Ginny Fan Club - The Dog Who Rescues Cats Fan Club

The Story Of Jon Luc

Jon Luc is my father's dog. He was a very great companion with Ginny and a son to my dad. He was the greatest friend i could ever have. Somthing very tragic happened today, Jon Luc died. Even though my dad took this hard he is still staying strong. * In Loving Memory, Jon Luc *

Merlins Magic

I grew up a cat lover. I'm absolutely insane for them. I always wanted one. It didn't matter to me what kind, a calico, a purebred, an Aby. Finally, on New Years Eve, my mother adopted a cat. My first cat was a stray, dropped off by a foolish person who couldn't take care of him. My new cat, named Merlin for his magical yellow eyes, came into the house, sniffing, and hiding under chairs. He was always a chubby cat, but he had a heart of gold.

Tommy Carmel and Thunder Eagle

When I went to my dad's house I saw a beautiful kitten. He was orange and white and I adored that. I wanted to take him home. So I asked my mom and she said yes. I named him Carmel because he was orange. I thought he should be named Tommy too. I named him Tommy Carmel and we took him home.

Glad to know about Ginny and that our dog is not alone.

Thanks for sharing this story and site. I had never heard of Ginny until I saw her story on an AP feed and it struck me because our dog, also an adopted stray loves cats as well.

Lucky is a sheltie mix we adopted from a box of abandoned puppies left outside our building. Shortly after getting Lucky we adopted a kitten Simba and the two were inseperable from day one. Lucky carried this kitten in his mouth like a mother all over our house, rescued him when he got stuck as a kitten in closets or other things when he couldn't get out and we thought it was cute they slept together and bonded so well.

The Story of Mona-Moe

Mona-moe is my cat, whom I adopted from a local animal shelter in August of this year. When I went into the shelter, I was asking about a cat named Emma who had been featured in the area newspaper, but I learned that she had found a home earlier in the day. The man in charge told me not to let that discourage me and to please go and look at the other cats in the shelter-Mona-moe was an amazing cat right from the beginning. She reached out of her cage and grabbed my partner's shirt sleeve as if to say "Take me home?". And we did take her home-as well as a calico (we named Rio) that Jenn had gotten attached to also. That made 5 cats and 3 humans in our apartment-definitely makes the winter nights warmer with all the kitties in the bed!

I work third shift, so no one is in the bed with me when I sleep-except Mona-moe. She literally saved my life today. I am diabetic, and sometimes my bloodsugar does funky things when I sleep. I hadn't slept in 24 hours today and I was waiting for Brian to get home because I wanted his help with putting some things up (they were too heavy for me to lift). Unfortunately, I sat on the bed for a minute, and then I was asleep-a few hours later, I awoke to Mona-moe biting the back of my head. I popped her and tried to get her to stop...But she just kept on gnawing at me! When I finally sat up after god-only-knows how long of her biting at me, she wouldn't let me rest...She began biting at my fingers, trying in vain to make me stay awake. I got my bloodsugar monitor and checked my bloodsugar, realizing that I felt really woozy and funny and could barely sit up-my bloodsugar was 27 (Normal range is 80-120). I, of course, got something to eat and waited for my bloodsugar to come up-this isn't the first time Mona-moe has done this for me; she has woken me many times when my bloodsugar was either high or low by licking at my head-I guess this time, licking wasn't working and she had to bite.

Mona-moe thinks of us all as her kittens, I believe-she regularly bathes us, and was the first to come into the house and be accepted by the other cats when we brought her home from the shelter because she insisted on bathing all of the other cats immediately! We "rescued" a cat outside our apartment the other day-a big orange kitty that had a hurt back leg-we later found out that he belonged to a neighbor of ours and that he had accidentally gotten outside and he had been declawed by his previous owner (he is also a shelter kitty), and that was probably the reason for the hurt place because he can't defend himself-When we got him into the house, we brought him to Brian's bathroom and washed his wound and poured peroxide over it and rubbed some neosporin on it-the other cats sat outside the door growling and hissing, but Mona-moe wouldn't let them near Morris (we found out that Morris was his name), she popped the other cats on the head and growled right back and let them know that she was taking care of Morris! She has been a wonderful addition to our lives-saving my life in exchange for my saving hers, I suppose and also being "mama cat" to every animal we have. Mona-moe is the perfect pet, and everyday I am more and more thankful I got her.

by Amanda I.

Chad

How my love grew for cats

It has been many years, and i have seen many stray cats cross my life in meaningful ways. I reside in an apartment building and along with other neighbors of mine, we would often feed the stray cats that seems to congregate in the neigborhood. Some of the neighbors became quickly discouraged when we received notices from the rental office that they were aware that residents were feeding the stray cats. Their defense was we were feeding more than cats and encouraging rodents and skunks to come onto the property. All i could and can say even to this day many years later, that while i have breath left in me, i refuse to sit and watch as an innocent animal roams for food in my neighborhood.

What had become routine for me was to wait until the rental office was closed and in the evenings i would go out and feed these couple of cats that took up residency around here. One is a black and white cat and the gray one is her offspring. I have befriended these cats over time. WHAT i should share with everyone is that i was not a cat person at that time. I had the same stupid mentality that alot of people have. That cats are just pest. Seemingly worthless. That all changed over time with the cats that touched our lives around here. I can recall how a cousin of mine came over to visit one evening and with great coaxing and calm soothing talk, persuaded 2 stray kittens to come into my apartment. We each spent the next 2 hours talking to these kittens and extending our hands and talking in a compassionate tone. We finally won in the end. We each had these kittens on our laps and petting them before we finally let them go back out.

