narley

We at Cat Happy love to share rescue success stories, and we'd like you to meet Narley. We first learned about this sweet boy when our friend and animal rescuer, Eric Schickendantz, shared his story after finding him on the streets of Akron, Ohio

As told by Narley...I've been on the streets for so long that I can't even recall when I ever had a home. I'm not even sure of my age; I think maybe 5 or years old. I've lost my tail and a few teeth and I've got a lot of battle scars to show for all the street fights that I've been in, hence my name Narley, except that I spell it without the G. I really am pretty gnarly looking, but life is tough on the streets for feral tom cats. At one point I was so sick with an upper respiratory infection and a very bad case of ear mites. I was cold, hungry and just plain worn out and I was ready to give up. Luck was with me one day, though, because I wandered up to an old house that is also a real estate office and I could smell good food and I knew there were other cats in there. The kind lady who works there took me in and gave me the first meal that I'd had in ages. Then she took me to her vet for tests, shots, neutering and treatment to get rid of my URI and ear mites.

The vet told the lady that I'm a flame point Siamese. I guess my blue eyes gave it away. Sounds pretty good, huh? Well, not so much. As it turns out, I tested positive for something called FIV and so humans are afraid to adopt me and a few vets said that I should be put to sleep. The kind lady and her rescuer friend don't want to give up on me, though, because I'm a good cat. All I want to do at this point in my life is sit in a sunny window. I even like to be brushed. It feels so good to enjoy the human touch. I went so long without it. But time is running out, I'm afraid, because my rescuers have been trying to find a furrever home for me for over a year now. The empty house where I've been staying is soon to be rented, in about 3 weeks actually, so there goes my sunny window. I guess it isn't dramatic to say that I need a miracle, some kind angel to give me a home. I play well with others and I like humans, too, so no worries there.

If you have a home with other FIV cats or even if you could take me in and let me have a room to myself so that I wouldn't have to be caged again, I'll sit on your lap and let you brush me till my coat is silky. Please. You're my last hope. Narley

Narley's story was posted on Animal Rescue sites across the nation the week of May 10, 2009 and something wonderful happened. Eric received an email from Amanda and Keith Reed as follows: "We are long haul truck drivers from Southeast Texas who are also Texas Animal Control Officers, and we are also a permanent home for special needs cats. We have adapted our truck to accommodate the cats. We do have several who for various reasons do not travel with us and for these cats, we have a network of people who care for them in our home in our absence. For those who do travel with us, because we are a trucking team, one of us is generally awake while the other one of us medicates, plays with the cats and sleeps, and thus, these kitties have pretty much 24/7 monitoring."

Click on the following thumbnails (and then "back") to meet some of the Reeds' trucking kitties and read an article published in the Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FRANKENMUTH, Mich. — More than 60 cats displaced by Hurricane Rita have found homes in Arizona thanks in part to the dedication of a Texas couple and an animal rescue agency in Michigan. Nancy Engel, president of Pet Angel Adoption & Rescue Inc., said some of the cats faced the possibility of euthanasia if taken back to an animal shelter in Galveston, Texas, following the hurricane. With Rita threatening, the Galveston County animal shelter sought foster families for about 50 cats. Keith and Amanda Reed, who have 19 cats of their own, drove 148 miles from Trinity, Texas, to help. No one else had responded to the request, so the Reeds decided to take all of the cats. The Reeds kept the cats in a spare bedroom for about a week, caring for the them through the storm, which came ashore Sept. 24. But they feared the cats still might face euthanasia if returned to the shelter.

At the time the Reeds wrote the email, they were in Pennsylvania, saying that they would be glad to reroute their trip back to Texas through Akron, OH to adopt him if he still needed a home.

The rest, as they say, is history. The Reeds did go to Akron and introduced Narley to their trucking cats. He was warmly welcomed and is now on his way HOME to Texas on 18 wheels. We wish Narley a long and happy life full of love and affection - something he has longed for for so long. God bless the Reeds for their wonderful hearts - Narley, "Be Happy, sweet boy!"