Mr. Boyd (formerly Garfield) update

We had a wonderful weekend with a bittersweet ending! My parents drove to Lexington from Raleigh, NC for a visit. We had a GREAT time! We enjoyed meals at our standard favorites...Ramsey's and El Mariachi and tried some new places....Flag Fork Herb Farm Cafe and Claudia Sanders restaurant (started by Colonel Sanders' wife). Mom and I explored the used bookstore and several flea markets and antique shops on Saturday. We can ALWAYS find some quirky and whimsical treasures. We also had a delightful afternoon at the Talon Winery. It was the perfect way to spend a rainy day...sipping good wine and laughing with the other wine tasters!

As for the bittersweet part.... Mr. Boyd (changed his name from Garfield), the FIV+ kitty that I told you about, headed back to Raleigh yesterday with my parents. He is going to the wonderful no-kill cat shelter where my mom volunteers. I am SO unbelievably grateful for that. I know he will get excellent care and hopefully, the purrfect person will come along quickly and give him a loving home. I am just heartbroken because I loved him with all my heart. In 3 short weeks, he crept so far into my heart. His mannerisms and personality and those precious chipmunk cheeks....too much! I cried and cried yesterday as I loaded him into the car and watched them drive away. Fortunately, I talked to mom and dad twice while they were on the road and they said that Mr. Boyd sat on my mom's lap the whole way except for when he got down to use the litter box :). What a good boy!! They said that he watched the windshield wipers with great fascination and slept quietly the rest of the time.

Thank you to everyone who was concerned about Mr. Boyd! I have thoroughly appreciated the support.



Mr. Boyd's face looks so much better now, but I think he will always have a few battle scars on his sweet nose. He is full of character!


Afternoon at the winery...

Garfield...a sweet ol' lug needing a home!

A dear friend of mine takes care of a large colony at a Wendy's in Lexington. There are about 20 cats there and she has worked tirelessly to get them all spayed and neutered. The Wendy's is near a large, low income apartment complex so there is a constant trickle of new abandoned cats coming into the colony. Garfield is one of those...totally tame and sweet...just down on his luck. He has been living in the colony for awhile, and she was finally able to get him into a carrier last night. She brought him to my house to spend the night, and I was heartbroken after I spent a little time with him. He has cuts and abscesses and old wounds all over his face. His ears are full of mites and his eyes are swollen. He just meowed sadly and wanted to be rubbed and loved. He is not aggressive toward other cats, but was picked on and beat up constantly by the territorial cats. My friend came to get him this morning and took him to our wonderful vet to be neutered and cared for. Unfortunately, he tested positive for FIV. Cats can live long, healthy lives with FIV as long as they are kept inside and properly cared for. So, we are now trying to figure out what to do and hope that we can find him the purrfect person to give him a special, forever home. My amazing friend is willing to sponsor him for the rest of his life by paying for any vet care he needs in the future...what an awesome gift!!!

Garfield is the poster child for what happens to unneutered cats when they are left outside to fend for themselves. It is so sad, unnecessary and just not right! They all deserve so much better. Let's hope that at least this guy gets a happy beginning!