Meet Ruby: a quick update

If you have been to this blog before you know that some of our furry friends I have posted about here need a new home. Several weeks ago I posted a video of one very sweet gray tabby named Ruby (See the Video "Meet Ruby"). Ruby is such a sweet cat. Every time I went by to take care of the cats at the North Lake PetSmart if Ruby was there she would make a point of making me feel loved. More than that Ruby quickly started to remind me of Abber.

She loves attention and just wants to be everywhere you are. She also did something that I have not seen another cat do since Abber and that was to rub my chin with her chin. It is so sweet. From the first time she crawled up my chest and rubbed my face I was hooked. That little girl stole my heart.

I debated for days and days about what to do with Ruby. We already felt like we were at our limit at home with four cats, and our lives have been so busy lately the thought of taking on another cat was almost too much. But I could not get Ruby out of my mind. Each week when I went to clean Ruby would greet me in the same way and each time it got harder and harder to say goodbye. I started asking Vicki if she would mind "fostering" Ruby. Vicki kept reminding me that we had enough to take care of right now. Besides our four were just now learning to tolerate each other and things around the house had finally started to get somewhat normal, so we really didn't need to upset the apple cart.

Well this past weekend I got to see Ruby again. This time she had an accident in her cage on the way to PetSmart. Kelly (a fellow volunteer) and I pitched in gave Ruby and another cat a quick sponge bath. It did not get them completely clean but it did make the mess less noticeable. I really began to feel sorry for Ruby, not that I don't feel sorry for the rest, I just did not want her to have to make more trips back and forth from PetSmart to her foster home. I called my wife and we went to lunch. At lunch we talked about Ruby again. I just explained to Vicki about how I felt Ruby had picked me out for some reason to rescue her. I also explained how Heather ,Ruby's foster mom, had said we could take her home as a foster to see if it all would work out before we committed to an adoption. Reluctantly Vicki agreed. Just so you all know Vicki loves all animals and would rescue them all if we had the time and money to do it.

I could not wait to get back to PetSmart after lunch! I could not wait to break the good news to Heather, the other volunteers and most of all Ruby. I was so afraid someone would adopt her before we got back. I was relieved to see she was still there when we got back. I took her out of her cage and gave her a big hug and said little girl say your goodbyes because tonight you are going home with me.

Well, all of that was on Saturday, and I am happy to report Ruby is working out great. She has been accepted by most of our crew and even Ginger (our fussiest) has somewhat accepted her. The first night she stayed by herself as we were going to do a slow introduction of her to our other cats over a period of ten days. But Miss Ruby would have none of that. She cried almost all night wanting out. So Sunday she was introduced to the rest of the gang. It was a little touch and go with three of the four of our cats for about a day and a half. Checker took to her right away. Since Checker is the alpha male this was a good sign. The rest of the cast sort of fall in line with him. Today you would not know that she had not been with us from the very beginning.

I am going to post some more updates on Ruby as soon as I can find the time. For now keep an eye on the Abber's Friends twitter feed. I also have some video of Ruby at our house I will share soon here on this page. By the way Ruby is also my moms name so I find it a little strange going around the house say Ruby come here, or Ruby, you want me to rub you belly, would Ruby like a treat. We have already begun to use a nick name for her. We are calling her Ruby most of the time but sometimes we just say Rub. I never call my mother Rub or Ruby, just mom, FYI.