Friday, November 27, 2009

Bittersweet Memories with Jonesie


After mom and I read the comments from my Thanksgiving post, we had a long talk. Mom had promised me that she wouldn't show the pictures from when I was found unless I gave my permission. Those pictures make mom cry and she wanted me to control when the pictures were revealed. I said it was ok, it's important for everyone to know what happens when a kitty is abandoned. It's so easy for a human to pack up, move on and assume the cat will be ok, assume it will be able to fend for itself. Those assumptions are wrong. I could not. Most cats can't. I never did understand why I was abandoned and I wanted to give up on living I was so hurt. I was hopeless at hunting for myself because someone had fed me my whole life. I always knew where I came from. After I was rescued and I started going back outside, I'd go back to the back of the yard by the apartments and look sadly in their direction. Once my mom said, it's ok, you can go back and check. They are not there anymore. It took awhile for that to sink in for me. Slowly I came to understand that I was going to be fine.

The hardest thing for me was not looking my best. I take great pride in my furs and when I had fur missing and it was a mess, my kitty self esteem was low. My mom brushed me and told me I was beautiful even though I knew I was not. I loved that she saw my beauty through the mess. My mom intended for me to be fostered and brought back to health and then find a new family for me. In the process of caring for me, my mom fell in love with me. So did dad. They knew I was very tied to them and the garden that became my own. I have been Queen of the garden ever since.
This last picture of me is one of mom's favorites. She thinks it makes me look triumphant. I overcame so much and she is so proud of me.

So when people say to mom, your cats are so beautiful...mom says all cats are beautiful. A little love and patience is all it takes to bring out our best. And those 2 kitties that led mom and dad to me? They are completely convinced that they were my guardian angel kitties. Mom and dad know all the kitties that visit in the yard and they had never seen those 2 before. They were playing by the bushes where I was hiding and attracted attention to me. Without them I would have not made it out of the bushes. They had been in the yard for a few days or so, and then when I was safely inside, they vanished.

38 comments:

The Monkeys said...

You're definitely beautiful, then and now! We're so happy that you found your wonderful Mom and Dad who helped you through that bad time, Jonesie! It breaks her heart to know you went through so much because of heartless and ignorant humans, but she's so happy you're where you are now.

Gemini and Ichiro said...

You are lovely and triumphant. I think it is horrible that such a loyal cat as you were just left behind. That is horrible. But it is wonderful that you found the perfect home and we all got to know you!

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful beautiful story Jonesie!! And e so wholeheartedly believe that they were your gaurdian angels also...to lead such a wonderful soon to be momma and dadda to you. You are very beautiful, especially the part that counts... on the insides :)))
V-V

Ozark Mountain Cats said...

Our biped gets sooo mad at people who abandon pets. We're glad that you found a good forever home.

Karen Jo said...

It's just criminal the way people move away and just dump the cat outside to fend for itself. I am very glad that the two cats alerted your humans to your presence and that you found such a great forever home.

Forever Foster said...

We are so sorry that you went through such an awful experience. People can be so awful. We are so thankful that your Guardian Kitties led you to the wonderful people who are now your family. You really are beautiful.

Cat with a Garden said...

With watery eyes we biggified your pictures, especially the one which shows you from the side/back. We will appreciate your beauty even more now, Head Gardener Jonesie! Of course your mom and dad fell in love with you. And yes, every cat is beautiful!
Many special love-filled purrs to you!
Siena & Chilli

Anonymous said...

Jonesie, we are all so very proud of yoo, over here in England. That was such a terrible thing to happen to yoo ~ and yet instead of becoming mean and resentful, yoo overcame your problems and stayed the beautiful natured cat yoo are. That's a powerful lesson for us all ~ about rising above adversity. We are SO glad that yoor guardian angels found such a wonderful forever home for yoo (we have no doubt that is who they are) ~ they sure picked the right one.

HUGE smoochies from Alfie, and Milo xx and ((((hugs)))) from our mom. We're all feeling a bit tearful.

Anonymous said...

PS: Jonesie ~ we love that triumphant photo. Yoo are so beautiful.

Parker said...

Jonesie, your story of triumph is so wonderful, it gave all of us leaky eyes.
I am so glad your angels led you to your forever home!

Angel Ginger Jasper said...

Mum and I were so sad that humans left you like that. Mum said she has heard people say before that its ok the cat will fend for itself and she gets angy. Its not often mum gets angy but she does so with people that are not kind to us. I am just so glad they found you and yes they will have been guardian angels.. Hugs GJ xx

Jasmim said...

Jonesie, you always were beautiful!
you're a lucky kitten, because you have a wonderful mom!

Angel Simba said...

HUGS to you and your Mom and Dad from here. To you for triumphing over such awful circumstances, and to your Mom and Dad for having such good good hearts. Thank you for sharing your story, though it made my Mom really cry.

Memories of Eric and Flynn said...

Jonesie, we can understand why your photos and story make your mum cry. Our mum had leaky eyes too.Beauty comes from the inside and even when you were not looking so good, your beauty shone through. We (and our mum) are convinced those kitties were your guardian angels.

The Island Cats said...

Jonesie, the story on how you came to live with your mom and dad is so wonderful. Maybe not the beginning part...how can humans be so cruel to think they can just leave a cat?? But your story of how your mom and dad found you...and how your mom made you realize that you are beautiful and that you could find love again. We are so glad that you were triumphant and are happy today.

CCL Wendy said...

