Monroe, My New Siamese Friend

by Holly Hall
(Denver, CO, USA)

Watching me at work

Watching me at work

Since I have just found this website and Monroe's story is quite a long one, I am sending with this first email a letter I wrote to the Denver Dumb Friends League, where Monroe was adopted on Wednesday, June 6, 2012. I will be updating her story as time goes on. Enjoy!

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Dear DDFL,

I have been looking for a cat for almost two years, but could never find the right one for me. Constantly moving around and being in homeless shelters (twice since my return from Las Vegas) made the process even harder.

But when I graduated Cum Laude from Johnson & Wales University (after having graduated Magna Cum Laude from Las Vegas College in Nevada), the major triumphs of my life started rolling in, one after the other (sometimes slower, sometimes faster).

With this came the move into my own apartment (my first in Denver) this past February, and the apartment manager has been kind enough to let us have pets.

I went to one shelter after another, at first looking for any short-haired cat, but when I visited Almost Home Adoptions in Westminster back in April and saw their young Siamese, I was immediately reminded of my beloved father, who died when I was eight. I believe that it was for this reason that I was immediately attracted by the blue eyes Siameses have, and so I continued my hunt.

I think it was a great, unexpected blessing that you had the "Manager's Special" for the age group I adopted my beloved Monroe from on June 6, as she took to me immediately when I visited her during the Adoption process - and since then, we have become the best of friends.

Monroe follows me everywhere, always wanting to see what I am up to. I had gotten her her own bed, but she prefers to sleep with me. I am amazed at how sweet and docile she is; if I need her to do something (I gave her a bath immediately when we came home the first day), she obeys me as readily as a dog would.

Her manner is so gentle and her demeanor so calm, I feel it would be impossible to trade her for any other cat in the world. She feels like I am her "buddy," so to speak, for whenever I talk to her in a gentle manner and a soft voice (as I have done throughout my life with cats), she sits and looks at me with a sweet, understanding face that would melt any heart.

If she's taking a nap, she'll get up and try to find me if she realizes I am not beside her. Then she calmly waits for me to return to our original spots so she can go back to sleep, happy and contented.

Thank you SO very much for all you have done for Monroe before I adopted her. Her history originally had me worried a bit (due to the fact that not much was known about her before she came to the shelter), but she has had an easy time adapting herself to me and my apartment with hardly any problems.

If only Monroe knew how to say something other than the word "meow" and tell me where she came from! She has taken quite well to her new surroundings, and that has been a huge relief for me. I am taking her to get her first vet visit on June 13. Although she might not speak in human language, her happy demeanor has let me know she has found her "forever" home.

I promised her when I picked her up from the shelter that I would do my best to see that she is well-cared for and happy wherever we go, and I am determined to stick to that promise. I can't wait for my daughter to meet her!

Reply from Caroline:

Holly, what a lovely letter. Monroe looks like a real sweetie and parts of your story rang so true for me - and made me laugh! I bought my cat a bed of his own and although he does use it sometimes, he much prefers to sleep on our bed.

Like Monroe, he was also a rescue and there have been many times when I've wished he could talk about his former life. I'd love to know how he wound up in a rescue shelter.

I hope your vet visit went OK last week and that Monroe continues to settle in well, and that she has a long and happy life with you!

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Comments for Monroe, My New Siamese Friend

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Jun 21, 2012
 Vets!
by: Caroline (Admin)

Poor Monroe! I don't think any cats like visiting the vet much - mine wails all the way there and all the way back again, and won't come out of his carrier, either. On more than one occasion he has had to be tipped out by the vet.

For cats who won't go into their carriers, I was once given a good idea by the vet's receptionist. If you have a front-loading carrier, the best thing to do is to turn it so that it's resting on it's end with the open door at the top - then pick up your cat and place it, hind feet first, through the door, closing the door before turning it back the right way again. This does work well for cats who refuse to go in of their own accord!
Jun 20, 2012
 Reply to Caroline
by: Holly

Hi Caroline,

Thank you so much for the page and for your kind comments! Since the story was first posted, Monroe has finally gotten around to using her kitty bed on her own without any coaxing from me (although she still prefers to sleep on my bed for a greater part of the night).

Monroe hated the vet visit; it was funny because she didn't want to get into the pet carrier again and when we arrived, she wouldn't get out for the vet, so that (much to my shock and disbelief), the vet PULLED her out! When we got home, she ran and hid behind the couch for hours. I think she's forgotten about this visit by now, as she continues to follow me everywhere and sit by me in her own chair when I am on the computer.

She wakes me up in the mornings and waits patiently for me to give her food. When she's done, she'll lay back down and go back to sleep, unless I start singing, upon which she runs to me and watches in fascination, cocking her head to the side. This is one of the many updates I have, and I will continue to update periodically as time and duties permit.

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