the camera loves me....and I love the camera

the camera loves me....and I love the camera
Originally uploaded by hd.rose images

A picture of the lovely and winsome Daphne. We rescued Daphne from the pound last Christmas Eve. She was in a pen with 2 kittens. We first viewed her on the 17th of December. When we went back on the 24th, the kits had been adopted.

Daphne stared at my husband with 'love eyes' as he likes to call them. We signed up to adopt with the promise bringing her back to be spayed. No problem!

However, when we got home we discovered a few things on her free vet visit. 1- She had kennel cough and it was recommended that put off her spay by 3 weeks. 2- She had no claws! (this is barbaric! it's like taking a persons fingers off and then expecting them to point and click or type.) 3- She had issues.....lots of them. She was angry, mistrustful, had to be in control of us and her environs.

Daphne was the first cat I ever adopted )and I've lived long enough to that I've lost count of how many) that I had a hard time loving. She didn't want to be touched or loved, she wasn't a cuddle bunny. Over time I realized a few things that caused me to gain compassion. patience and finally respect and love for this precious girl.

To add to all of this during the 3 weeks she was recovering from the cold, her belly started to grow. My first thought was 'worms'.......so I dewormed her because she seemed ravenous as well. It wasn't long before I realized that this poor cat who had just given birth not two months earlier, had gotten 'knocked up' in the shelter. What to do, what to do.

So much had already been taken from her.....her claws, her offspring, her freedom. She was still shell-shocked from all of it. So, we let her relax and carry her kits to term. The three of us grew close during this period. We let Daph sleep with us. She liked it so well that she wanted to give birth in our bed..

We made her a palette in a private place in my husband's study; around dawn on Feb. 16, 2010 she gave birth to her kits. Being an empty nester with health challenges I'd forgotten how much attention and stimulation young kittens need. They were so much fun! and they took away the sting of losing our beautiful Maine Coon mix, "Fancy" to kidney disease.

After she weaned the kits we found homes for all but the all white one we named "Nyla." Both are prima donnas and compete for love and property. But, Nyla has brought out the kitten in Daphne and has gradually brought her to a point of joy and fun, despite no claws...she now climbs the cat tree and the borders of all the upholstered furniture.

The sounds of happy "galloping" up and down the long hallway and meowing with a mouthful of toys looking for someone to play with are heard on a daily basis.

I'm not a bit sorry, the time and exercise in patience, finding good homes for the kits.....little by little, day after day, love and trust grow and this lovely cat who was so damaged when she came to us is opening up to life like a beautiful rose.

It's rare that I share much on a personal level here. It's more about my hobby of collecting. But in looking over my Flickr acct. today I decided that I'd share my story with all of you.

If you have the TIME and are so inclined, animals with issues can often be rehabilitated and become loyal and loving companions. BTW, if you're wondering.....Daphne and Nyla are named for the two characters on the sitcom "Frasier" namely, "Daphne and Nyles" who in the final season of the sitcom finally admit their love for one another and marry despite her dysfunctional family background and his overinflated ego and exaggerated neuroses.

Your comments are welcome!
HDRose