Thanksgiving
The day is damp with a bit of drizzle. Just enough to make us bundle up. The rain would be welcome this time of year and our umbrellas are waiting, but secretly I’m hoping it skips us today. Rain tomorrow would be just fine. I hope your Thanksgiving day brings you sunshine.
Soon our dining room will be filled with the sound of chatter as platters of food are shared once again this Thanksgiving day.
I was privileged to host some guests from Japan several years ago. They were astounded that we had this room in our house that we only used once or twice a year. It is amazing when you think about it…in a country like Japan where space is at a premium, a dining room might be considered extravagant. But today we will gather under the chandelier in this room to give thanks for each other and to say a prayer for our family too far away to join us.
The Cat Who Came for Thanksgiving
We have an unexpected guest this Thanksgiving who’s not too happy to be here. His name is Pumpkin. The house behind us went into foreclosure a few months back and Pumpkin was deserted by the owners . Even though we really didn’t want another cat, we took him to the vet, gave him a warm place to cuddle and offered plenty of food. He has gradually become our outdoor cat. Then just a few days ago another cat attacked him. He was left with an infected wound on his head that took another vet visit, a lot of stitches, antibiotics, and $$$. We came home from the vet with instructions to keep him inside for 10 days. 10 days??? Oh my. He’s spent a lot of time pawing at the door. Poor Pumpkin.
He’s supposed to be wearing a cone on his head but he hates it so much I just don’t have the heart to leave it on him. I’ve photo-shopped his wound because we all deserve to look our best, especially on Thanksgiving. This is day 3 in the house for Pumpkin. I wonder how he’ll be in 7 more days? Do you think he’ll want to stay inside? After all the rain is coming!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! May your day be blessed with family, friends and good food!
Hugs,
Anne
27 Comments
Sheila
Such a cutie Pumpkin is. Probably depends on if Pumpkin has always been an outside cat. Maybe if it’s cold enough he will want to come back in, as much as he wants to go out now :)
ina
poor little pumpkin. :( what does mooch think of this new visitor? after he heals you may be able to get him to come home before dark and get him used to sleeping in the garage. offer tuna for the evening meal and maybe he’ll get the point.
Meghan Grace
Blessings to you for taking care of Pumpkin! He is beautiful!
Melissa Clifford
That is so very kind and wonderful of you…taking care of Pumpkin. I have two kitties of my own who are very spoiled. Maybe you could sell some fabric? Patterns? Something similar that would raise funds to help with Pumpkin’s vet bill? I recently bid on fabric from Kate Spain in an effort to raise money to help a couple adopt a sweet little girl. I’d be happy to purchase fabric or patterns to help.
Donna Wheeler
My cat Casey is “learning” to be an indoor cat — or I’m learning to put u with the meowing at the door knob. Too many cat figthts in the neighborhood, too many wounds, so Casey has not been out the door for almost 3 months. Its cruel and mean but it’s also tough love.
Mama Spark
You guys are awesome for taking Pumpkin in. He looks like my Jack, who recently went to the Rainbow Bridge to wait for me. He is BEAUTIFUL!! We have 4 cats now and they are all indoor/outdoor cats. Sometimes more one or the other, weather depending! Or closed door depending = ) I hope he becomes a joy to your home!! Happy Thanksgiving and I promise that Pumpkin is thankful for such a loving new family!
xo Pam
Barb
Oh Anne, you are definitely an angel on earth! Pumpkin is so lucky that you have taken him under your wing. You have the biggest heart – truly the spirit and blessings of thanksgiving!
sewprimitive karen
There is no understanding people who have the capability to leave a cat behind when they move. Obviously they do not have the slightest empathy to understand the abandoment and fear that cat feels. So, so lucky that you took Pumpkin in. Just keep her inside; she’ll get used to it. I had an outdoor cat like that, too. He got used to it.
Megan
Well I’d LOVE some rain, hot and dry her in Sydney… I’m at work pretending it is winter outside!!! Poor Pumpkin, I guess we shouldn’t judge about her owners, maybe they had a very tough choice to make? Still she is a lovely thing and you are a good person for taking her in and doing and spending what is necessary.
Yvonne
Happy Thanksgiving, Anne to you & all your family from a beautifully warm day here in New Zealand, Pumpkin is delightful & reminds me so much of our Precious who now lives with my son in Wellington & loving it by all accounts!
Have a great day,
Yvonne & Bailey & Poppy the Bichons
donna
Poor Pumpkin. He is a lucky kitty to have such a loving home. Hopefully he will grow to love the inside.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Hugs
donna
Sara
We just went through this with one of our cats. He goes outside and leaves for sometimes a week at a time and we think some neighbor is letting him inside and then he later shows up again. But after the vet bill, he needed antibiotics and a ointment in his eye and 5 days in he started feeling really good and wanted outside. He would go to the door and with both paws, try to open it and sit by a door and just look at us like we were stupid and didn’t we know what he wanted! Finally just prior to 8 days we let him out and he did not come back for a week! Now he is staying inside and he is fine, until the next time!
Donna P.
Happy Thanksgiving to you also – and many thanks for taking in Pumpkin. I think he’ll realize what a wonderful home he has and eventually will enjoy being inside. We had to teach our 4 cats to become inside cats because we were going to be traveling in an rv. They got used to it after a week or two and 2 of them actually enjoyed sitting on the dashboard as we drove. They can and do adjust – though it might be a little harder on you for awhile. ;-)
Joanne Moore
Happy Thanksgiving Anne! Hope you had a delightful day. Arent dining rooms really just sewing room wanna bees? Pumpkin is a very lucky cat to be in your home, in your care! I am sure he will be a cuddle bunny very soon!
