Already adults, they each had been brought to the shelter with litters of kittens, all of whom quickly beat their mamas to loving homes. The poor dolls were sad, scrawny, and infested with ear mites. They both had lived in cages at the shelter for approximately a month.

Maya

I adopted Maya on June 29, nearly two years after Domino's death. I had grown lonely for a pet but was unsure that I could handle the responsibility. After cat-sitting an acquaintance's pet in my home for a week, I felt confident and ready, and on June 29 I traveled to the Fredericton S.P.C.A. to rescue a cat. Initially, I overlooked two-year-old Maya (named Chelsea by shelter staff) because my affectionate attention was being captured by a polydactyl kitten (who soon lucked into a home). My mother, however, was transfixed by Maya's exotic appearance and hesitant demeanour, and convinced me that such a calm cat would be better suited for me, then a student often away from home attending classes. We were completely wrong about her personality, but not in choosing her.

Among people, Maya is brazen and fearless; to her, there is no such thing as a stranger. Though not highly fond of physical affection, she loves to chat and indulges in the occasional head rub. However, she is fiercely loyal, never straying far or for long and often bringing me gifts from the great outdoors. She boasts a slim, petite frame (likely due to some Siamese/Oriental heritage) which is deceptive, because her favourite thing in the world to do is eat!

Fun Facts: Maya collects bottle caps and twigs, and has never bitten or scratched a person.

Jasmine

Because caring for Maya was so easy, I was no longer hesitant to acquire a companion for her and so adopted Jasmine on July 11. Her name then was Emily; in her photo on the shelter's website she was climbing onto a windowsill, looking sadly at the camera. At the S.P.C.A., I peered into her cage and saw huddled in the corner a skinny, frightened tabby whose little pink nose was battered with cuts. She greeted me with a quiet, pitiful cry. When I removed her from her cage and sat next to her on the floor, she nuzzled me profusely. My heart was officially and forever melted.

Skittish Jasmine is especially shy among strangers. Once one earns her trust, however, she becomes adorably affectionate. She is content to spend long moments gazing outdoors through a window, hiding like a ninja beneath her favourite tweed chair, or cuddling and napping with me. She is a little clumsy.

Fun Facts: Jasmine rarely meows but instead coos like a dove, and waves her tail about while being petted.

My kitties make me incredibly happy. It is indescribably rewarding to have them in my home. They amuse me with their antics when I am in good spirits and console me with their company when I am not. Many would-be adopters overlook adult animals in favour of babies, but the former also have lots of love to give!

Like many animal shelters, the Fredericton S.P.C.A. is not large enough to house all of the animals who are brought in each year needing care; therefore, sadly many animals are refused or euthanized. If animals are adopted more often from shelters, new animals can occupy the empty cages instead of being denied, and animals who have stayed at the shelter for long periods of time will not be euthanized. Please do your part to help your local animal shelter become or remain "no-kill" by making a donation or giving a chance to an animal in need. These loving creatures are just waiting to show their true colours.

Locate a shelter near you, on the Web!
1-800-Save-a-Pet
Adopt an Animal
ASPCA
Canada Strays
Petfinder
Pets 911*
The Animal Rescue Site*
World Animal Net

* U.S. only

Kanna

Benjamin adopted Kanna (then named Zane) on 5 September after spotting an online ad by her previous owner, who was moving. The female green iguana is approximately five years old, seven pounds, and three feet long from nose to tip of tail. She is curious and extremely mild-mannered, even allowing the cats to bat her long tail; however, she is often territorial of her heated shelf above Benjamin's bed, puffing out her dewlap and bobbing her head at unwelcome visitors. Like all lizards of her species, she is a vegetarian and drinks very little. She likes to climb to great heights, lie on pillows, and splish-splash in her bathtub.

Iguanas are the most dumped reptile in the United States¹. If you are interesting in owning an iguana, please first educate yourself as to what caring for one will entail. If you then decide to proceed, please consider adopting an abandoned iguana from a rescue society. The resources below will help you locate one.

Herp Societies and Rescues Listings
Petfinder
Pets 911*
The Animal Rescue Site*

Nora

Nora, then called Muh and thought to be male, was being given away on Freecycle.org. Despite knowing little about my soon-to-be bunny, I promptly and eagerly replied. On 2 February 2007, when I arrived to claim "him," I saw a large grey rabbit in a cramped cage. Despite her size, she was only fifteen months old. Supposedly she had been biting the family's small children. When I freed her into my room, she was so eager to be out of the cage that, on her second night home when I tried to put her back in to control her urine spraying, she threw a frightening tantrum. I released her for good and she has been sweet and docile since. Later, a trip to the vet proved that "he" was actually a she, so her new name Cyril was discarded in favour of Nora.

Nora loves munching fruits and veggies, exploring the living room, lazing about and having her head petted. Often she quite enjoys the company of the cats, but sometimes she chases them away.

---

* U.S. only