page 1 | page 2 | page 3 | page 4 | page 5 | page 6

Sheba/Magnolia and Isis/Misha

Kyra Deblaker adopted kittens, Sheba and Isis...now named Magnolia (Maggie) and Misha

Here's what she has to say about them:

When I left my home in New Jersey to take a job in DC, I missed everything I left in my home state-my family, my friends and my dog. I had though about adopting a kitten and put it out of mind, scared of what might happen to something as replaceable as my couch. But the need to have something furry run around the house brought me to SPCA/NOVA and to the cutest kittens I would ever see. There were cute cats and cuter kittens, but none could compare to the cutest kittens of them all-Sheba/Magnolia and Isis/Misha. Sheba and Isis were two cute kittens that were just too cute for words. I emailed NOVA right away, and before I knew I was making the trip to Virginia so I could meet the girls. My boyfriend and I sat there, nervousness nowhere in sight, holding the two most adorable and active kittens we have ever seen. It was love at first sight, and the couch was the last thing on my mind. Two weeks later the girls were home with us and my life suddenly seemed complete.
Our lives really are different because of the girls. We hate to leave them, love to stay home with them and are well on our way to being cat people!
We are also looking forward to fostering cats when we get a bigger place... for the girls, of course!
Sheba was given the name of Magnolia; she was named for her shy, demure nature and because it is the name of the town I grew up in and was missing so much. Misha was the perfect name for our Olympic-caliber gymnast.
Added 11/12/2004

HOPE/SEDONA

Jack and Jane Censer adopted Hope, now called Sedona, from SPCA in May 2004. Here's what they have to say about her:

Sedona came to live with us when she was three months old. Because of a difficult birth, she lost her left hind leg. This has not affected her spunk or disposition in any way. She is such a happy cat. She runs along sometimes purring and meowing at the same time. Although she can't jump very high, she has learned to climb everywhere she wants to go. In fact, our older cat has taken to climbing more than she ever did, probably mimicking Sedona. She is seldom in a room without one of us or the other cat. After her trip to the vet to be spayed, the vet said, "I know everyone must tell you this, but Sedona is so sweet." The day she came home, we found her hanging by one paw off the ironing board. Just swinging back and forth for the fun of it. She's really brought a lot to our family, and our other kitty enjoys her also.
Added 10/28/2004

PEGGY SUE/MIA

Marlene Zack and her husband adopted Peggy Sue in July 2004 and renamed her to Mia. Here's what she has to say:
Val Garcia (who lives next door to me) had been fostering Mia and the her littermates. The vet who originally saw her estimated her birth date to be March 1, 2004.
When Mia was found, she had a damaged left front leg (probably from an accident of some sort when she was very young), and the leg had to be completely amputated. I adopted her shortly after her surgery.
I now have 4 cats, and I thought I had seen all kinds of crazy kitten behavior, but Mia is unbelievable! She is not hampered at all with just three legs and tears around the house, tackles the other cats, climbs up the screen door, and literally bounces off the walls.
Added 10/15/2004

Miss Kitty

Vicki Bryan adopted Miss Kitty in June 2004. Here's what she has to say:
 She's doing great. It's been two months today since she came home with me. I've attached pictures of her favorite stalking location. She seems to think if she hides under the rug her furry mouse won't see her as easily. She's a wonderfully kitty that's waiting for me at the door when I get home and follows me around the house until bedtime when she comes to sleep with me. She also gets quite upset when I hit snooze in the morning since she knows I'm supposed to be getting up. Just wanted to let you know that she's doing well and spoiled rotten.
Added 8/11/2004

Bounce/Calvin and Dizzy/Hobbes

Dara Katcher adopted Bounce and Dizzy, now called Calvin and Hobbes, from SPCA in early 2004. Here's what she has to say about these wonderful little creatures:
The boys are doing great! They've really come around - Calvin is such a love bug. He greets me when I come home at night and stands up on his hind legs so I can pick him up. The big news is that Hobbes now lets me pick him up and hold him as well! They LOVE running up and down the stairs and looking outside the window at "Kitty TV." Here are the latest and greatest photos. The boys took over a basket I used for a baby shower and made it into an alternate bed. So cute - I had to take a picture!
Just added, 1/27/05, a new photo of Calvin and his favorite blanket!