Heck, there came a time when the black and white cat had kittens and she had a huge boy in her litter. He was a huge tabby. He grew up and would come around my apartment often seeking out food and i would give him food and attention. I had even at some point, opened my kitchen window and took out the screen and much to my amazement, the mother and the tabby trusted enough to jump up on the ledge and make their way into my place. I would feed each and send them on their way. The tabby and me grew so close at one time that i would often take him in my apartment at night and let him sleep most the night and put him back out in the mornings before the office opened up. I had gotten so attached to him that i named him Tommy.

Tommy grew into a big boy. He would show up almost every evening for some goody. He would sneak in and i would harbor him under my wings till day break. One evening i grew alittle concerned when Tommy did not show up , but thought nothing of it too much . I decided late that night to take a walk to the local 7-11 . I exited my apartment and for some reason was drawn to walk across the street instead of the normal just go around the building and down the road. That pull was so strong i could not figure it out until i crossed the road and got back onto the sidewalk. It was there that i made the discovery that Tommy had been run over by a car and lay lifeless under a small pine tree. It was that night that i learned that my love for cats was more than just a passing phase in my life. I did not complete my walk that night. Instead i walked back across and went inside my apartment and cried a good couple of hours. Tommy lay there until the next day when his body was picked up and removed. Tommy somehow will always have a little piece of my heart. I am not ashamed to say that as a man in his 40''s, that i can easily cry at that sad plight of so many animals today, left abandoned , alone and frightened.

What i took away from all my dealings with stray cats is that i no longer had that negative impression of cats. I looked out for them. Now years later, being slightly disabled and living alone, i found that my life was completely empty and that depression had moved into my existence. I sought out treatment for my dispair and worked hard at piecing together what caused my fall into depression. It was thru the kindness of a well meaning therapist that worked miracles. WE HAVE A NO PET POLICY here and it has been for years. She wrote a letter to the rental office asking for an exception to the rule and to consider allowing me to take ownership of a pet. Much to my SHOCK, the lady in the office said sure, thats fine. What kind would he like? meaning me. She told the lady in the office that he (me) would like to adopt a cat. She said ok just tell him (Me) to let her know when i get it . After that my whole world changed. My spirit picked up and i was more relaxed and the depression lifted some. For weeks i went to the local animal shelter visits at the local PETSMART store.

It was then on one of those visits that i fell deeply in love with a small black and with boy i would later name CHAD. I still remember bringing him home and how that day in January 2001, my life changed forever. Chad is now my life. He is the child ill never have. I never thought it possible to love a pet as much as i have Chad. He is the most spoiled cat in the world . What brings me bittersweet thoughts is that i had an elderly neighbor that lived upstairs. She was so fond of animals and she was able to baby sit for me a couple times when i left Chad with her while workers did things in my apartment. She was so excited for me and wasn''t long before she was calling him my boy. She would call me up and say, how is the ole boy doing ? I''m so glad that she got to meet my companion and friend Chad before she left this life Sept 14th, 2002. Thanks to the many stray cats that crossed my life thru the years, it has given me a new profound view of the often , misunderstood cat .

Thank you all who took the time to read my introduction into the lives of cats.

JAYMETAL

Cat Show Plans Memorial Service for Ginny

A news article by Jim Fitzgerald (Associated Press) was published today about the upcoming tribute at the Westchester Cat show for Ginny.

Saint Ginny of Long Island

Philip Gonzalez is one of those lucky people who find meaning in their work. As a hot-steam pipe fitter at Ellis Island and the World Trade Center, he takes great pride in his work. It affords him a luxurious life of travel and material goods. On one fateful day his comfortable existence comes to a complete end.

Philip's coat gets caught on a large metal stripping machine that is running full tilt. He awakes from a severe concussion with a destroyed writing arm, reconstructed jaw and check and a career that is no longer his. His neighbor/friend, Sheilah Harris, is very concerned. But Philip does not even want to take care of himself, let alone a dependent. I ask Phil, " why didn't she suggest a self sufficient companion, like a cat?" "Sheilah did not like cats."

Put it down... It'll never live - it's pathetic

Our story is not one of incredible heroicism or profound bravery, rather it is one of triumph over incredible odds - it's a tale of survival.

My husband and I were living with my best friend since junior high and his partner. My best friend - Josh, has always had a passion for animals. He is currently working towards his degree in veterinary medicine and has worked in a number of shelters and veterinary offices.

Over the years, Josh and I have co-habitated in many different settings - and he has brough home some of the most..... 'unique' animals that I have ever seen. I didn't have a problem with the 3-legged Italian Greyhound, the epileptic chihua chihua or the giant Mastiff...

Crying for Black Girl

She died in my arm… She died hungry.

Looking down at her bloody little body, tears swelled up in my eyes and I sobbed uncontrollably. Holding her tight, I heard myself repeating: “Why? Oh God… Why? Please don’t go, Please, hold on… I am sorry, so sorry! She only wanted to eat, she is hungry… baby, please! NO!” Her leg twitched, a gust of blood stream out from her mouth and spilled directly unto my bare arm and neck. She lay still then.

Cradling her in my arms, I stared out of the car window. Images flash up again and again in my head. Her eyes! As she looked at the bright headlight shining on her, it is not so much fear as shock. It is as if she is asking herself: “What is this?” She froze, too late.