Turning Leaf Part IV

Sarah says:

I'm finally finishing this bottle of wine!  I think 4 days on the same bottle is a record, I usually finish one in 3.  It's delicious.  I'm glad I got to enjoy it for almost a whole week.  This week needed something good about it.  It was a long week.  Between Liam and Mary's school adventures (which Liam has his first full day tomorrow - so I'm totally worried about that!), and this cat that I'm about to tell you about - it's been a stressful week.

We have a pet again!  Ever since Oscar's death in December (RIP sweet Oscar, I still miss you!), we've been tossing around the idea of getting a kitty.  We decided waiting until after the move made the most sense.  Well, we moved, so the time for Kitty Clay was here!  And here she is folks!  Meet Havanah, a two year old, 7 pound, short haired, white and grey, love bug. (please note - I am aware the Havana the city doesn't have an h at the end - and when we adopted her her name was Havana - I've added the h because I think it looks better!  Plus - she's mine now, I can do whatever I want with her name  :-)  But think the name Havanah is really pretty.

Nothing in my life is ever easy - I always have a story, and this is no different.  Miss Havanah has been quite difficult to get my hands on.  It all started last Saturday - it was free cat adoption day at the Michigan Humane Society.  So, I browsed their website and found this sweet looking kitty.  I called the MHS to see if she was still available - knowing how busy it can be on free cat day, I knew it was quite possible she was already adopted.  But, I was told she was there and waiting for a home.  So, I rushed myself and the kids over there.  We arrived about 20 min after making the phone call - I looked around and couldn't find my Havanah.  So, I asked if she was adopted in the past 20 min, and was told over and over that if I didn't see her there, that she was adopted.  No one could confirm that she had actually been adopted, but since we couldn't find her, we assumed she had been.  It was crazy busy there, so we just figured some things got lost in the madness.

Come Tuesday (note:  MHS was closed Sun & Mon for the holiday weekend), I'm browsing their listings again and see Havanah still listed.  My Mom decides to give them a call on my behalf to see what they know about her - she's a MHS volunteer and has more connections than I do!  (Thanks Mom for all the help over the past 2 days!!)  She's told they aren't really sure where she is.  Everything in their system says she's there, but they also don't see her anywhere.  They tell us to give a call back in a few hours while they see what they can find - but if they do find her, they'll honor the free cat special, since I was there on Saturday.  Mid afternoon on Tuesday, we find out that Havanah was in foster care over the weekend and was back in the building.  We're also told that since she was in foster care, she wasn't supposed to be on the free listings at all, so they won't give her to us with payment. Grrrr....

Wednesday, 12:30, I go to MHS on my lunch break - and guess who isn't there?!  Yup, no Havanah.  She had been sent to Pet Smart in West Bloomfield that morning!!  What?!  I'm so mad.  Apparently, I only had 1 hour to get there on Tuesday, and I missed that chance.  Pet Smart won't hold her for me, unless someone is physically at the location.  Oh and by the way - the fee at Pet Smart is $65.  Not expensive, but not free either!  I don't exactly live right next to West Bloomfield - BUT once again my Mom comes to the rescue.  She works just a few miles away!  She goes there at 5:00, meets her, and fills out all the paperwork to hold her for me.  She tells them I'll be there in a few hours - seems to be no problem.  I drive all the way out there, through the horrible 275 construction, through the horrible Orchard Lake construction, during rush hour.  I get there at 7:30 and tell them I'm here to get Havanah.  I'm told no.  Not only is it after their adoption hours, but since she's a MHS cat, the MHS has to approve my adoption application.  I'm mad,  but figure, well I might as well meet her and make sure she really is all that.  Nope - not allowed to hold her, it's past their adoption hours.  Why did no one mention that I wouldn't be able to do anything when I got there?!  I ask if I can pay for her, so that maybe my Mom can pick her up tomorrow, but won't have to deal with that part... Nope.  I couldn't do anything - I drove there for no reason.  If you're a counting person such as myself - that makes 3 times I tried to pick up that cat, and 3 times I went home empty handed.  If I was into fate - I would say this wasn't meant to be.  At the same time, at this point, I'd put so much time and thought into her, that I was dead set on getting her.  Maybe I'm just extra emotional this week - but I cried leaving that store without her.  My heart just started to ache for her - she should have come home on Saturday - but instead it was Wednesday and she was spending yet another night in a cage.  I write and send a letter of complaint to the MHS. 

Thursday, 11 am.  I call MHS to see if the approval has been given, and to see if my Mom can actually pick her up for me.  My application hasn't been reviewed yet, but she starts taking a look at it on the phone.  She says something along the lines of "So, you've met with Havanah and liked her?", so I tell her no, I haven't actually met with her yet.  I tell her the saga.  She's appalled.  Finally, someone that seems to feel bad about this!  She also informs me that my Mom won't be able to pick her up, that I have to be the one to sign for her.  So, we talk about getting her transferred back to the MHS closer to my home.  She says she's going to make a few phone calls and get that to happen.  At 3:30 on Thursday, I get the phone call that Havanah is back at the MHS and they can only hold her until 4:30.  I arrive at 4:29.  They still won't give her up for free, but since she's back at the MHS, I get their rate plus at $10 discount.  I paid $35.  Not bad.

I was so excited to finally get her home, that I left all of her paperwork there, so I will be making yet another trip there tomorrow to pick it up.  But, so far she's been worth it.  She's a huge sweetheart.  She just loves, loves, and loves me some more for bringing her home.  She's been nothing but sweet and snuggly and playful.  She's been quite patient with the kids.  Here they are playing legos with her.

She's made herself at home.  She's laying all over the furniture.  She's eaten, peed, and pooped already.  She was fairly active around the kids, but she's chilling out in my lap right now. She tested out all of the toys that the kids picked out for her, and loved us when we gave her a good brushing.  She keeps giving me little noises of happiness.  I sort of forgot how cats can get into things.  I was used to Oscar being so low to the ground, he couldn't really get up on much.  Havanah has already jumped on my dresser and knocked a few pictures down, and jumped on the kitchen counter and helped herself to the glass of milk that was waiting for Mary.  So, maybe we have a few rules to teach her, but overall, she was worth the hassle!  

Welcome home, Havanah!  Glad we finally got you here!