Added 5/28/2004

Lizzie/Liesel and Cody/Oden

May Kakareka adopted Lizzie and Cody, now called Liesel and Oden, from the SPCA in September of 2004, when they were about 5 months old. Here's what she had to say about these wonderful little creatures:
  After a few days of hiding in VERY small places, Liesel and Oden settled in beautifully.  Though originally living on their own, Juanita, their foster "mom" did a fabulous job of socializing them.  Every day when we return from work, they wake up from their naps, and come over to receive loving.  Liesel cries to be picked up, and loves to be carried around the house.  Oden has been known to follow Rick around all morning!  They let us know when they are ready to play by crouching on the stairs in anticipation of the paper game!  The next adventure for our sweet siblings is to help socialize new kitties by becoming a foster big sister and brother.  We think they will be terrific!
The first picture is of Liesel relaxing at home, the other of Oden, laying in 'his' papasan chair.
Added 5/28/2004

SUNDANCE

Beth Sherwood adopted Sundance as a young kitten from SPCA NOVA. The Christmas of 2003 was their first together. Here Beth writes about it:
Sundance was actually pretty non-destructive. She didn't climb the tree - just batted at the lower ornaments. She sure loved playing in the lights, garland, wrapping paper, etc.! Here are a couple of pictures that will attest to that. The last picture is of Sundance and Callie. Callie is a little over a year old. They became friends very quickly. Callie is very shy so I was a little worried, but Sundance, though fearless, is so sweet and playful. Sundance has grown a lot.
Added 4/19/2004

SONNY

Susan and Donald Klypchak adopted Sonny from SPCA NOVA in the Spring of 2002. Sonny has written a cats-eye-view story of his new life since then that he would like to share with others!
HI! My name is Sonny.  Shortly after I was rescued by the SPCA NOVA, I met this couple who ‘adopted’ me. Of course, being a cat I know better – I chose them!
I now live in a nice home with lots of room to play. The only stressors I face are those I see outside of the sliding door in the kitchen. There are Squirrels!, Rabbits!, Chipmunks!, BIRDS!! [Including that loudmouthed red one.], and that CAT that lives across the street!. My humans won’t let me out to chase them; a highly frustrating problem. But, they bought me some cat furniture for Christmas. It lets me sit by the window and look down on all those lowly creatures in my back yard.
Among my new pastimes are: ‘critter’ watching [obviously!], chasing stuffed mice [I now have over 2 dozen], attacking the yarn when my human is crocheting, sleeping on my nice window seats, complaining that I haven’t been fed in the last 2 minutes and eating. I’ve even discovered TV, especially dog shows, wonderful!
Also, I’ve convinced my people that outside is nice and they need exercise. So we go for walks in our yard, I have ‘leash’ trained them. [Unfortunately, they still don’t understand my desire to “walk” when those fascinating creatures are in the yard so I can chase them].
Added 3/17/2004

SAMSON/SEBASTIAN

Samson was adopted by Anne Paulin and renamed to Sebastian. This is what she wrote to us about him:
I adopted Samson in December 2003 when he was about 5 months old. He adapted very well to his new home and new playmate, Chloe. He's really a sweet, soft, purry boy! Sebastian finds that anything and everything can become a toy - he plays with paper, kitty kibble, the TV remote, my phone, cotton swabs, anything! He enjoys tipping over the bathroom trash basket each morning to see what new treasures lie within. He also enjoys playing with the water in the tub after I shower. Sebastian likes to wrestle with Chloe, but she doesn't let him get the best of her. Sometimes he gets her in a headlock and grooms her head and ears whether she wants it or not! I'm really enjoying his company and am grateful for SPCA NOVA for helping him recover from feline distemper so he could enjoy a healthy, happy life!!
Maybe he has Maine Coon in him? I love his tufted ears!
Added 2/16/2004

BRENNAN

Brennan was adopted by Cheryl Chick. This is what she wrote to us about him:
Brennan joined our family - me, Andy and our 19 year old kitty "Dickens" on October 25th 2003.  He is the most loving kitty-boy anyone has ever seen.  He is sitting on my lap as I type, soaking up love & playing with the pencils on the computer desk.  Everything is an adventure for Brennan, although we really had a bit of excitement the day a young buck decided to visit.   Brennan loves checking everything out, but he always comes back for a snuggle.  He's a happy boy that loves to pose, especially stretched out arcing his back!  He "chirs" to greet me in the morning, and when he "birrs", I know he is up to something - he has quite a vocabulary.  I've honestly never seen any creature this lovey and sweet.  I actually miss him when I'm at work, and can't wait to see him when I get home, he's that much of a personality.  I think he is happy with us, and I can't imagine being without him!
Added 1/18/2004

