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SABRA/PERINI

Sabra was adopted by Kristi and Ken Barnes in October 2001 and renamed Perini - as a companion to their other kitty, Abby (now 6-1/2), after the death of their beloved 18-year-old cat, Kookaburra . In Kristi's words:
Perini has so much personality and is very expressive; you can always tell what she's thinking! She and Abby don't exactly snuggle up together, but they have learned to coexist fairly peacefully. They like to chase each other around the house, but Perini is so much bigger (about 11 pounds) that she usually "wins." Both of them sleep on the bed every night; Perini paws on the covers until one of us puts an arm out for her to lie on. She also likes to drink water out of the bathroom faucet and look out the windows at the birds and squirrels outside (thankfully, she never tries to get out).

Here are some photos of Sabra/Perini for your Alumni page. Thanks to Kathleen and SPCA NoVA for letting us adopt this amazing black beauty!

BIJOUX/ZELDA

Bijoux was adopted by Tanya Boris in April 2003 and renamed Zelda. In Tanya's words:
As a veterinary technician, I see a lot of rescue animals. But for some reason she was different.  I remember when Bijoux came in to the hospital. She was very quiet and very sweet.  We did the usual exam and FeLV/FIV test.  She had an upper respiratory infection and to our surprise, poor Bijoux was FIV positive.  I watched over her the day after her diagnosis, and something in those bright amber eyes just told me I had to have her.    The night I took her home and opened the carrier in my apartment, she immediately jumped up into my fiancee's lap and started meowing.  She adjusted so well and has been wonderful ever since.  She is so sweet and loving, but very demanding about getting her breakfast! We love her so much I will be grateful for any time we get to have her.  We feed her an immuno-boosting diet to help with her disease, but unfortunately she has another upper respiratory infection and has been on antibiotics almost constantly since we adopted her.  She also has developed a ringworm infection, which the doctors say could be an indication that her immune system is becoming increasingly weak.  So right now we are hoping for the best and providing her with a lots of TLC. Thank you SPCA for all that you do, and for bringing this beautiful cat into our lives!

ALFIE/ALFER

Kristin and her boyfriend Drew adopted Alfie from us and renamed him Alfer. Here is what Kristen wrote to us about him:
I am writing to update you on Alfer - my boyfriend (Drew) and I adopted him in August of 2000. He is doing absolutely wonderful and we absolutely LOVE him!!!! It has been incredible over the past 2.5 years to see him transform from the growling, very scared kitty to the happy, content cat he is today. He doesn't run out of the room when we have guests and doesn't use his food as a safety zone anymore. He lets us pet him all over and has even laid on our laps a couple of times! But mostly, he is happy to be wherever we are.
He still is a big boy weighing in at around 18 lbs. We have him on prescription diet food but he seems to maintain that weight. He never fails to meow loudly to wake us every morning at 6:00 to feed him! He and his brother (Kitty) tag-team us - Alfie meows right next to my ear and Kitty pulls the cover from my face! He loves to give "stinks" or headbutts. We call them stinks because his breath is so bad :) He also has the name Stinky because he doesn't cover his poop in the litter box!
He has learned to play a little bit and has learned from Kitty to chase paper - but he doesn't know what to do once he gets it! He has a little stuffed bee that he LOVES and when we say "Get your bee!" he flops down next to it, holds it with his front paws and kicks at it with his back legs. He then looks to us to see if he did it right! He also likes to just lay next to it. He likes to play string too and will jump up in the air to get it and then run off at lightning speed to the kitchen!
He and Kitty are finally buddies although they do swat at each other every once in awhile. They both enjoy sitting at the windows, smelling the spring breeze. He has his 'spots' that he lays and sleeps and we spoil him and Kitty to no end!!
I hope you can tell from the pictures that he is doing well and is very happy! Thank you for such a wonderful cat!

