Project 1: Peter
Meow! Hey
there, I’m Peter, a two year two month old black shorthair mix, currently residing in the Sunset Valley Petco
location of Austin Pets Alive. I have to admit that it is not the greatest of
homes to live in, but a home is a home, regardless, and I am quite grateful. On
a brighter note, I have been adopted before! The downside was that it was for a
brief amount of time until my foster mom said I was too needy. I didn’t
understand why; I just wanted to play with her and show her my genuine
affection!
Consequently,
I was returned to Sunset Valley Petco. And to think I
was out of that place for good. Darn! Alright, maybe I’m overreacting because
the Petco really isn’t that bad. Usually I spend my
time playing with the other cats there, such as Nate and especially my brother,
Gustav! Nate and I are more alike in that we both absolutely love to explore
our surroundings. My brother, Gustav, on the other hand is more quiet and
serene. He basically just sits in the corner and watches the rest of us play
with our toys. Even though we are two very different cats, I still care for him
like any sibling would and it almost broke my heart when he got adopted without
me. I was so surprised when he was returned one day and we were reunited again!
I see it as a sign that we are destined to stay together forever. I’m hoping we
do because he is the only family I have left in this big, scary world.
When
people come to see cats for adoption, I immediately get excited; my active and
outgoing side comes out. I really do love interacting with humans, whether it be adults or children. I especially love it when they come
to feed me treats! Although I have to say that I do fight for my share of the
snacks, because Nate (a mere kitten), will pounce at the sight of food. My
favorite part though is when the kind humans come and stroke my soft and
luscious fur. They say things such as “Peter, you have an amazing coat of fur!”
or “What a handsome boy!” As a matter of fact, I am willing to bet you ten
fish-shaped cat treats that I have the best fur and tail out of all the cats in
that Petco location. You can call me egotistic,
boastful, and/or narcissistic but I see it as knowing my assets and highlighting
them in hopes that one day I can live with a loving and caring family that will
appreciate my physical attributes as well as my personality.
Even though
I’m over two years old, I continue to act like a kitten. I love being the
center of attention and having people play with me. I think being mature and
independent like Gustav is so boring! I’d rather run around and keep myself fit
than lie around all day long. That’s why his stomach is getting noticeably
larger as the days pass, but don’t tell him I told you that!
Now that you
know more about me as a cat, let me tell you about something interesting that
happened a week or so ago! Note that nothing interesting ever happens around
here. So when this college student and two of her friends came into the room, I
knew something was going down. We were released from our rooms to meet the
teenagers and I immediately went up to her, the one that I had my bright green
eyes on for the whole time. She came to pet me and I could tell she admired my
soft, delicate fur as she could not stop petting me. Of course, she paid
attention to Gustav considering that we’re brothers and whatnot but I knew she
favored me more because I continuously came to her for the bag of treats she
was holding. One time, I ate the treat directly from her hand and then licked
her hand afterwards. It was my way of saying thanks! It was the least I could
do since she said she would try to get my brother and me
adopted together. I thought that was sweet of her. I hope that she comes to
visit me more often and that one day, Gustav and I will have a place to call
our very own.
From the very beginning I knew that
going to an adoption center and interacting with animals was a key part of this
course. I have to confess that even with that in mind, I was very wary and
hesitant about this project as I’ve never had any pets before and have only
interacted with my friends’ dogs. So I had the idea that I would only work with
dogs. However, this experience was nothing like what I had envisioned it to be;
in fact, it was quite the opposite! I’m so glad that this was a new experience
for me because it definitely required an open mind. It also increased my
knowledge from just the facts that I read in textbooks to an actual firsthand
experience. “Education beings in humility – in recognizing
that we always have much still to learn.”[1] With that said,
I’m thinking of this assignment as a way not only to learn about my cat, Peter,
but also to extend my character and build my compassion, empathy, and
sympathetic imagination.
My journey on this project started
with Butterfly Nguyen, Hummingbird, and I going to the Austin Pets Alive! Head
Quarters one Saturday, but that was quite unsuccessful as the staff there did
not allow us to do this project. We tried again Tuesday after class, but this
time at the Sunset Valley Petco due to Monkey and
Manatee’s results. Before seeing the cats there, I had no idea which one I
would write a bio for. But after the cats were let out of their individual
rooms, I immediately had an inclination towards the two brothers, Peter and
Gustav. I heard their stories of how they each got adopted and returned and was
completely won over by the mere fact that they were separated. I’m glad that
they are together now but the problem is that they are in need of a family and
place to call home.
My favorite part of the whole
experience would be just sitting on the floor and having the cats around and
interacting with all three of us. Butterfly Nguyen had a fun time playing with
Lilian, Hummingbird and Prudence shared a special bond, while I favored Peter
and Gustav, and Nate (the baby of the group). We also were allowed to feed the
cats some treats. I was nervous at first of being so physically close to them,
but after a while I became more relaxed and enjoyed myself during the hour that
we were there. I could pick up on each cat’s unique personality, such as Gustav
was always separated from the rest of the group or the fact that Nate and Peter
would be anxiously waiting in front of me for treats. Lilian just hid
underneath the table the whole time, and Prudence was calm and quiet. I got to
interact with cats on a personal level, and I felt a deep connection with Peter
and Gustav. All in all, the hour spent there was well worth it.
