Thought I'd show you guys a couple of photo's of Bella. After Furry died on 23/7/06 I thought life wasn't worth living, but I went to the local adoption centre - just to cuddle the cats as I missed her so. Bella, then called Bingo by the shelter, was so depressed & thin. She had been handed in as a starving stray with a massive flea investation. She wouldn't come out of the inner cage, so they had to put her food & water & litter tray all next to her bed. They estimated her age as 12 plus. So I visited with all the other cats, some aged 18 plus, & I went several times a week to give them all cuddles. The experience is so humbling - here are these beautiful cats who all are willing to give love, who respond to affection with purrs & delight, after who knows what horrors have been inflicted on them. I would have taken them all home if I could.
But Bella responded to me - she started to take an interest in life again & when I arrived she would come out at the sound of my voice. She loved & still loves to sit on my shoulder. The staff said she would be very hard to rehome as she's old & black & white. But they never put a healthy cat down so I did wait & see. After 3 weeks without any interest in her I knew she had to come to us.
After the home check I went to collect her - I called her name & she walked straight into the basket. She had to have all her teeth out due to dental disease 2 weeks later, but now she is doing fine.
She can never replace the love that Furry & I shared, which will go on till the day I die, but I know that we love each other. It is hard to think that she won't be here for very long probably - I just hope that she can have a healthy life & not be sick like my poor Furry was.
So here is Bella & one of Furry too.
Judith

Furry didn't let Bella appear

Judith

Well you know I love how Furry looked, wow. Bella is a beautiful girl too. What a little sweety all curled up. She knew what she wanted, YOU and she got it. You never know, you could have her a long time. I had a cat that made 22 years.

Thank you for sharing your pictures, I loved them. I wish you and Bella years of happiness!

Love

Bless you for giving this sweet cat a wonderful home. I hope you have many happy years together but no matter how long, you have made her so happy. I bet she was purring up a storm when you took that picture.

I know what you mean about taking them all if you could. Whenever I go to Petsmart for cat food and stuff I cannot resist stopping at the cat adoption section and it's so hard to leave without 2 or 3 kitties.

I always have the softest spot in my heart for the older cats.

Bless you for taking in Bella and giving her a chance at love in a good home. I'm sure you will have years together but if it was even for a day of giving her love it would be worth it, wouldn't it?

Judith,

Yes, thank God for those like you, and Simba's Daddy.....everyone wants kittens, not the old or older ones who don't stand a chance, other than for people like you two. How incredibly SAD it is that that shelter has cats who are as old as 18, and then some!! Other than for the reason that their guardian died, I can't even imagine giving up a poor baby at such an age!!!! It's an outrage, plain and simple.

"Humbling" is the word, that's for sure. I don't know even one human who would be as loving, grateful, trusting and faithful as those poor darlings, after having been so callously abandoned.

Bella is SO lucky to have had you to pick out from the 'crowd'. Furry would be SO proud of you, you can bet on that! (but I like how Furry insisted on HER pic being first!) You are helping not only Bella, but the whole of the group-soul of felines everywhere, in every time. And she's as sweet as pie, too! My late and former MIL had a cat who had no teeth left, either, but she lived to a pretty ripe, old age, regardless. Try, really try, not to 'impose' an early demise on her, by way of your thoughts and fears. Try to believe in her longevity, so that it CAN be so. Remember what my Nissa taught me.....that thoughts are more powerful than anything else, and give Bella the chance to happily prove your forebodings wrong....though Ken's right ~ even one day of love would be better than none.

And I hope you make the time to take FULL advantage of burying your nose and face into that delightful bundle of curled-up fur-pottishness, every chance you get!

Bella is just beautiful! Her fur looks so soft in the picture and there's nothing quite like a curled up kitty!

I know she is not your Furry, but she is special all on her own and she is so lucky to have been given a home with you.