BAILEY

Maggie and Carlos adopted Bailey from us and here is what they had to say:
After careful consideration, we decided to bring another pet into our lives. We were extremely fortunate to adopt Bailey. He is the most affectionate pet we have had the pleasure of caring for and he is quite the character!  We had initial reservations because our  7 year old female cat Boobie has spent most of her years as the "only child." After his arrival, there were minor altercations. Boobie tried to resist his disarming gaze and charm. But Bailey persevered and they are slowly becoming friends-although apparently some ground rules have been laid out!
Bailey truly enjoys our company and is always within a few feet of us. He is extremely well behaved and his only vice is drinking water from unattended glasses (see photo)! The most comical routine Bailey has is that he wakes up five minutes before our alarm goes off in the morning. His timing is that of a Swiss watch. He pulls the covers back on Maggie’s side and cuddles under the blanket with her until she gets up to prepare for the day. Truly a mystery and a sight to behold!
We are extremely grateful to the SPCA. Without their service and commitment to helping these cats, our paths would not have crossed. I am not sure I speak on behalf of Boobie, but I can not imagine our household or days being the same without him. He can melt away any anger or chase away any sorrows a tough day can bring. Truly a blessing in disguise! Thank you once again for allowing us to adopt him and to make him a fantastic part of our lives.
Added 5/6/2003

CIRRUS/MAX
Rachel Cole adopted a kitten named Cirrus. He is now called Max and lives with his Siamese sister, Chloe. This is what she wrote about him:
Believe me he is definitely a Max. He is the happiest cat I have ever met. The day I took him for the removal of his masculinity the nurses couldn't stop commenting on how well behaved he was and the cutest kitten they had ever seen - of course I already thought so being the proud mommy I am! His daily routine consists of waking me at 5 AM with playing with the blinds and attacking feet and his sister. Once he has me up, I have to turn the bathroom faucet on for his sister Chloe and then he DEMANDS to be fed. Only then can I get on with my routine in the bathroom. He then licks the bathtub dry and then attacks his sister or should I say ambushes her! She is a Siamese, as you can see by the picture, and never sees it coming. All in all he is just a regular guy! Although he was the runt of the litter he has grown to be a strong stocky little guy. He's even turned my boyfriend into a cat person who swore he only liked dogs.
Added 4/26/2003
 

Dusty/Scar & Dickory/Mustafa
Glenda Thomas adopted Dusty (now called Scar) and Dickory (now called Mustafa) in 2002. They are siblings to Hickory and Doc (pictured below). Here's what she has to say about them and their new big brother, Simba:
They are just amazing! We're one big happy family and the boys are still very mischievous! They know when they're bad. I come into the room and they see me and run away sideway's - basically prancing - especially if they're doing something they aren't supposed to be doing (up on the counters, clawing the furniture, etc). They wrestle with each other and have included Simba in their play - gets a little rough sometimes but they're good together. Simba has even lost some weight because he's running around with them so much - up and down the stairs - it's comical.
They are fascinated with the shower. They sit on the bathtub and watch me - then get up and are try to claw their way into the shower - meowing loudly. They love to be around the water! Scar doesn't meow very loud probably because of his neck/jaw injury when SPCA rescued him. Mustafa makes LOTS of noise!
We all settle into bed at night and Simba grooms the little guys like he's the momma. Scar ends up biting Simba after a good grooming - kinda like a love bite. Scar doesn't like getting his nails trimmed - you'd think that he was being murdered by the way he carries on. Mustafa is a very good boy - knows that a treat is coming when it's all over with - doesn't make a sound. Simba doesn't like it but doesn't carry on the way Scar does!
I'm so blessed to have them in my life. I've very grateful to SPCA for allowing me to adopt them. I'm very happy to be able to give them a good life especially after their rough start!

Doc and Hickory/Winnie
The Piper family adopted Don and Hickory (renamed Winnie) in November 2002. This is what Rutha wrote to us about them:
We are the proud owners of two of your rescued cats - originally named Doc (male) and Hickory (female) - now Doc and Winnie (from Pooh and Tuck Everlasting characters). I wanted to send you some photos of just how well these guys have fit into our lives. It took several weeks for the bound to occur but our German Shepherd Dog, Portia (3 years old ) and Doc are great buddies. She and Winnie just sort of ignore each other but sometimes play. Doc and Portia actually chase each other at times with Doc springing out from behind the furniture to jump on Portia's back, Winnie plays with Portia's tail whenever she can too.
The cats (were kittens about 14 weeks old when we got them in Nov) are quite happy. It's a great family for them. They have really bonded with the kids too - Winnie with our 14 yr old daughter and Doc with our 12 yr old son.

