart the very first time the two met. “When I first met Ricky at the shelter, I picked him up, and he melted into my arms like butter, made the cutest little air biscuits with his front paws, and looked up at me with his one bright eye. It was love at first sight. Having only one eye has not slowed this baby down. His happy energy and endless charm have endeared him to the whole family.”

Shannon is in good company when it comes to being an animal lover. John (Shannon’s husband) and Ella Rose (Shannon’s daughter) are both animal enthusiasts. All three animals get a lot of love and affection from their humans. Freddy (the family dog), Gilbert, and Ricky all love one another. Gilbert and Ricky love snuggling with their canine brother on the sofa. Freddy in return lavishes them with kisses. It’s a sweet display of love that is so incredibly endearing. All are giving, all are happy together, all are home, AND all are family! Happy Holidays to all!

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It is always inspiring to see cat lovers with full schedules find time to help kitties in need who arent’ their own. Caroline is a person who falls on this list. When she is not attending college full-time, or at home hanging out with her three kitties, she can be found volunteering at Williamson County Animal Center. Caroline tends to the homeless cats and kittens at the shelter. Be it assisting with adoptions, cleaning cages, socializing with both adult cats and kittens, Caroline has a huge heart for felines and it is evident in both her words and actions. When the opportunity arose for me to photograph Caroline at home with her own kitties I was thrilled. It’s always a pleasure to see a cat lover behind the scenes with their own fur babies!

Caroline’s family has three kitties all of whom were found via Petfinder. Reagan, a black and gray tabby, was adopted from Williamson County Animal Center two years ago. He was roughly one year old when adopted and was originally named Chester. Upon first meeting, Reagan ran right up to Caroline. It was love at first sight! Prior to adopting Reagan the entire family visited him at the shelter. Of all the cats, Dad was most drawn to Reagan so the family adopted him. Now three years old, Reagan is a wonderful companion and acts much like a dog at times.

A month or two after adopting Reagan, Caroline and her mom decided he needed a buddy and adopted two, adorable, orange tabby brothers. Though not adopted from WCAC, the boys were adopted from a foster who was involved with another rescue. Born in October, Caroline’s family chose to name the boys Jack (short for Jack-o-lantern) and Casper (after Casper the Friendly Ghost). The two ginger boys and are now two  years old and couldn’t be happier!

All three kitties are handsome, chatty, and loving cats whom bond with Caroline’s parents and sister, but are especially bonded to Caroline. The three follow her around the house, talk to her, and sleep with her at night. The boys are a source of comfort on down days, especially Reagan who won’t leave her side until she feel better. When asked about having three cats, Caroline says “I am happy we adopted the boys. They are sweet, loving, rambunctious kitties and I love them!”

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Love is a powerful thing. It has the ability to comfort and uplift us through rough times, gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and is a feeling that never leaves us even when our loved ones are long gone. These are definitely sentiments shared by Peggy. It was 2011 and Peggy had just finished watching the emotive movie “Marley and Me” with her husband Scotty. For any animal lover the movie evokes so many emotions, and I’m not sure I know anyone who has finished the movie with dry eyes. For Peggy, it took her down memory lane thinking about her former, beloved cat Annabelle who passed two years prior in 2009. The Siamese, Torti kitty was a constant companion for 21 years of Peggy’s adult life. Through the the ups and the downs, Annabelle was always by her side with unconditional love to give. Though Scotty never had the opportunity to meet Annabelle, he knew how much Peggy loved and missed her former companion.

Filled with sadness while looking at old photos of Annabelle, Peggy was inspired to check out Petfinder to see if she could find a Simese, Torti like Annabelle and fill the little void she left behind when passing. Shortly after browsing Petfinder Peggy stumbled upon a cat name Layla (now Gianna), who was at Williamson County Animal Center, and who looked exactly like Annabelle. The only difference between the two cats was the blaze over her eye was on the opposite side of her face. Filled with instant excitement, Peggy shared Layla’s photos with Scotty and made an appeal to adopt her. Scotty, who was more of a dog person and didn’t quite understand cats, was reluctant to adopt Gianna and mentioned how they already had three rescue cats to care for. Scotty being a dog lover, especially of the Newfoundland breed, really wanted to adopt another Newfoundland dog once he was over mourning the loss of a former beloved dog who was the same breed.

