P2-Final Version
To Be Cleo
I see people walk past my cage, day in and day out. Most of them do not stop to look at me. The only ones that open my cage are the ones that provide me nourishment and some clean grit in order to relieve myself. I wish more of the humans would stop by my cage to talk to me or hold me. All I really want is someone to be my companion and love me for my true self. IÕve learned to not get my hopes up when new humans walk by my cage because they are going to go right past me and focus on the cages with the babies, who get the love and attention I so desire. They are not even grateful for it. Every last one of those kittens just assumes that all the humans should love them and hold them. They cry out for attention; I just sit in silence. I am not bitter towards the humans. I understand that they want a friend they can watch grow old. I just wish someone would realize my worth as a friend, even though I am older.
I used to have a friend that took care of me. She was an older lady that wanted me to sit in her lap while she knitted. I loved crawling up her armchair to be near her. She always understood what I wanted or needed, even though I could not speak to her. Whenever I need fresh food or water, she delivered it to me with such punctuality. I was always allowed to play with her balls of yarn because she understood this was the only type of toy I enjoyed. I was treated like a queen and given the name ÒCleo.Ó She told me my name came from somewhere called Egypt, where people apparently adored cats that Òkept their independence, spiritual and physical.Ó [1] We had seven wonderful years together, before my friend started to slow down and not even act like herself. I still do not know why she started staying in bed all the time. Instead of lying in her lap, I would hang out at the foot of her bed. She seemed to still thoroughly enjoy my company, even though she was acting strange. A woman who looked like a younger version of my favorite friend started staying at her house. This strange woman would give me food and water, but never seemed very interested in me otherwise. This woman stayed with us for over two years. She stayed until the day my best friend never woke up. That was the day my life was completely turned upside down.
The woman, who called herself ÒdaughterÓ of my best friend, dropped me off at the place I am now. I was dumped into my cage with only a food bowl, water bowl, small bed, and a box of litter. I was so overwhelmed by the amount of other cats in the same building as me. I could not understand why I could not be near them. My first few months here, I was so confused and scared that I hardly wanted to eat. I felt so hideous because I no longer had someone to brush my fur. I began feeling depressed. I knew crying and ÒmeowingÓ would not do me any good. I knew my best friend would not want me to be so miserable, so I decided I needed to make the most of my situation.
Cleo analyzing her surroundings at APA!
My life improved drastically when I became friends with my neighbor, Mr. Bob. We love to talk together and have sleep overÕs in each otherÕs cat beds. He also helps me groom my long fur, so I feel pretty again. We have such similar stories and such an analogous perspective on the world. We both are thankful that our caretakers have not completely abandoned us. We also appreciate the medical attention we are able to receive. He is very prone to colds and the vision of one of my eyes is clouded. However, we both realize we would not be getting these minor ailments if we were in an actual home with human friends.
The other day, an unusual girl actually spent some time with me. She took me out of my cage and into a room. She fed me treats and let me sit in her lap. It felt heavenly to curl up in someoneÕs lap again. She was not the cleverest human, because she spent several minutes trying to get me to play with a feather. Her company was very much appreciated, though. She would pet and scratch my head and call me ÒprettyÓ and Òsweetie.Ó I was happy being in that room with her. Much to my dismay, she put me back in my cage and left me. I wish she, or someone like her, would take me to a new home.
Cleo figuring out
her feelings towards me.
I regret not being able to provide Cleo with a new home. I could feel her disappointment when I placed her back in her cage. It almost broke my heart. I feel that she and I connected whenever we made eye contact with one another. I knew I could not give her the forever home she deserved. I did the most I could for her, which was give her a nice break from her cage, extend to her my sympathetic imagination, and then go back home and write her a stellar biography to catch the eye of a future adopter.
When I first approached CleoÕs cage, I did not immediately pluck her out. I stood there and told her exactly why I was there to visit her. I felt like she deserved an explanation as to why I was there for her. From the very beginning of our interaction, I tried my best to provide sympathy and compassion for Cleo. I wanted to make sure she was not frightened. She looked at me with her peaceful eyes and I knew she understood me. I extended my arms to her, and she strutted right into my hold without any hesitation. It was time for us to spend some time in the visitation room and become better acquainted.
As soon as I sat Cleo down in the visitation room, I was aware that she was out of her comfort zone. She started shaking and stared at the door, as if she longed to be back in her peaceful cage. Had she never left her cage, since being at APA!? I kept assuring her that everything was fine and I would not let harm come her way. I tried to pet her and she backed away from me. I realized she needed some personal space to adjust to this new setting. How could I understand what thoughts were going through her mind? I knew it was crucial for me to change my tactics in order to gain the trust of this magnificent cat. I distanced myself from Cleo so we could observe one another. She looked at me skeptically and I looked at her with admiration. I realized I could not be offended that she did not completely trust me. Instead, I worked on empathizing with her and her situation. It was important for me to ÒÕfeel with him [her] before one can identify his [her] elusive patterns of emotional response.Ó[2] I could sense that she was not thrilled with me taking her to this strange room because she is fed up with being displaced. She has also spent more than ten years on this planet, so she is not particularly fond of change. I finally grasped that the she was relaying her need for a permanent home. If a human were in her situation, they would probably be angry and hostile. The fact that she was calm, but reserved, showed me that she is a creature with an accepting nature. She had every reason to want to cry or bite and scratch me, but instead, she carried herself with grace and poise. I was humbled by her actions because there is no way I would behave with such composure if I were suddenly moved from my home to a cramped space. Once I had a better understanding of her viewpoint, I was able to have a clearer sense on how to approach her.
