Editor’s note: Oh, kittens, are you ever in for a treat today.
If you’ve been missing our inimitable Hips, feast your hearts on these words direct from his new Mom.
You should know that Hips’ new Mom is not only a Tabby’s Place volunteer, but an actual, bona fide, real live angel made entirely out of goodness and compassion all the way to her atoms. This is a scientific fact, and also an understatement.
And you should go grab an entire box of Kleenex before you read the following. XO, AT
“Have you ever looked into someone’s eyes and wondered what their journey in life has been like?
What things have shaped them into who they are?
Hips’ expressive green eyes show glimpses of a journey that no cat should experience. At the tender age of three, Hips was pulled from the rubble of a war zone in Beirut, injured and alone.
He was afraid his journey in life might be coming to an end, all too soon.
But, thanks to the very special people at Animals Lebanon and Tabby’s Place, Hips found himself in a carrier … and on a plane that would take him on a journey of thousands of miles, across several countries, and over the Atlantic Ocean.
Of course, no such journey could dampen Hips’ spirits. He received life-saving medical care at Tabby’s Place, which left him a unique gait all his own. Tailless and incontinent, he soon settled in to life in the Lobby, where his spirit and exuberance could not be contained.
He literally could not be contained.
Affectionately called the great white rhinoceros, he galloped through doors that were not meant for him to enter, scaled 5-foot gates intended to keep him out of the Executive Director’s office, and sneakily took rides on laundry carts to other forbidden areas of Tabby’s Place.
Hips sought mischief and caused mayhem like no other.
Overnight, we unzipped the Lobby crates to allow the littlest of his neighbors to roam freely. Hips took this as an invitation to steal their kibble for himself.
He introduced Marcia and Olive to the joyful feeling of “annoyance.”
But he showered Prescott, staff members, volunteers, and visitors with love and affection like no other cat on Earth.
He remained at Tabby’s Place, a steadfast resident for so many years.
Meanwhile, my family adopted Carrot from Tabby’s Place. When we met him two years ago, it was love at first sight. The adoration was mutual between my son Johnathan, a volunteer at Tabby’s Place, and Carrot, who had been a sanctuary resident for a decade.
Carrot’s journey started on the streets of New York, where he was injured as a kitten, leaving him incontinent and with a limp tail.
Adopting Carrot meant learning to express his bladder so that his urinary needs could effectively be met at home. Loving Carrot made this learning process so worthwhile for us. Carrot’s journey brought him to a home and a forever family 10 years in the making.
Over the last two years, we found ourselves experiencing the losses of our oldest feline family members. As our hearts healed, we started hinting to each other that it might be time to add to our feline family … with another Tabby’s Place cat.
We were realistic and knew that, this time, adoption would not be a love at first sight experience. The pool of possible new family members to choose from is large, with many loving purrsonalities filling the sanctuary.
But for us, the choice was limited. Our criteria was simple: we wanted another incontinent cat.
Now that we had experience with an incontinent kitty’s unique needs, we knew we had what it takes to provide them a life full of care and love. We also knew that an incontinent cat is not for everyone, and many are never adopted. But, after the journey to unconditional love with our Carrot, we wanted to welcome someone with similar needs into our family.
As volunteers, we were acquainted with many of the incontinent kitties. We talked things through and applied for a particular kitty as our new family member. Walking into Tabby’s Place for our appointment with the Adoption Team, our minds were set on where this journey was headed.
Yet, somehow, things changed unexpectedly.
If you have met Hips in person, you will completely understand what happened. Adorable and quirky, sweet yet spicy, with a smug smile highlighted by a cute little “mustache,” he makes himself instantly irresistible.
As we visited in the Lobby with staff and kitties, Hips stealthily made his way to the highest of the cat trees. He rolled onto his back, hung his head upside down, gazed into Johnathan’s eyes, and promptly kissed his head.
Just like that, this goofball put a twist in the path, and we found ourselves totally smitten.
That was the moment he changed the course of his life … and ours.
After some quick bladder expression training to learn Hips’ preferences, we set his homecoming date. With a farewell ride on his favorite laundry cart, we were ready to take him home.
The transition to our home has been quite interesting to Hips. With life experiences no cat should endure, he created his own path for settling into our family.
Whereas Carrot is a chill guy who loves hanging out, Hips still loves mischief! Kitty perches are for climbing as high as possible, the perfect spot from which to watch over his new home and family.
Bay windows are for watching the many birdies at the feeders, for hours on end. Life lesson: body slamming into the window will not help catch those birdies!
Bags of cat food are for climbing into, booty end up! This is a self-serve snack time of food he should not yet be having. Breakfast is to be served promptly by 6 a.m., regardless the day of the week.
The bathroom countertop is for standing on, the mirror for peering into. Who is that handsome guy with the mustache?
Our own dinnertime requires Hips’ assistance. He graciously insists he must learn to make meatballs, a talent he knows few cats possess!
Laps are for sitting. His belly is for rubbing, and his head is for kissing. The more often, the better!
Fellow Tabby’s Place alum Carrot is for cuddling. Fred and Lucy, the younger and more energetic family members, are for playing.
But Hips’ favorite and happiest part of his new journey is snuggling with his forever best bud, my son Johnathan.
Hips is tickled to realize that a journey beginning Beirut, with a wonderful stopover at Tabby’s Place, has ultimately brought him to our town of Lebanon, NJ.
His long journey led him to forever, with a loving family all his own.”
Thank you, extraordinary Elizabeth and Jonathan … and thank you, Tabby’s Place family, for making this “impossible” journey as real as love itself!