The following day Peggy was unable to get Gianna out of her mind and couldn’t resist visiting Williamson County Animal Center while on a lunch break. Sadly, Gianna was in the back sick with an upper respiratory infection and Peggy was told she couldn’t see her that day. Determined to meet Gianna, Peggy shared her story about Annabelle with staff and how much it would mean to see if she had a connection with the kitty. Filled with compassion, a staff member agreed to let Peggy meet Gianna and escorted her to the back where she was being treated. Gianna met Peggy with big, round, sad eyes and extended her paw. Though sick she still manage to purr with a loud rattle while rubbing her head against the cage. It didn’t take Peggy long to determine she and Gianna had a connection and to know she wanted to adopt Gianna. After pulling herself away from Gianna, so she could return back to work, Peggy told the front desk she wished to adopt the sick kitty, but first needed to get her husbands blessing. That same afternoon Peggy told Scotty about her visit to the shelter to meet Gianna, and appealed to him a second time to adopt Gianna. She was both surprised and elated when he said yes this time. Peggy then called the shelter and advised she would be in the next morning to adopt her new kitty. Little did Peggy know Scotty had plans of his own. Peggy’s birthday was just two days away and he thought Gianna would be the perfect gift and wonderful surprise for his lovely wife. And boy was he right! Peggy was overwhelmed with surprise and joy when she found Gianna waiting for her in one of  the spare bedrooms. Because Peggy didn’t think the name Layla fit the personality of her new cat, she asked Scotty to rename her. He thought things over for awhile then settled on Gianna, which means “gift from God.” It was a purrfect name change!

Another pleasant surprise that accompanied Gianna’s adoption was how much Scotty also bonded and fell in love with her. She would frequently sit on his lap while he lavished her with attention. His endearing nickname for her was turtle. They were quite the pair and it was with Gianna that Scotty finally understood how rewarding the bond can be between human and cat. Peggy and Scotty never had children and instead had their fur babies whom they adored. They even purchased a stroller for them. Scotty could be seen in the neighborhood taking daily strolls with Gianna. Both parties loved the daily experience and it amused all whom encountered them while on their walks. From the sounds of it the two brought smiles to many a face! These were good times!

As we all know life is filled with ups and downs. The year 2013 was filled with many challenges for Peggy and Scotty, but they had each other and their faith helped them persevere. Peggy had some health issues and ended up having to undergo a below-the-knee amputation. Scotty had his own health concerns too. Despite all of this the couple would begin each day expressing gratitude. Scotty’s mantra was “to be grateful and enjoy each day as though it were your last.” Such haunting words from a wise soul. Little did Peggy know Scotty’s days were numbered, and how her life would  be forever changed on Sept. 4, 2013, when the love of her life died suddenly of an aortic aneurysm.

Throughout all the ups and downs Gianna, like her former Annabelle, has been a devoted companion from day one. She is an affectionate, vocal, entertaining cat, who is always by Peggy’s side. Gianna has been a true blessing and continually fills Peggy’s heart and life with joy, as well to Scotty’s when he was alive. She will be forever grateful to WCAC and Scotty for conspiring to give her such a wonderful gift from God!

When I met Peggy and Gianna I was so moved by their story. Even though her other rescue cats didn’t come from WCAC, I was hoping to meet them and snap a few photos, but was so caught up in moment of hearing about the life Peggy and Scotty shared that the time quickly evaporated and it slipped my mind. Peggy has been through so much and has a relentless optimism when it comes to life’s challenges, love, loss, and beginning anew. Her story is a reminder of the power of gratitude and being fully in the moment with those whom we love. Though I never had the opportunity to meet Scotty or Annabelle, I walked away feeling like I knew them a little. Their love and spirits will always live on in Peggy’s heart and the stories she shares about them. What a beautiful gift!

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To love is to live and to live is to know loss. At some point in our lives, we will all know the pain of loss. When one is an animal lover this is often experienced multiple times in a person’s life. No matter how many losses one experiences, the heartache never gets easier. I met sue earlier this year while volunteering with the cats at WCAC. She is warm, compassionate, and has a gentle way with the cats. When Sue isn’t working full-time she can be found loving on the orphan cats at the Shelter. At the time when I met Sue she was a guardian to her black, Persian cat named Mr. Buttons. Sadly, at the age of 10, Mr. Buttons died suddenly of kidney failure shortly after I met Sue. Though I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Buttons, from what I am told he was a gorgeous cat, a wonderful companion, and had a special presence about him! Losing Mr. Buttons so suddenly after being diagnosed with kidney failure was a shock to both Sue and her husband. His departure left a void in both their hearts and home.