Enjoying her treats.
I made an offering of treats in order to calm CleoÕs nerves. She seemed very appreciative of this gesture and her reservations towards me seemed to dissolve as she snacked. I was very cautious as I reached out to pet Cleo; she did not fidget or cringe at my touch, so I realized she was now contented. She bravely hopped right onto my lap and looked up at me after her snack time. In her glowing eyes I could see pain, but also hope. She has grieved for the loss of her friend and her old lifestyle. However, she still has courage to enjoy life and seek a new home. Gazing at her, I was able to Òsee [my]self, tiny, inside the golden amber of her eyeballs.Ó[3] I was able to scratch her head and have her purr with approval. She has ached for someone to give her affection and consideration. CleoÕs purrs were her way of giving me permission to convey her needs, in my writing. My heart melted when I realized I had connected with this lovely, fluffy kitty.
Video of Cleo snacking. file://localhost/Users/emmcd/Movies/Cleomov/Cleomov%20-%20Computer.m4v
I hated returning Cleo to her cage, but found comfort in the fact that I now had a goal to help her find a forever home. I went home and immediately wrote her biography. I kept thinking about the calming effect that Cleo had over me, and tried to portray that in her biography. I have never had an animal teach me so much about my own emotions and thought process. I believe that if she had the means to voice her own story that she would want to remind readers how she had once been young, but that time takes a toll on us all. I also tried to emphasize how her elder years have made her wise and observant, and not as carefree as a younger cat. Most importantly, I wanted to stress that she needs a companion that will love her for all that she is and be mindful of her older age. Cleo is no longer listed on the Austin Pets Alive website; I hope this means that she got adopted with the help of the biography I wrote for her.
Appendix
Total Word Count: 1783
Without Quotations: 1753
Original Bio for Cleo:
Affectionate-Calm-Fluffy
Cleo is a gorgeous, fluffy blue adult cat. Though she is ten years
old, Cleo has a lot more love to give and would appreciate a caregiver and
friend for her golden years. Nothing seems to faze Cleo, not even dogs barking.
She loves to be held and will purr if you scratch her head. She would make
an excellent lap cat because she is so soft and will happily stay in one place
for long periods of time. She does not show much interest in toys. In fact,
if you wave a toy in front of her, she will just look at you like you have lost
your mind. Cleo would rather just observe the world around her while lounging
in a cat bed or on a sofa. She is prone to eye infections that make one of her
eyes very cloudy—this is not a serious medical problem and does not
debilitate her quality of life and does not spread to other cats. Eating is
probably CleoÕs favorite activity, but she is not a heavy kitty. If you
give her a treat, she will lick her lips as a sign of gratitude. She gets along
great with her neighbor, Mr. Bob, so she would probably transition well into a
household that already has feline inhabitants. There is a good chance that Cleo
would also get along well with children and maybe even a kind-hearted
dog. She really enjoys having any sort of companion. She will be grateful
for anyone who can find it in their heart to give her a forever home Come by
and see Cleo and fall in love when she curls up in your lap and purrs!
APA Webpage: Meet Cleo, a Domestic Shorthair available for adoption from
Austin Pets Alive!.html
I wrote a bio and took pictures and a video of another cat,
Smooch.
Original Bio for Smooch
Timid-Playful-Independent
Smooch is a beautiful, white/lynx, Siamese, young-adult cat. At
first, she may be a bit shy, but will warm up to someone as long as they put in
some effort to get to know her. She will melt your heart with he glowing eyes
and soft Òmeow.Ó Since she is not a kitten, she will not require lots of
attention, but that does not mean that she is not lively and fun. She
enjoys having her head petted, just do not try and roll her over to rub her
tummy—she will roll over only at her own will. Smooch is a proud
hunter and loves to pounce on and bat at her mouse toy. Watch out for your hand
if you are holding her toy! As long as she has a scratching post or board, she
should not tear up furniture. After playing for about twenty minutes,
Smooch will want to find a cat bed or someoneÕs lap in which she can curl up on
and take a nap. She definitely feels that she serves a good rest after hunting
her mouse toy! She weighs less than ten pounds and does not shed much, so she
should not make much of a mess in any household. Smooch does not seem to like
loud noises, so a calm, adult-only house would be ideal for her. Other cats
seem to make this timid kitty uneasy, so Smooch would need to be the only
feline friend in a household. She will make a loyal friend for anyone who
has it in his or her heart to adopt her. Come by and spend some time playing
with this adorable cat!
APA WEBPAGE:Meet
Smooch, a Siamese available for adoption from Austin
Pets Alive!.html
Images and Video of Smooch
file://localhost/Users/emmcd/Movies/Smoochvid/Smoochvid.mov
Image and Video
Citations
All photographs
and videos by 2012.
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