HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!
Today I have another interview for my series…
REAL RESCUE CATS ARE TALKING:
Life Changing Interviews With Savannah
I am back again with another fantabulous Adult Cat Rescue Story…and you are all gonna know just who this charming ladycat is…heh…heh…Yup! I gave you the first clue…”she” is incredible, courageous and she knows just how the corn should be planted if ya know what I mean…
Let me bring in the one, the only…
JONESIE
APAWS!!! APAWS!!! APAWS!!!
clap, clap, clap, clap….Oh thanks efurryone for that warm welcome…let me get right to Jonesie…
Savannah: Hiya Jonesie! I can’t tell you how purrleased I am to be having this meow with you! As you know, I try to make a garden report a couple of times a month to you, as the Founder Emeritus and Master Gardener, for the Society of Feline Gardeners.
Jonesie: Savannah, I’m so impressed with your garden reports. It makes me purr seeing all the good work my furriends dig up out in their gardens.
Savannah: Oh, well…ummm…koff, koff…ya see Jonesie, I don’t “actually” go outside and do stuff ‘cuz I’m an indoor only cat…but I do snoopervise Mom when she goes out. I hope that counts??…(worried ears)
Jonesie: (reaches out a paw to reassure Savvy)…oh don’t worry Savvy…as long as the cat does the snoopervision…then you can be a member of the Society of Feline Gardeners.
Savannah: (wipes brow with paw)…whew! Ok…let’s get to the interview.
Now first, I think readers who may be new to our Paw Blogging world, like me, will want to know why you started the Society of Feline Gardeners in the first place. So, would you take just a minute to give a meow about how you started this pawsome society??
Jonesie: Well, when it all began, I was not all that formal about my garden reports. I have always been a garden cat. I adore working with my dad out in the yard. I’m at my happiest in my garden. So, because that is what makes me who I am, I started asking Cory (my sister and founder of our blog) if I could have 1 day of the week to do my own posts. She said it would be great, so I just picked Thursday as my day.
It started out as “Thursday in the Garden with Jonesie”. I never set out to have a garden society. But, I had such a great response to my Thursday posts. I discovered so many other kitties that loved gardening…or liked looking out windows at gardens…or who just liked looking at me in my garden. So, on Thursday October 22, 2009, I did my first official “Society of Feline Gardeners” post. ( click HERE to read this historical post)
You can see I have to tell my Dad how to do everything now…
Dig right where the shovel is
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The amazing Ann from Zoolatry designed my badge. That was the first time I invited other kitties to join the club. I named myself Purresident. My mom said I could do that because I was the founder of the club. I named my good pal Alfie Marshall as Vice Purresident. I really didn’t have a big plan; just that I wanted to start my club. I’ve been doing weekly garden posts ever since.
I still dream of taking pen to paw and writing a garden book.
Savannah: I sure didn’t know any of that. And I bet your book would be a real page turner for all cats who have gardens to take care of…give it a try Jonesie!
Now, just to get started, will you share with all of us how you arrived in your furrever home?
Jonesie: My start in life was not easy. When I first found my home, I had no idea that it could one day be mine. I had been abandoned by my former family.
It was a cold and snowy March…I think it might have been about 2002??…anyways, my Dad was out in the backyard…way at the back near the hedge. He was drawn there because there were 2 cats playing. Being a cat lover, he had to go investigate. He had never seen these kitties before so he wanted to make sure they were ok. They let dad pet them and they played.
Then…while dad was paying attention to the 2 playful cats, I wandered out of the hedge. Dad was surprised to see me. I was not in good shape. I was starving and my fur was a mess. My fur was falling out in patches.
I sat in the hedge for a long time (my mom and dad don’t know how long and I’m not saying). I sat there looking at the beautiful garden and the warm and lovely home. My self esteem was so low that I never imagined that I could have it for myself. I was prepared to die in the hedge looking at what would never be mine. I was too far down to ask for anything for myself.