It's very brave of you, Jonesie, to let people see the pictures of you when you were first found, and to talk about the bad memories. I'm just so happy that your angels led you to such wonderful people. It was a match made in heaven, for sure!

Anonymous said...

O mai goodness, Jonesie. Whitey and you are much the same, aren't we? Abandoned and hurt and having such bad hungrumblies and our furs in such a mess. Mom cried and cried when she read us your story. And then she smiled. Because she was just going foster me and nurse me back to health and find me a home... until she fell in love with me. Aren't we tghe luckiest kitties?!

And Jonesie? Whitey thinks those 2 cats were you Garden Angels!

PS. Hi, Cory! xo

One Cats Nip said...

Jonesie I am so glad you found your new family, I just can never understand what goes through someones head to just leave a cat behind or any animal for that matter like that. If you can think of that and not feel like a big steaming pile you probably shouldnt have animals. Thank goodness you found a family so kind!

Shelly said...

Thank you, Jonesie, for sharing your story. I had no idea how your family found you. You are a beautiful girl, inside and out. It's so sad that some people don't realize that cats (and dogs) are dependent on us just like human babies!! I'm glad you found a happy forever home!!!

Tama-Chan, Benny, Vidock, Violette, Ollie, Heloise, Momo, Ryu said...

We feel honoured that you chose to share such painful memories with us, Jonesie. You are very beautiful and we are so glad your Mom was able to see that the moment she set eyes on you.

We have a little award for you on our blog!

Quill and Greyson said...

You have Mom crying (me too), and so happy the Angel Cats lead your parents to you. You're a beauty Jonesie, and so are your parents.

Anonymous said...

You have Nanny crying too! You're story does have an happy ending. But you know, sadly that not all kitties get lucky. I was abondonned too when I was just a little kitten.

Thanks for sharing your story!

Big hugs,

Loki

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

Tank woo fur sharing your story!

I'm sure it was diffikhult to paw it but things like that need to be shared from time to time -

Some hoomans aren't worth the title hoomans -

Woo have some keepers now!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
PeeEssWoo: Hi Grete!

Gemini and Ichiro said...

Oops it our Find Chey Friday didn't post when we thought it did--so we were late... but you know what? This one you guys MIGHT just know...but you'd have to have travelled about an hour north...

Ikaika said...

You are a beautiful kitty girl,Jonesie, and deserve all the love your wonderful family can give you. Thank you for sharing your story.

Daisy said...

Jonesie, you are beautiful on the inside and on the outside. I'm sorry you had such a rough spell, but thankful for your wonderful home now.

Angel Simba said...

My Mom has said she would feel better about Jonesie and how she came to you if her previous family didn't abandon her, but lost her, silmilar to what has happened with Mr Tigger

http://jcfloresinc.blogspot.com

Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

Whoa, our mom was growling about dem bad beans dat lefted yoo behind...we is so glad dem guardian angel kitties showed yoo to yoor mom and dad so dey could take care of yoo!

Catline Crew said...

The story made our mom so sad. But she said at least there was a happy ending filled with love.

Angel Simba said...

Thanks for your comment on my blog. Cory's Mom: Though I know you would not have knowingly kept somebody else's pet, Mom and I would have felt better in a way if Jonesie was lost. For people to abandon their pets is despicable cruelty. We are so thankful she found you. Your family clearly has wonderful hearts. God bless you.

quiltcat said...

Hi Jonesie. Our Meowmy got very leaky eyed reading your story. It's so horrible when people abandon pets and somehow expect them to fend for themselves. Our Fuzzy has a similar story except the people still lived next door...they just never fed him reliably or let him in out of the weather. He would slink across the driveway, not making eye contact, his fur all matted. Now he's well loved, full of hugs and purrs. He brought himself to Meowmy. You are so lucky your guardian angels brought you to your Mom!

Teri and her Stylish Adventure Cats said...

this is what being thankful is all about. We give thanks to your furrever family and that they knew you were beautiful on the inside and helped your inner beauty come out with their TLC

(angel) Grrreta and Fam said...

We're so sad you had to go through such hard times, but we are very glad your mom and dad rescued you and you have such a wonderful life now. You look very beautiful in your queen of the garden picture.

Mark's Mews (Marley, Lori, Loki, and Binq) said...

Jonesie, hurray fer yer Guardian Kitties! They did their werk findin ya a new home. An it was good of yer Beins to show ya the previous Beins were gone. Now ya can relax and know there is no other place ya need to consider...

Lynx217 said...

We were in much the same condition when we were rescued, but there was never the foster option. I made sure Mom never wanted to be without me ever again, then again that was easy. Getting us healthy, clean, and flea-free was the hard part.
We were born stray kitties, but we found our way into the most wonderful home we could've asked for. Our mom is a wonderful nurse, and none of us goes without love and cuddles for very long!
We're so happy you have been taken in Jonesie, as we all know how mean it can be out there. So perhaps on our next gotcha day we should have a special party!

Goldie, Shade and Banshee said...

We are all leaky eyed after reading that Jonesie. Thanks so much for sharing that touching post. We are so glad you are now in your forever home and will never be treated in such a disrespectful and hurtful way.

Purrs, Goldie and the girls

critterlover said...

Happy GotchaBirthday Sweet Jonesie.

Your story made me cry and smile. I'm so glad you found the bestest mom and dad to allow you to grow and remember that you are always beautiful and triumphant.

I read your blog all the time and it always makes me smile.

Teri and her Stylish Adventure Cats said...

We had to come and read about your early days...thank you for including the link in your 2011 Gotcha Day post!