Oliver
Lauren Larson adopted Oliver from SPCA in July 2002. Here's what she has to say about her new family:
I'm sending this picture as an update on my wonderful adopted cats -- Oliver (the orange tabby) adopted from the SPCA and Oakley (aka Sierra) adopted from the DC Shelter. Thanks so much to both organizations for bringing them into my life -- they get along great with each other and with my 90 lb dog and are a constant source of amusement and affection.

Twinkletoes/Meadow Soprano and Mirage/Cosmopolitan
From Melissa and Dave Chase:
We adopted Meadow Soprano (aka TwinkleToes) in July 2002, when we decided our torti Jupiter needed a friend and that we had more than enough room and love for another feline friend.
After some getting-to-know-you time, Meds and Jupe were good friends, and enjoyed each other's company. When Jupiter died from acute renal failure this fall, our little family was devastated, including Meadow, who sat and meowed, waiting for Jupiter to come play.
Some time later, we decided to slowly see if maybe there was another little character out there who needed a home and a crazy torti friend.
The warm hearts at the SPCA-VA and Metro Ferals introduced us to Cosmopolitan (aka Mirage) and she has become a beautiful, friendly, and loving part of our lives. They're great friends and great companions!
Added 3/4/2003

Apollo/Grady and Athena/Sassy
Tom Hickey and Linda Ebben adopted Apollo (now Grady) and Athena (now Sassy) from SPCA as kittens. Here are their one year anniversary photos! This is what Tom and Linda had to say about their kitties:
Grady and Sassy are brother and sister. They are constant companions and never out of earshot of the other. They enjoy watching the morning and evening news, playing with strings and ribbons, looking out the windows and playing a rousing game of tag at least once a day. We are all very happy...and highly recommend to others that they consider animal adoption through your fine organization!
Added 2/25/2003

CryBaby/Sunny and Pete
These kittens are cousins that were adopted by their SPCA NoVA foster mom, Stacey. CryBaby, later named Sunny, was a big "hit" when he was a kitten. He had the cutest little round face and meowed (or "cried") everytime he wanted love or attention. Here is a photo of CryBaby/Sunny and Pete snoozing....obviously, happy and content in their new home. Also, pictured is CryBaby/Sunny with his canine friend, Blossom!
Added 2/7/2003

GINGER/J.W. Elliott
Sam & Diane Riser adopted Ginger in May 2002 and renamed her J.W. Elliott. Here's what Diane wrote:
When we first got her she was skinny, skittish, aggressive and distant.  But in the past 7 months she has really come a long way.  While we are still daily breaking the "rough play" habits she picked up somewhere - our friends would tell you that she is a totally different cat.  She now greets us at the door and follows us around until we take time to throw mice from the foyer through the livingroom to the dining room.  We take turns with who's turn it is to "run her" - she could do that all night if we'd oblige her.  She likes to play in the toilet when it's running but drinks only from the sink - we created a monster when we started turning on the faucet for her - now it's a morning/night routine that causing great amounts of "talking" until we turn on the faucet.  (We ordered a real kitty fountain from the internet!)  She also "showers" with us - she sits on the ledge of the tub (roman tubs have wide ledges) and plays in the water to the point of nearly complete upper-body saturation.  I've never met a cat completely oblivious to getting/being wet.  At night when she's done playing mouse-hockey in the bathroom she jumps on the bed, walks up the length of one of us, and screams in our face so we'll know she's coming to bed now too.  Which is fine, except the nights when we've been asleep for an hour already.  :)  The colder out it gets the farther up the bed she moves each night.  She prefers to sleep on my husband's chest, nearly on his neck, with her tail wrapped around the side of his head.....but as you can imagine - that's not his preference.  She's a goof ball and we get such a kick out of her.  Her tail is especially long and she still chases it and grabs it so hard she falls over.  She's a guaranteed smile-maker at the end of a hard day! 