It was the other cats that lured Dad to the hedge and they were able to show me that my future Dad was a good person and I could trust him. Once I saw that the 2 kitties gave him their cat seal of approval, I came out of the hedge.
Dad was shocked when he saw me and very worried so he went to get my Mom to help. Mom has a way of getting kitties to come to her. Mom was able to get a cat carrier and some yummy food. I let her catch me.
They brought me inside the warm house and set me up in a room by myself. I heard them saying stuff about how they were going to get me healthy and find me a home. At that point I didn’t care. It took about 3 weeks for me to get my health back and for my fur to start looking better. Mom would brush me and tell me I was beautiful. It took a long time before I started believing it.
Oh, and those 2 cats that lured dad to the hedge? They were never seen again. Mom and Dad are convinced they were guardian angel cats, sent to save my life and unite me with my new family.
Savannah: (Savvy wipes leaky eyes)…oh Jonesie, I am pawsitive those two kittehs were sent to help you be brave enough to leave that hedge. I know it was so hard…
Jonesie, can meow a bit about some of the toughest fences you had to climb…you know, like ‘challenges’…stuff that was hard for you when you first came to your furrever home and left that hedge behind.
Jonesie: The biggest problem was for me to start eating again. I had given up on life so it took awhile for me to get my appetite back.
My fur was a mess. I didn’t hide from anyone. I let mom and dad pick me up from the start. My immune system was a mess and I’m allergic to fleas. I have a condition called Rodent Ulcers so my skin was not in good condition and sometimes my lip gets puffy. It was puffy when I first arrived.
Flea treatment, good food and lots of love put me on the right track. Once that was going well, my biggest problem was all this talk of “fostering” and how Mom was looking for someone to adopt me. That was a BIG problem!
I had NO intention of going anywhere. Whenever a human friend of theirs would come over I would duck for cover. I did my best to appear unfriendly to anyone I suspected might adopt me. A nice woman at Mom’s work even bought me a catnip toy…trying to win my affections. Lucky for me it took about 6 weeks before Mom felt I was ready for a new home.
One day Dad asked Mom if she had found a home for me yet. She said “yes”. Dad said…”thought so”. I’ve been living here ever since. This was March of 2002. You know what? As soon as my Mom and Dad adopted me, I’m totally fine with strangers. Ha!
Savannah: Way to go Jonesie…that’s using your cat pawer! Give me a HIGH FOUR…whap, whap!!…Pawsome!!
Ok, if you don’t mind…meow some more about some of the ways you and your Mom and Dad worked together to help get you to a place where you could really show them more of your REAL SELF…you know…”who” you really were before you had to live in that hedge.
Jonesie: Once I moved in and I knew that this was my forever home, I still had issues with abandonment. When I was allowed outside in my garden (notice how I say “my garden”), I still was very sad about my former family. We have a very large garden and it’s about an acre total.
Garden looks weird from here..hmm
Aw, much better from here
At the very back corner, we border on an apartment complex. That is where I came from. I would walk to the way back corner and sit. I’d look to the apartments with a sad look on my face. My Mom would come back there with me sometimes and let me know that it was ok. I would be loved forever now. It took awhile before I stopped looking.
Mom and Dad gave me a great name. Jonesie. It didn’t start out that way. I was originally called Joanie. Mom named me after the star of the Bay Bombers Roller Derby team (I know…from the 1960’s…Mom is ancient!). Joanie Weston. Joanie was big, strong and quite the athlete and fighter.
I was always a bit of a tomboy out in the garden. Joanie quickly morphed into Jonesie. I still get called Joanie sometimes.
Though I adore my time in my garden, I always come in at dusk. Mom says it’s not safe for me to be out in the dark. I actually hate it. If they even go a minute past dark, I get VERY upset. I want them to look for me. I want someone to love me…to worry about me. I used to play chase with Mom and Dad in the evening when it was time to come in. I don’t do it so much anymore. I’m getting older and I think they know I don’t REALLY want to avoid coming inside.
