June Rescued Spotlight: Rama

Hey everybody, it's Truffles! The last few months I've been telling you about Rescued: The Stories of 12 Cats, Through Their Eyes, an anthology of rescue cat stories compiled by Janiss Garza, who writes the Sparkle Cat blog. Each author featured in the book has nominated a cat rescue and was assigned a month to promote the book, with a third of the profits from that month going to their rescue.

June's spotlight is Rama, whose mom is author Catherine Holm. Rama's story is quite compelling, and he is one handsome house panther! He's also a fellow Vermonter, so I asked Mommy if we could have a play date, but she said I'm not allowed to have boys over :(

If you happen to be in the Newport, Vermont area, *tonight* at 6:30pm Catherine will be at the MAC Center for the Arts as they present "Muse-ical Harvest III - Such Short Little Lives" featuring poems, songs, and stories celebrating pets. 

Truffles: Welcome, Rama. Thank you so much for taking some time to chat with me today. Could you start by introducing yourself and telling us what made your story such a good fit for the Rescued anthology?

Rama: I'm a big and beautiful and sleek and glossy black boy cat. I'm about 10 years old but I'm very athletic and I love to play! My story is a good fit for the Rescued anthology because my rescue made such a difference in my life. I am a completely different cat now, and much happier. But I and my human had some work to do!

You came to your new family with a great deal of mistrust because of past betrayals in your life. How were you able to work through that and what is your relationship like with your humans today?

I love my humans! I even like when strange new people come to the house. I will walk right up to them. I didn't used to be that way. You know, I think I was able to work through my past, partly because my human was so darned persistent. She just wouldn't give up on me! My human mom is probably the human I am most attached to, though my human dad is right behind her. I love to snuggle with my mom, but only when the feeling comes over me. I have learned to show her when it's time, and she has learned to recognize my signs!

What do you mean when you say that you are a "Sideways" cat?

Although I will walk straight up to my people and to strangers, I will ask for affection in a sideways fashion. Another blogger called it "drive by" behavior, and I think that sounds about right! If I want love from my humans, I will walk by them, just gently brushing my side against their shin, just for a moment. Some cats will weave in circles around their human's ankles. Not me!

You are a fellow Vermonter! Do you enjoy living in the Green Mountain State?

I LOVE the Green Mountain State! Mama says the grass and the fields look like a carpet of emerald green -- and she's right! Our digs in VT have plenty of windows to sit in, and these cool beams that go over one room, that we can run on! And I have plenty of places to go if I need to get away from the other cats. 

The rescue you've chosen to receive your proceeds from the book this month is Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter in Orleans, Vermont. What can you tell us about the important work that they do for homeless animals?

They really care about cats (and dogs) at the Frontier Animal Shelter! My human has begun volunteering there and she tells me that they really take the time to work with each cat, to help that cat's chances of being adopted. Some of those cats start out pretty stressed out, or bummed out, like I was. And there was recently a dog that had been at the shelter for 4-1/2 years! That dog was just adopted to a loving home -- and everyone at the shelter was very very happy about this. The Frontier Shelter is not where I was adopted from (that was another shelter back in Minnesota), but mom tells me that Frontier is clean and well run. The shelter manager and staff are very experienced at working with different personalities to bring out the best in these animals.

What's life like for you today?

I love my life! Well, sometimes I'd like a little more to EAT (do you hear that, MOM?!) -- apparently I need to lose a pound or two at the moment. But I have a great life. I've gotten a lot less serious over the years, and have even begun playing with Norton (the youngest of the cats here, and one who loves to roughhouse). Mom is very pleased about that-- I used to never play with any of the other cats. I spend a lot of time napping, playing, and coaxing Mama to cuddle with me when the mood comes over me. I'm an indoor cat, but I don't seem at all interested in going outside.

What do you hope people take away from your story?

You need to take it slow with some cats. Some cats are going to need to go to a special home, with humans that are a little cat savvy, or are willing to take the time to learn. I was not a cat that was doing a very good job of selling myself at the shelter! All cats are not alike, and we need to be met where we are. Some of us, like me, take a little more time to learn to trust again. But we can come around! That is what my story is about.

Purrs and headbutts to you, Truffles, and may your Green Mountain views always be beautiful!

Photos courtesy of Catherine Holm