Update 10/23/2003 - Just wanted to update you on J.W. Elliott, adopted March 2002.  We moved from Arlington to Alexandria in June this year and she faired the move famously.  We’ve moved to a smaller apartment so her habit of playing out of the second sink in the master bath had to stop since now we only have one bathroom, one sink, and two humans (or cat staff members, as my husband refers to us).  I’ve attached a picture of our “compromise,” if you can call it that.  She’d participate in this activity all day if we let her.  We need to get a motion sensor so that we don’t have to turn it on, turn if off….or worse – forget it’s on!  In the morning after a 5:30 breakfast demand…she takes two bites and then the demands for turning the water park on begin!  Mon-Fri, no problem…Sat?...ugghhhhhh!

REEBOK/SIMON & NIKE/OLIVER
Erin Davis adopted these kittens from us in the summer of 2002. Here's what she has to say about them:
I can't even describe how much joy these kittens have brought me! They are such sweethearts and I love them to pieces!

UPDATE - 11/12/2004. Simon and Oliver are BIG BOYS now. Here are some recent photos:

MERLIN & MIETTE
Amanda Kreusch adopted Merlin and Miette in September 2002 after a brief stint as their "foster mom." After just a couple of days with them, Amanda asked SPCA if she "had the option of adopting them"?!? Amanda says they bonded so quickly she just couldn't give them up! Merlin is the mischieveous one of the two. While his "mom" was recently brushing her teeth, Merlin jumped from the bathroom counter onto the shower rod balancing between the shower rod and the shower head. So there he was, standing with his front paws on the shower head and his back paws on the shower rod with a look on his face like "OH xxxx, what do I do now!?!" Merlin and Miette are very lucky kitties to have found Amanda. They came into SPCA's care following a humane investigation. We were asked to investigate a report that a child had put a tiny kitten, then named Precious and only 7 weeks old, in a microwave oven and turned it on. We are happy to say that Precious is now doing fine and has been adopted into a loving home. Merlin and Miette came from the same household and are now safe and sound in Amanda's home!

SUNSHINE/BUCKLEY
Sunshine were adopted by Jen Pugh and John Snowden in November 2001 and renamed Buckley. This is what Jen wrote us about him:
He's doing just great in his new home and is amazingly friendly.  Unlike a lot of cats who hide when company comes, Buckley is the life of the party.  At a cocktail party last month, he sat on the sofa with everyone and when we went out on the balcony (where he is not allowed), he scratched at the glass until we came back in. 
Buckley had some definite problems when he first came home with us--he had attacks of wheezing and would subsequently throw up his food.  At first it was chalked up to a sensitive stomach, but then he continued to wheeze.  It was heartbreaking to see him suffer and there was nothing we could do.  Our vet, Dr. Hall, diagnosed Buckley with athsma.  We are pursuing treatment and he hasn't had a wheeze in months!  Our only trouble now is keeping our friends and relatives from "kidnapping" him--we tell them to go see you guys and get one of their own!

About the photo on the left, Jen says: I'm not sure if this is a rude cat gesture being made at the camera, but he is CLEARLY not happy to be awakened from his nap.

In the photo of the right, Jen reckons Mr Buckley is thinking: Uh-oh.  They have a digital camera...Great--an in-house paparazzi!

JASPURR & STORM
Jaspurr & Storm were adopted by the Fischers of Stafford, VA in early Nov 2002.
We kept the good names they had before they came to us. We had a little trouble remembering who was who at first, so I like to picture Jaspurr as wearing a long black evening gown and Storm wearing a black & white tuxedo. They are from different litters but are both verrrry sweet, cuddly and playful. They both like their cat tree and it's like the "kitty town center" for most activities. They have an Alpine cardboard scratcher with catnip and a toy in it. Their favorite toys are their feather cat flier, some brown and gray catnip mice made of sock-like material, and a piece of old sweatpants drawstring that's kind of springy and elastic and bounces into odd shapes when they pull on it and let go. Storm is a student of computer science and we're thinking of enrolling him in some classes at the community college. He sits on the keyboard and watches the pointer move around and information scroll by. The SPCA cat adoption website is his favorite, because it meows. Jaspurr is kind of a klutz, running full speed and sliding into things, or rolling over on the bath mat and klunking her head on the tub. She must think she's in the X-Games, 'cause she sure goes all out! Both kitties are getting their voices albeit high and squeaky. Storm meows when it's chow time, and Jaspurr squeaks here and there when she's playing or interested in something out the window. Storm loooooves dried anchovies for a treat ("anything stinky" is his motto) and we haven't quite found much that Jaspurr thinks is a treat, she just loves to play. The kitties practice WWF Smack-Down wrestling several times a day and they each have some very impressive moves. Jaspurr loooves to arch her back and fluff out her furr and say "Look at Me! I'm Scary!" whereupon she'll invariably do something klutzy and spoil the illusion, but she works really hard on perfecting that scary black cat persona.