I love my home as much as I love my garden. I think I would be devastated if I were to be forgotten outside overnight.
I was left outside all those years ago. I never want that to happen again.
Savannah: Jonesie, you have been so brave; please tell us about the great progress you made when you started to work with your Mom and Dad to get back to your REAL SELF.
Jonesie: When I first came here, there were several other cats living here. There was also a woofie, Colby. The cats were Maxfield, Jonathan, Maggie, Madison, Lewis. Maxfield and Jonathan loved to hang out in the garden with me. I learned lots from them about snoopervising, digging, planting. I got a lot of confidence hanging out with them…and my woofie Colby.
I love you Colby
Watch me playing
Over time, I learned all I could about gardening…how to use my paws to make sure the soil is just right. How to park myself in spots where I know Dad should dig. I don’t know how he does anything without me anymore.
Next row goes right here Dad
So many of my family, from the beginning time, have transitioned to the Rainbow Bridge. It’s been hard for me seeing those who came before me leave us. I loved them all. Madison is the only cat left who has seniority over me. Since he never goes outside anymore, I’m the senior most cat in the garden. They all respect me…with the exception of that brat Figaro. I’m still trying to train him up as my apprentice but he likes to play too much.
As the years have gone by, my Mom and Dad still look for clues that would tell them more about my original family. I’ve never been one to beg for handouts, so they thought that I was not allowed any people food. In the past few years, they have discovered that I will beg for chicken noodle soup, tamales and refried beans…Mexican food. They think this must be what kind of food my former family ate so they let me have a bite to make me feel special.
Savannah: This is such an amazing rescue story Jonesie; so I promise…this is my last question; can you offer any advice to our readers to help them support their adult rescue cat, or one they may be thinkin’ about bringing into their home, through its transition to REAL SELF?
Jonesie: The most important thing my Mom and Dad did for me was pay attention. They watched me, let me heal and progress at my own pace. They watched for subtle cues. They never pushed me beyond what I was ready to do. They realized that I was VERY attached to them. I was attached to my garden. This was my home. They listened and let me stay.
The Veggies from My Labor
Another thing for humans to realize is that even though a kitty is a mess, unhealthy and not looking their best…with a lot of love, good food, general veterinary care and patience we can all be amazing. Everyone tells me how beautiful I am. When they see pictures of how I used to look no one can believe it. All cats are beautiful. We just need a chance.
I took longer than average to be ready to come out of my safe room (about 4 weeks). I’m grateful that I was able to integrate with the rest of my family on my timeline.
Savannah: (Savvy reaches to give Jonesie a paw hug)…you are the bestest Jonesie…Do you have any last thought or words of wisdom you want to share?
Jonesie: It makes me sad to think that there are still humans in this world that abandon pets. I don’t understand it. I think someone thought I could make it on my own. I could not. I am not a good hunter. I’m a gardener. I couldn’t feed myself in the great outdoors. I didn’t adjust well and my heart was broken.
If you see a kitty in need, do what you can to help. Every bit helps. Kitties are furever.
I don’t think I could have ended this interview any better Jonesie. Thank you so very much for coming by to meow with me…here…let me get you back to your garden…hop into my Fast Leopard Teleport Tunnel…whoooosh!!! Savannah waves
If you have not met Jonesie before, be sure to hop over and visit her on her blog, Cory Cat Talk.
I really appreciate all of you coming by to learn more about Jonesie. See you soon.
Paw Pats, Savannah
peeEss I want to give a special shout out THANK YOU to Nellie’s (Cat From Hell) Mom Barb for having created the primary graphic I used for my photo at the beginning…I just cut and pasted using Pizap.com which I learned from my mentor Sammy, One Spoiled Cat.
Savannah's Paw Tracks 