ISABEL

Jennifer Eggers & Family adopted Isabel. This is what they wrote about her:
Isabel is doing great! She gets along well with our dog, Ripley and one of our cats, Lily. Rose is the hard case but she doesn't let Rose ignore her. It is so funny to watch Isabel go over and jump on Rose. She chirps like our other 2 cats and rolls around on her back when it is time to eat. She is a great addition to our home. She must weigh over  5 lbs now and goes next week to be spayed.
Added 1/11/2004

ETHEL & LUCY

Wayne & Kathi Cook were looking for a pair of cats to fill a void in their home. They chose Ethel and Lucy and adopted them on the 22nd December 2003. Here is what Wayne wrote to us about them:
Here are Ethel & Lucy - both wonderful additions to our home. I am a retired school teacher and I am sure the "girls" will give me endless hours of company. They both immediately took to their new home as if they had always been there - making themselves right at home. All of the images seen here are less than 24 hrs of the kitties being in their new surroundings. I hope I can make their Christmas as merry as I know mine will be now. Thank you, all at SPCANOVA for making our Christmas very, very Merry with these "girls" !

UPDATE 1/8/2004 - both cats doing fine - made themselves right at home - and have found their "voices" - all we have to do is walk in the kitchen they assume it is feeding time-- Lucy has gained almost 2 lbs.. so yes this little "runt" is catching up with her sister Ethel - attached a couple of priceless pics taken this afternoon in computer room.. thought you might enjoy seeing them- girls napping!!!!!

UPDATE 3/21/2004 - Here are a few more alumni pictures of Ethel and Lucy . The girls have continued to take over the household. 

They love dessert!  ...and Ethel enjoys hanging out in the Computer Room.

PAUL JR/LOKI

Heather Anderson adopted Paul Jr, now called Loki, in December 2002. Here's what she had to say about him:
Loki, a.k.a. Paul Jr., has been a blessing in more ways than one. He has turned us into a family, given me a reason to smile on the worst of days, and converted two diehard dog lovers into cat lovers (but we still love dogs). This is no surprise as he had already "won over" everyone he met at the SPCA. He's a tiny guy with a big personality. He talks to us in different tones and sounds depending on whether he wants more food, wants to say "good morning," wants hugs, or wants us to know how distressed he is that we've taken him to the vet! His favorite toy is a straw from Wendy's. Must be something about the smell because he doesn't get quite as excited over other straws. As soon as he sees me walk in with a cup, he bee-lines for my straw and will walk around the house with the straw in his mouth (sometimes with the cup still attached) like a trophy. I never get mad at him because I just find him so fascinating and lovable. He's been pure magic for us and definitely runs our home. I'm grateful to Kathleen for her great talent in matching cats with the perfect home!

MISTY/ABBY AND MITZY/ZOE

Dana Lehr and Nate Goldstein adopted two kittens from SPCA in 2002 (called Misty and Mitzy) then rescued one of their own (Emma). Here's what they have to say about their feline kingdom:
We came to SPCA after losing our kitty Lylah to kidney disease at only four years of age. Now we've gone from a lonely, empty apartment to one filled with kitties! We first adopted Abby and Zoe together, and they immediately brought back the joy of having something fuzzy in the house. Both are extremely outgoing and are always waiting by the door as soon as they hear our footsteps on the stairs. Zoe is a talker and a schmooze of a lap cat, but she would sell you in a second for a Whisker Lickin's. Abby loves anyone who walks in the door, except of course for...the new kitty in the house.
Abby was the only one to complain when we found Emma screaming her head off in the rain underneath our kitchen window. We heard Emma from three stories up, windows closed, air conditioning blasting. She clearly had been with people before, because after a voracious meal, she immediately fell asleep purring in our laps. The poor thing was a complete mess when we found her--fleas, worms, URI, conjunctivitis--but nothing could mask her incredible sweetness. Obviously, the plan to be Emma's "foster" parents didn't last very long. Now five months later, Abby has gotten over her initial misgivings, Zoe continues to be a perfect big sister, and Emma keeps everyone on their toes. Nowadays we're lucky to find room on the bed between the purring balls of fur, but we wouldn't have it any other way!