CUPCAKE & JADE/JAKE
Cindy Doles adopted Cupcake and Jade (now called Jake) from SPCA in October 2002 after fostering them for 3 months. These cats were rescued by an SPCA volunteer, along with 10 other cats, who were living in a deplorable situation. They were crammed into cages in a woman's basement and forced to live there day in and day out. Cindy's 22 year old cat had died recently and she contacted SPCA to begin looking for a cat to adopt. We told her about Cupcake and Jade and asked if she could help by fostering them. She agreed to do so, but shortly after they arrived, Cindy hinted that they might never leave! She tells us they are very sweet, sometimes shy (especially Jake), and always entertaining! She especially likes how Cupcake and Jake are completely bonded to one another. When one is out of sight of the other for very long all it takes is "a little meow" and the other one scampers around until they are reunited. SPCA is eternally grateful to Cindy for taking in and adopting these wonderful kitties!

SHELLY/BELLA
Shelly was adopted by Lori Burkhart in the summer of 2002 and renamed Bella. This is what Lori wrote us about her:
I adopted her the weekend of Sept. 15 and was told I would have to wait until Wednesday to pick her up....then was delighted when the woman in charge cleared me that day and let me take her home immediately.
Well, on that Wednesday (Sept. 18), I was in a terrible car accident. The extent of my injuries were not immediately obvious but I declined in health and about ten days before Thanksgiving I could not walk (lower spinal cord injury).
It was my first Thanksgiving I could not go see my parents. Anyway, Bella was my angel those weeks in bed....Miti my other cat is not a lap cat. Bella snuggled and licked my neck and was wonderful for my spirits. All I can think of is that I would not have been able to pick up Bella had I had to wait until that Wednesday....
Anyway  I see a nuerosurgeon on Dec. 24 and expect to be cleared to go see my parents in PA that day. So I'll be home for Christmas and feel Bella helped me get better by keeping my spirits up.
I took Bella to be spayed on Friday and was almost in tears at leaving her for the night since she was such great company for me!

I recommend that any single cat household at least consider adopting a companion for their cat. Here is why. I adopted my 3 1/2-year old tortie, Miti, as a single kitten but had suspected she was lonely, especially when we left for vacation. So I adopted a ten-week old kitten, Bella. After a brief transition period, Miti and Bella play all the time. It has brought the kitten out in my older cat, and my friends are all in disbelief over the change in her. (They thought she would never "take" to another cat.) It has been a wonderful experience--plus so many homeless cats need help and a good home.
Thanks again for the gift of Bella!

Added 10/14/2002

KITTY/TATIANA
Kitty was adopted by Clara Green in March of 1998 and renamed Tatiana. After a while, they moved from Northern Virginia to New York City. This is what Clara wrote us about her:
Tatiana is a grey tabby with the biggest, fattest black stripes and whorls I've ever seen. She has mysterious milky green eyes and sweet pink and black paws. (Her full name is Her Imperial Highness, the Grand Duchess Tatiana Clarovna Greenskaya.) She is EXTREMELY affectionate and crawls all over me when I come home. She's had enough of Mommy traipsing all over the globe! (When your organization called to check up on Tatia, I was about to go to Spain for 9 months as a performer on a cruise ship, and I'd left her with my mother.) It's so funny, she HATES it when I sing--she gets very upset (I suppose she thinks I'm crying) and rubs against me and meows mournfully.
Added 10/2/2002

PADME/MELBA
Padme was adopted by Andy Morris and Tom Cornacchia in July 2002 and renamed to Melba. She has quickly become part of the family and is pictured here with Sylvester, her much older feline companion.

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