A week of not having a cat was more than Sue could bear. Not being ready to commit to adopting another cat, she decided to try fostering for once. When you volunteer with shelter and rescue cats it can be so difficult to choose whom to foster. There are so many wonderful personalities and they all desperately want to find their forever homes and be loved. When Sue decided to foster she chose Bunny, (formerly named Dakota), because she wanted to give her a cage break and break from the shelter. While Bunny liked people, she wasn’t fond of other cats. Though she enjoyed attention and would give kisses, she wasn’t and still isn’t a cat who likes being picked up. This is fairly common with a lot of cats.  All too often people rule out adopting such cats and don’t realize a “nearby cat” can be as affectionate as a “lap cat.” And when a cat doesn’t like to get out of a cage because of its dislike for being held, it can be really hard to potential adopters to get a read on their personality. Since Sue and her husband didn’t have any other cats, Bunny was a natural choice to foster.

Within 2 days Sue knew she couldn’t return Bunny to a cage at the shelter. A week later she became a foster failure! After a brief adjustment period, Bunny has become a relaxed and happy cat in her forever home. Though Sue never adopted Bunny as a replacement for Mr. Buttons, Bunny has definitely helped her during her grieving process. The two are a great match! Bunny bonded quickly with Sue and follows her from room to room, keeps her company on the couch, and sleeps with her every night. From time to time, Bunny will wake her mom with a gentle touch of the paw when she wants affection.

When Bunny isn’t playing with her toys or snacking on her treats, she can be found lazing around the house on her back in her favorite position. Bunny and Sue definitely hit the jackpot when they found one another. Sue is over the moon crazy about her and says she is the best cat she’s ever had! While her husband doesn’t admit it, Sue knows he is attached to Bunny too.

When I found out Sue decided to foster  and then adopt Bunny I was so thrilled. I met and photographed Bunny at the shelter a couple of weeks prior. While Bunny was initially shy with me, I could tell she would warm in time with the right guardian and situation. The first batch of photos were the ones I took of her at the shelter. Isn’t she darling?! It’s easy to see why Sue fell in love with her so quickly. Bunny will never replace Mr. Buttons. Both kitties will always occupy separate spaces in Sue’s heart of endless love!

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Love wraps itself up in many different packages. Even though Harrison (Taylor’s boyfriend at the time and now husband) wasn’t an animal lover and was highly allergic, loving Taylor was a packaged deal and included her dog. In the fall of 2014, everything changed when Taylor convinced Harrison to visit Williamson County Animal Center with her to “look at puppies” one rainy Sunday. In reality, Taylor had her heart set on adopting a black female kitten.

While visiting the shelter Taylor managed to convince reluctant Harrison to check out the kitten room. Both were overwhelmed with the number of kittens in the kitten room. Moments later Harrison connected the dots and realized they weren’t at the shelter to “look at puppies” and began to get a little impatient and sneezy. After holding a few black kittens Taylor asked Harrison which one he liked. After looking at many of the kittens the couple kept going back to a litter of  4 black and white males, all with “D” names. One kitten, in particular, won the couple over. Immediately upon opening the kittens’ cage Dixon ran to towards Taylor and Harrison and latched on. Harrison who had never previously held a cat was stunned the little kitten was lavishing him with so much attention and said, “If we HAVE to get one, we might as well get this crazy one.” Even though the kitten had an upper respiratory infection (very common with shelter kittens and cats), the couple decided to take him home and minutes later they were filling out adoption paperwork. When they returned to the kitten room to collect the fearless kitten they found the little kitten climbing on the heads of another couple. Harrison quickly grabbed the cat, said “that’s my cat” and thus began a special bond between the two.

Due to his fearless nature, Dixon was quickly renamed Captain, which proved to be the perfect name for the kitten. Because Captain had an upper respiratory infection medicine had to be given. Like humans who are sick Captain didn’t have much of an appetite. During this time Harrison monitored Captain’s eating habits closely. On the day when Captain finally starting eating his food Harrison excitedly called Taylor to report the good news. Surprised and thrilled Taylor knew that Captain had truly won Harrison over for good!

Captain and Harrison developed an emotional bond that cannot be broken. Captain was Harrison’s first official pet, and the first pet the couple adopted together. He was even mentioned in their wedding vows and  had his own Instagram account. As far as allergies were concerned Harrison received allergy shots on a regular basis and never had any health issues. In addition to being loved by his humans, Captain was well received by his two, giant dog siblings who even let him be the leader of the pack. 

Unfortunately, I’m sorry to report this story has a sad ending. Captain was recently run over and crossed over to the rainbow bridge. Both Taylor and Harrison are heartbroken Captain’s life was cut so short. He will always occupy a special place in their hearts. They  are so grateful for every moment shared with him and thank WCAC for their beloved buddy.

I’m so glad to have had the opportunity to meet and photograh Taylor, Harrison and Captain. Their story is a reminder to all of us to not take those whom we love for granted, to love with all our hearts, and to know life can be all to short. So give a kiss and cuddle to all the furry loves in your life and please consider supporting your local shelter and rescue. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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