NANI

Adopted by Todd and Cindy Lowman in September 2002. Nani had been a stray kitty that was found on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. At the time, she was barely 6 pounds and was very, very skinny with short, course grey hair.  She was also very quiet.
As you can tell from her picture, she isn't 6 pounds any more!  When we took Nani to Town and Country Animal Hospital for her yearly checkup and shots, she weighed in at a whopping 11 pounds and 3 ounces! She has medium length grey hair with silver tips and a few white patches on her tummy. She is still just as bold and curious as ever, but very, very talkative too.  She loves running to the window, looking outside, and then coming back and telling us all about what is going on.
Thanks again for matching us with such a great kitty.  She's been a wonderful addition to the family.

BRUTUS

Terri and Matt Latham adopted Brutus in August 2003. This is what Terri wrote about them:
We've had Brutus for almost three months now, and he has been quite a blessing to us. We were planning on getting a little kitten as a companion to our two year old 'princess', Laci, but are glad we decided on our very BIG kitten, Brutus. He is the biggest lovebug ever, and loves his big sister, Laci, more than anything. When Laci got sick in September, Brutus followed her around to make sure that she was ok, and when she came home from being hospitalized for a few days he was SO happy. He is a rambunctious, playful boy that loves to snuggle more than anything. We know he will always be our big baby boy. Thanks to Heather, Kathleen and the rest of the SPCA clan for helping to complete our family.

Brutus wanted to add a note from himself-
Hi everybody! Remember me? I came as a little kitten but am very much the big boy now. I love my new home, and my Mom and Dad give me lots of snuggles and pets (especially face rubs which are the BEST), and my big sister, Laci, who came from the DC Shelter a few months before I was born, has been showing me the ropes of being in my forever family. At first, she was a little suspicious of me, but I am so sweet and funny that she just couldn't resist me. We play 'zoom' and chase each other around in the middle of the night, and Laci is teaching me all kinds of things, like how to sit on the dining room table when Mom and Dad aren't home, and how to drink out of their water glasses when they aren't looking! They even just bought us a house! Can you believe it? A big house just for us (well Mom and Dad will live there with us, but I know it's really ours)! I hope you like the pictures Mommy is sending-there is even one of me playing Scrabble because I am so smart! Thanks to everyone who rescued and took such good care of me, and say hi to all of my canine and feline brothers and sisters at the SPCA. Tell them to keep up hope-they will get a forever home, too.
Love and meows, Brutus Latham

JAN/MAYA & VIOLET/NINA

Debbie Johns adopted Jan (now Maya) and Violet (now Nina) in March of 2003. This is what she wrote about them:
They are both such loving cats and bring a smile to my face every day. Maya hasn't met a person that she doesn't like. As soon as she hears the doorbell, she goes to the door and rolls on the floor waiting to be petted. She's a definite lap cat too. Nina is more reserved and watches from a distance. But all anyone has to do is throw one of her crazy rings to her, and they're her friend. She loves playing fetch and hiding in paper bags and jumping out at her toys. Maya is partial to the little furry mice and jumps quite high to catch ones that are thrown to her.
They both like water and always want a drink out of the faucet. Whenever I get out of the shower in the morning, they're waiting to get in to drink from the faucet. I didn't realize it at first, but they were getting drinks of water from the glass I have on my nightstand. Now it's all theirs once the lights are out.
Some of their favorite activities are chasing each other throughout the house, wrestling, taking naps together in their cat tree, watching birds on the balcony, chasing bugs, and just finding a nice place in the sun and taking a nap. Maya is quite vocal and demands snacks everytime I pass by the container, but they are a bedtime treat. She now weighs a little over 9 lbs. Nina only weighs 6 1/2 lbs. It's hard to believe that Nina weighed a few ounces more than Maya when I first got them. Nina is small in size and small in voice--only little squeaks and chirps. She's a sweety and will carry her toys over to me and lay them beside my feet when she wants to play.
I'm so glad that SPCA fostered the two of them together and that I'm the lucky person who got to make them a part of my family!

