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Three are better than one: Francis and the boys from Islip

Three are better than one: Francis and the boys from Islip

Rusty & BrandoFile this one under the heading Too Good To Be True Except That It Is True.

Eight months after Brando headed off for his forever home, leaving us in a sea of happy tears, he’s got his best buddy back.

That’s right: “Francis‘ people” have come back for Rusty.

FrancisBy any standard, these are Superadopters in the third degree. First they adopted timid Francis, a Tabby’s Place long-timer with a quirky way of begging certain people for belly rubs while running from other (equally well-intentioned) human beans in terror. Undaunted by Francis’ fearfulness, they knew they could give him a life of love…and so they did.

In the year that followed, Francis must have done a fine job of urging his people back to Tabby’s Place. I picture our black-and-white charmer stalking into his human beans’ bedroom at night, padding up to the pillow to whisper, as only such a quiet boy can do, You’re not done with Tabby’s Place.

But even Francis couldn’t have guessed just how gloriously “not done with Tabby’s Place” his people were.

BrandoIn May of ’09, Francis’ people found themselves back at the sanctuary, smitten with a legendary brown tabby with a big round head and no tail…the unsinkable Brando. This darling boy is the kind of cat they write songs about (or they should, anyway). Despite a hard-knock start to life following an accident that mangled his tail and a brush with the euthanasia list at a crowded shelter, Brando came to Tabby’s Place as one of the most gleeful and loving cats I’ve ever adored. Clearly Francis’ people have exceptional taste and discernment, because they were completely overpowered by Brando’s charms. One love connection later, Francis had a snuggle-bug brother.

There was just one bead of bittersweetness in this adoption, and its name was Rusty.

Rusty & BrandoFrom the day they came to Tabby’s Place from the Islip shelter, Brando and Rusty were the ultimate BFFs. Find Brando, and you’d find his creamsicle-hued compadre. It was hard to tell who was the “leader” in this duo. More likely, as in all the best friendships, the boys were true equals, with each looking out for the other. While Rusty knew more about having goofy fun (see Exhibit A of that), Brando was eager to show his buddy the finer points of trusting human beans.

When our Superadopters fell for Brando last spring, they hemmed and hawed over Rusty. As it turned out, the time wasn’t right. Maybe in the future, was the hope with which they left us. Maybe when we’re ready and Rusty is ready.

RustyWell, hold onto your hats, Felis Catus friends, because Rusty – and Francis’ people – have entered the realm of ready. Francis and Brando have been double-teaming their human beans this past year, whispering in stereo, Get thee back to Tabby’s Place. At the same time, the best darn volunteers in America have been working their wonders on Rusty, bringing our once-anxious boy over the line into pettable, snugglable territory.

In this new realm of readiness, the boys from Islip (and big brother Francis) will have years of happy rolling and romping ahead…together.

Happy dance, anyone?

9 thoughts on “Three are better than one: Francis and the boys from Islip

  1. HOOOOOORAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so sad when Brando and Rusty were separated. So happy they’re together again and have a big brother, too! What a great story!

  2. How about happy tears!!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!!! I’ll leave the dancing to Fred – I’m a terrible dancer (if there is a such a thing) but since having my son 4 years ago I am an Olympic crier. Posts like these get my happiest tears happily streaming down my face 🙂

  3. Happy dance for Rusty! I remember when I first started at Tabby’s Place and was socializing Spike, Cory and Georgie, I would bring the bonito flakes out and Rusty at first very hesitantly came to get some as well, and as the weeks passed he got more and more confidant to the point that I would be able to pet him more then Spike! I’m so happy for him, his brothers and his awesome adopters! 🙂

  4. YAY Rusty!!!! 🙂 It took months before this little cutie would let me pet him, but once I did, it was mostly belly rubs 🙂 I’m so glad he got adopted! (and also glad that when I saw him over the weekend I got in one last belly rub!!!) Gonna miss my cute little tilty head 🙂

  5. I too was sad that Brando And Rusty were seperated, yet glad that at least one of them found a home. This reunion to a forever home is great, thanks to the adopters for giving them this opportunity, you won’t regret it.

  6. What a satisfying ending! Blessings to that family; and to Tabby’s Place.

    I often try to convince families who have just one cat to consider having another (and another! and…) I’m sure many, if not all, people here do the same. For some reason there’s still a fairly widespread perception that cats are solitary creatures who don’t need companionship; and who don’t have preferences about who their friends (feline and human) are. Happily, Tabby’s Place is obviously doing a valiant job of combatting that notion.

    Dancercat,
    aka Marian, who shares a home with her husband and five felines — all of whom have definite preferences about almost everything!

  7. Triple yay! I never got introduced to Francis, but I met Brando and Rusty (who looks amazingly like my little black Pubert, only in orange and white!) out on the sun porch during my first visit to Tabby’s Place and they were so cute together! Of course, at that point Rusty was still in his tiny hissing-at-humans phase. The nice lady who showed me around stopped, looked at him, and said, “I love you, Rusty!”–which was promptly met with a quality hiss in response. You couldn’t help but adore the little guy. 🙂 I’m thrilled for all three kitties, getting to spend their lives together in such a lovely forever home.

  8. When I first started at Tabby’s Place, Francis was in the same room as the cat I wrote for named, Onyx. Francis was one scared cat. But by and by, Francis slowly came out of his shell. I am so glad to hear about him a year after he was adopted.

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