Nancy Helpinstill
I am a veterinary RN and do not understand how people expect animals to feed and care for themselves when left behind. One of my dearest cats was left at age 19 1/2 because her owner was moving somewhere she couldn’t have a pet. After 19 1/2 years with her cat! I had her for another 1 1/2 years, so she made it to 21 before succumbing to upper respiratory infection that did her in. She was a great joy to me, dear Penelope. I write about her because Pumpkin looks so much like her. I hope he realizes in 10 days what a heaven-on-earth he’s walked in to. I fully expect to see future pictures of him on Moda bundles in your studio! Thank you for helping so many little souls – feline, canine AND human! You made my Thanksgiving bright.
Debbie St. Germain
Poor pumpkin, who knows, he might get so used to it, he might stay in.
I found a stray that had been living outside for years and was battered from attacks.
He did not want to come in and when I got him in, he threw himself at the door to get out, so I let him go. I kept feeding him and a few days later, he came in and hasn’t gone out. Today we had a visitor too, another tuxedo, who seems to have an owner who leaves him out, so he comes over to my porch to hang out.
Debbie
Sue Chapman
Many years ago we had indoor/outdoor cats until my sweet Missy was attacked by a coyote, which are (unfortunately) plentiful in our area. We now have two INDOOR cats and a house-chihuahua; while Sam-cat (the oldest) isn’t happy to be restricted full-time, Fritti Tailchaser (marked like your Pumpkin) is totally happy to be an indoor cat, and happily plays with Princess (the chihuahua), reclines on the window-seats, and munches on Fancy Feast and whatever snacks he can snag/mooch.
Your Pumpkin will, as another on-line friend mentioned, live a longer and SAFER life being an indoor cat, and he’s fortunate to find a warm hearth and warm HEARTS in you and your family. Whether HE likes it or not, YOU’LL probably feel more comfortable if he stays in the house!
Vicky
Hapy Thanksgiving, Anne! Your beautiful home is a warm and loving place for your human AND pet visitors!
Beth
I agree with all the comments above. I think Pumpkin was meant to come to your house out of all of the houses, especially during Thanksgiving. I hope in the next seven days he realizes how lucky he is to have landed on the steps of such kind and loving animal people. Seems like it’s meant to be. I love your animal stories and much as I love your quilts! I wrote you last year when you told the story of Bitsy. My daughter had just adopted her first kitten at college and was bringing him home. Well, here we are a year later and she just adopted another! So this year we will be adding her two to our 3 kitties. It sure makes life fun and interesting. I hope Pumpkin stays with you where he will be safe and loved. Many blessings to you and your family and also for your warm and loving hearts!
andrea
I can’t IMAGINE abandoning your pet because you move-that makes me so mad, but then on the other hand, if they hadn’t of done that, then Pumpkin wouldn’t have been so lucky as to come to live with you =) I thought his abscess looked pretty good hehe. Yes, they aren’t pretty to look at, so photoshop was probably a good call on that one! I wish I lived near you so I could help you with all your pets-you have such a kind heart with these sweet animals! Happy Thanksgiving (we’re having boring old soup and sandwiches here as our Thanksgiving was in Oct; I’m quite jealous of all my American friends right now)!
Diane R.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, your family and dear Pumpkin! I am so thankful for my quilting — I don’t want to call it a hobby — it’s so much more than that! A big part of it is your wonderful creativity — I’ve made several of your patterns and I treasure them all! Thank you, Anne, for your blog, your fabrics and your patterns. Have a lovely day with your family and friends!
Miss Jean
Bless you for taking care of Pumpkin! You always seem to be there when an animal needs you. I bet he’ll stay inside. Who wouldn’t want to live in Bunny Hill-land!!
Janet
Pumpkin’s a lucky guy. I hope you and your menagerie decide to help him decide to be an indoor cat!
Dawn
Happy thanksgiving Ann, to you and your family and all your four-legged friends. Pumpkin is a lovely kitty, and it’s really good to read of all the love and kindness surrounding him.
Thank you so much for brightening our days x
Happy Holidays to all :)
Dawn in the UK
Annelies
Oh dear Anne….
You take us all in and bring us joy!!!! Lucky Pumpkin to have you and your tender heart to care for him ( her). Happy holidays and I feel SEW blessed to spend time on your blog. XXX
Anita
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! I hope pumpkin decides to be an indoor kitty, he will live a longer, safer life. We made our two kitties indoor kitties instead day time out door cats, after om
One of them was beat up pretty badly this summer. One of isn’t too happy to be an indoor cat but I can’t bear the thought of her taking another trip to the vet for repairs from a fight.
mimi'sdarlins
You seem to be the lost kitty default home :) I won’t be surprised if your kitty goes back outdoors after the ten days….that is, if he was also an outdoor cat when your neighbors had him. We had six cats at one time, and they lived primarily outdoors, the original two came from a mama who was a barn cat. But here they were pampered and were inside on cold winter days. In the garage, we had heated beds and houses. They always preferred the outdoors. But when the final two got older, they happily became house cats (my dear little Max, as you know, was one of them). Keep us posted, it will be interesting to see what your new guest will prefer.
Happy Thanksgiving :)
(Hug)