Update March 29, 2004 - Nina, Maya, and I just celebrated our one year adoption anniversary! The last year has flown by. Nina isn't nearly as shy as she once was and occasionally naps on my lap and will rub against my legs until I pick her. Every morning she jumps into the tub before I can run the water. She rolls around and purrs loudly while I rub her tummy and tell her what a pretty girl she is. She's very inquisitive and goes into the dishwasher while I'm emptying it. This morning she hopped into the washing machine. I'm hoping that I can get her to go in and find socks that are hiding. Maya inherited the luxating patellas from her mother and had to undergo surgery on both hind legs in December. She was a real trooper through it all -- for six weeks having to spend the time when I wasn't home in a dog crate, sleeping by herself at night, struggling to get up and eat, and only being able to watch while Nina and I played. She's recovered quite nicely and is back to her usual routine of playing with and chasing Nina, climbing the cat tree, chasing toy mice, climbing up on my lap, and occasionally just taking off and running for a reason that only she knows.

A brunch was held on March 20, 2004, in Nina and Maya's honor. Their human friends were invited. Nina socialized while everyone was eating by walking around under the table and pawing at people's legs. People were practically lined up waiting to play with and pet the girls. They received lots of toys, treats, and attention from the guests. A good time was had by cats and humans alike.

KAMIKAZE/ANGIE

Janice Seeger and Clifford Shaw adopted Kamikaze (now called Angie) from SPCA in January 2003. Here's what they had to say about the new addition to their family!
Angie has settled into our house and become a great companion to humans and cats. She is a very comical and happy kitty. We are thrilled to have her.
When we saw Angie on the web site we thought of what a good playmate she would be for our extremely active Rita, even though we knew Angie had a previously broken leg. The broken leg does not slow her down in the least. The trouble is that she is as fast as Rita and Rita likes to be chased, but not caught. Angie can catch her! They now have developed the chase game to where Rita jumps up high on something at the last second, keeping Angie from catching her. It took some time, but they have turned out to be good playmates, even if Rita can be a spoiled sport.
We also didn't expect Angie to become best loving licking companion to our big alpha cat, Sally. It took time for everyone to get used to each other, but Sally quickly upheld her reputation as a "compassionate alpha cat" She and Angie love to lick each other and engage in funny pre-dinner games of batting at each other playfully.
As for the humans, Angie is much more affectionate than our other two. We were hoping for a lap cat, but Angie is a "face cat", climbing to our faces hugging and kissing us. We truly love our affectionate new Angie-cat!

BARON/REAGAN & TOBI

Beth and Mike adopted Baron (now called Reagan) and Tobi from SPCA in June 2003. Here's what they had to say about the new addition to their family!
Reagan and Tobi are doing very well. Tobi is much less shy now. She really took a liking to my brother when he was in town. Her favorite new thing is for you to sit on the floor and blow bubbles for her. She loves to pop them. Even when strangers come in, she only hides for about twenty minutes now. She just loves all the attention she gets when she comes out!! She also loves to sun herself by the front door while she is waiting for Mike to come home. Reagan is very tall now. He is growing like a weed. He is also very smart. Mike has taught him to fetch. You can throw a mouse twenty times and he will bring it back to you each time. We get worn out playing before he does! As you can see from the picture they are still very close. They play-fight, but never hurt each other. Things are going well and we are all very happy!

MARS & TUTELINA

Jennette Taylor adopted Mars and Tutelina from SPCA in the summer of 2002. Here's a little story about them and their canine friend, Angel:
Mar's and Tutelina's mom, Diana, was living a neglected life on a farm in Spotsylvania County. After having been pregnant several times, I offered to take her in and contacted the SPCA NOVA for help. Diana had her last litter of kittens in our upstairs bedroom closet in May of 2002, a litter of only two kittens. When Diana stoped eating and drinking and feeding her babies, we took her to an SPCA vet to find out what was wrong, and were sad to hear that she had FIP - a fatal disease in cats. To minimize her suffering and the spread of the disease to her kittens, we knew she had to be put to sleep. Her babies were only three weeks old. We had the pleasure of bottle feeding her kittens, litter-training them and giving them love. In fact, we fell in love with them and knew we couldn't give them up...so we adopted them! Mars and Tutelina, as we named them, had become our babies, the newest addition to our growing family. (We already had our lab, Angel). More than a year later, we are happy to say that Mars and Tutelina are healthy, happy adult cats. Tutelina is a lapcat - she loves to get attention and be petted. Mars doesn't like to be held, but loves to play, and he and Angel are inseparable. They make a disasterous duo, Mars knocking things off of shelves so that Angel can tear them up, both of them making a racket early in the morning and driving us nuts. We love them all, though, and could never give them up.

page 1 | page 2 | page 3 | page 4 | page 5 | page 6