I would have to say that the hardest
part of this project was writing from the point of view of Peter. I had to look
into his mesmerizing green eyes and actually put myself in his black paws. As a
person, I have trouble thinking about what others are feeling since I am quick
to judge and make assumptions. I can sometimes be oblivious to what people are
feeling even though their exterior shows otherwise. Therefore, I 
wondered how I could possibly imagine
what Peter is going through if I can’t even do that with people. I’m thankful
that the UGS courses, this one in particular, “are meant to help students think
differently about their classes and connect them to real life.”[2] If I had gone
through college without taking this class, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity
to practice sympathetic imagination by putting myself in an animal’s
perspective. Furthermore, I can definitely relate in the statement that
“college students want to be part of a different and better world, but they
don’t know how.”2 I’ve always said that I want to make a difference
in society but I never thought about making a difference in the animal society until now. I feel
accomplished with the effort that I put into this assignment, not only for the
grade but because of the fact that I contributed to a cat’s attempt to find a
home. At the end of the day, that is what really matters: each of us helping
each other in this world, humans or not.
Appendix
Total word count w/o
quotes: 1470
Total word count w/ quotes:
1517
1.
http://peterapa.blogspot.com/.
2.
http://gustav-apa.blogspot.com/.
Playful – Outgoing – Friendly
Peter is an adorable black shorthair mix and a great, big
bundle of energy just waiting for you to provide him with a new environment to
explore and live in! He is the one who loves to be in the center of attention
and will always value the amount of time you devote to playing with him.
Although he is over two years old, he is still as active as ever and would
rather not spend his time lying around the house. Instead, Peter will most
likely be found roaming around since he is quite the curious one and will never
get bored of his surroundings. If you provide him with ample amount of treats
he will eagerly come up to you once he smells them and will lick your hand
afterwards as a sign of gratitude!
Outgoing and playful Peter has a quiet and shy brother,
Gustav, whom he is quite fond of and it would be extremely ideal if they could
stay together for the rest of their lives! He is extremely friendly and will
gladly make friends with other cats, and even dogs who are respectful of cats.
Peter is kind and loving; he will never attempt to hurt people, including
children. His luscious coat and slender tail is what makes him stand out most
amongst others in a crowd. He knows this and feels confident and relaxed when
being stroked, as he takes it as a compliment and shows off his best asset.
Last but not least, his bright lime green eyes seek love and attention from a
generous caretaker!
All APA! foster kittens/cats are litter box-trained, tested for FeLV/FIV, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, treated for worms/fleas,
microchipped and come with a 30-day health insurance
plan.
If you have additional questions about Peter, please email
adopt@austinpetsalive.org.
4
Laid Back – Calm – Independent
Gustav is an amazing black shorthair
mix a little over two years old and has been patiently waiting for someone to
take him home. He is quite the opposite of his brother, Peter. Unlike his
social and active sibling, Gustav likes to lie down next to you and keep you
company while you’re watching TV or reading. He really loves being stroked and
has the softest and blackest fur ever so those two things go hand-in-hand. Laid back and calm, Gustav is not one to
immediately jump into group activities with other cats. Instead, he likes being
by himself and seems rather mature for his age. His bright yellow eyes have
hopes of finding the perfect owner who will bring him to his home sweet home in
the near future.
You can tell him apart from his
brother by a little patch of white fur on the front part of his chest under his
head. The brothers have always been together and it would be extremely
wonderful if they could stay that way. Together, both of them have incredible
chemistry and will be sure to bring joy and happiness to your home.
Another great thing about Gustav is
that he gets along well with other cats and kittens as well as dogs that are
respectful of cats. He really loves being around people, children included. He
will be a great addition to any family and will give you ample amounts of love
and affection. Please adopt this adorable, kind, and loving
cat today! Also ask about pair adoption discounts!
All APA!
foster kittens/cats are litter box-trained, tested for FeLV/FIV,
spayed/neutered, vaccinated, treated for worms/fleas, microchipped
and come with a 30-day health insurance plan.
If you have additional questions about Gustav,
please email adopt@austinpetsalive.org.
5
Bibliography
1.
Trimble, John. “The Core Purpose of the University:
Learning.” In Ethics, Leadership, Animals
Course Anthology, edited by Jerome Bump, 58. Austin: Jenn’s
Copies, 2011.
2.
Roosevelt, Max. “Student Expectations Seen as Causing Grade
Disputes.” In Ethics, Leadership, Animals
Course Anthology, edited by Jerome Bump, 38. Austin: Jenn’s
Copies, 2011.
3.
Shanery Tam, Youtube, “Peter at
APA,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjXXb_RG-ic.
4.
Austin Pets
Alive, “Peter,” http://www.austinpetsalive.org/adopt/available-cat-details/?ID=8477901.
5.
Austin Pets
Alive, “Gustav,” http://www.austinpetsalive.org/adopt/available-cat-details/?ID=8477898.
6.
Images taken by
Shanery Tam.
a.
Peter showing off his fur.
b.
Feeding Peter fish-shaped treats
c.
Peter’s mesmerizing green eyes captivated my
attention.
d.
Video of Peter