| 10 Top 10 Lists For Cat Lovers!
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Mickey Blue Eyes is a very special cat. His story is one of survival against all odds, and reward beyond all expectations.
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He was found under a wood pile, lying in an icy mud puddle in November 2007. We only knew he was there because of the noise he was making... a desperate high pitched chirping that sounded more like a bird than a cat. We had no idea where he had come from and, with his tiny body covered in mud and shivering and too weak to stand, we weren't sure if he could be saved. First he went under my shirt, next to my skin to try and warm him. Next we fed him little bits of food, which he gobbled ravenously. Once he was clean, dry and fed, he went to meet the vet. We discovered he was nearly 3 months old, siamese/tabby, probably feral, and absolutely full of worms to the point that he wouldn't survive without immediate treatment.
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One month later, his beautiful blue eyes watched us without fear, and his little body was doing much better. We had interviewed several prospective new homes for him but... none of them seemed quite good enough. We soon realized that we were making ridiculous excuses regarding each of the wonderful people who offered to adopt him, such as maybe they would give him chicken, but did they realize he preferred white over dark meat? Would they know how to scamble his eggs properly? Would they let him sleep under their shirts during the day and on their pillows at night?
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Obviously, at this point, he was here to stay. He decided the dog was his mom and we already had "too many cats," but we didn't have any with blue eyes! Plus Mickey had (for some reason no one understands) bonded to the one member of the household who "didn't like cats." This same person was now getting up in the middle of night to feed him tuna, was carrying on entire conversations with him and was convinced that this kitten was smarter than any other. Ever.
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So Mickey grew, and grew, and grew some more. Despite his starved babyhood, he has just passed 20 lbs and is by far the largest cat in the house. During the last 2 years he has provided countless hours of amusement and stress relief as his character and very unique personality unfolds. He sings and coos to us like a pigeon. He runs to greet us at the door when we get home like a dog. He naps in the strangest spots and positions and has learned several words and hand signals. He has developed his own version of billiards. He does not like to be picked up, but chooses to sit beside us on the couch, sleep on our bed and follow us around the house. He's very affectionate with us, but rather hostile to strangers. He is an excellent guard cat, patrolling the windows and alerting us to anything that moves outside.
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This year a member of our family was diagnosed with cancer, the same person mentioned above who supposedly didn't like cats. Mickey's bond with him provided comfort, stress and pain relief, and even humour. Much has been written about the healing power of pets... we believe it and wonder if we found that pathetic little bundle of fur 2 years ago, or if he found us. Either way, we are so grateful for what he has given us in return.
He has also inspired the 10 Top 10 Lists For Cat Lovers project. There are so many cats, strays, ferals, abandoned, neglected and abused, that need and deserve help, and there's a lot of amazing people doing their best but... it always boils down to one issue: lack of funds.
And the thought occurred to us: what if there was some way we could earn a living doing something that also raised money for the countless struggling rescues and shelters? We couldn't think of a better ocupation, including our current one. So this project is our attempt at that. Mickey's personality may be unique, but his story is certainly not. There are literally millions of Mickey's out there, starving, cold, suffering and dying. These innocent souls have so much to offer, if they are just given the chance.
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Supporting the people who are out there every day, despite the horror, heartbreak and endless obstacles of their work, is very important. They have triumphs and victories too, they accomplish much with very little, and they are responsible for happy endings that would never happen without their dedication. Please take a moment to look at the rest of our site and consider joining us in our efforts to help them.
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