I thought I would introduce you to Grace and Rosie (L to R). Aren't they pretty? They are Ragdoll sisters that we rescued on New Year's Day on January 1st, 2016.
When we got them they were seven months old (best guesstimate from our vet) and very shy. The situation they were rescued from was a hoarder/breeder way up in the northern part of California where they (and all the other cats "rescued") were sent to a high kill DOG shelter (!). There is this fabulous organization called PureBred Plus that heard there were Ragdolls at this shelter so they rallied the troops and went up there and rescued any cats that hadn't already been euthanized.
We had just lost our Belle earlier in December. Rick and I have had a cat (or two) just about our entire lives together. There was such a void when Belle died and we didn't want too much time to pass before getting another cat. I liked the idea of getting a sibling pair.
Hey pretty girl.
You too, my shy one.
They were so shy when we first got them. I just hate to think of what trauma/situation they endured before they were rescued. We are a calm household and before long they were exploring and getting to know us. They are still shy around strangers, particularly women. They will warm up to you if you speak quietly. My more exuberant friends have never met them because as soon as they hear them – WOOOSH – out to the garage they run.
Grace (the darker one) is the shier, more reticent of the two. She is also more delicate boned than Rosie. Rosie is very sturdy and a bit less skittish. Ragdolls are generally large cats but they have seemed to have topped off at the nine or ten pound mark. Ragdolls can weigh in the twenties! They have the eponymous characteristic of being super floppy when you pick them up. It's the funniest thing.
They both have the most beautiful blue eyes. Grace's tips and tail are darker than Rosie's. I have had people accuse me of getting them because they match my decor. As if…
Okay maybe just a little.
As I mentioned we are a calm household which helps them feel more secure and less stressed. Something I swear by is Feliway by Ceva. It's a plug-in that release calming phermones into the air. Be sure you get the Ceva brand. There is another Feliway brand (Comfort Zone) that is not as effective. I order it from Amazon since I can't find the Ceva brand in any store. Grace had a bit of an issue where if the bed was left unmade she would hop up and pee on it! Talk about a commentary on my housekeeping skills. Sheesh. We put the plug-ins in our room and the guest room and haven't had a problem since.
Another item I HIGHLY recommend is the Chom Chom pet hair remover. Seriously THE best pet hair remover. It doesn't work so well on a person (like if you were trying to get pet hair off your wool pants) but it works fabulously on furniture and rugs.
One last recommendation – if you have a cat get the Litter Genie. We have three cat boxes, two in the garage and one in my office. The vet recommended for multi-cat homes get one more cat box than you have cats. The Litter Genie really does keep the cat waste smell in the Genie.
Before I sign off I wanted to post one last picture of our dear, sweet Belle. She was a cat with a big personality and we achingly miss her. I like to think her spirit still hangs around, bringing us spirit bats and snakes, like she want wont to do when she was alive (with the live versions). She was fierce hunter and loyal companion and we miss her terribly.
So nice to meet your beautiful kitties. Things have a way of working out & they are very lucky to have landed in your home.
Thank you Jan. We feel pretty lucky too 🙂
They are so beautiful! I’m sorry about Belle. I’ve lost both my dogs in the last five years. The sense of loss never goes away.
What beautiful girls! I’m so sorry for your loss of Belle. I just lost my heart and soul, Holly, 2 weeks ago. She was a long haired calico and had so much personality. We still have 5 cats but combined they don’t have the personality that she had, they are much quieter and more docile. We do, however, have a brother and sister who came from a hoarding situation too. The sister Nala has warmed up and will sit with us, let us pet her on her terms. Simba, the brother is still shy and skittish after 4 years. He will only let us pet him at night, in bed when it’s dark. He will take treats from our hand while he sits on our bed, but otherwise stays out of sight. Sadly, he loved Holly and spent all of his time with her and for the first few days after she passed just walked around the house crying for her. I just ordered the Feliway, I hope it will help with his anxiety! Really enjoying your blog…Nicole sent me!
I dont think you ever get over the loss of a pet. They truly become cherished members of your family.
Oh Carolyn I am so sorry to hear about Holly. And poor Simba, that just breaks my heart to think of him searching for her. I hope the Feliway helps. We found it worked really quickly.
Thank you for coming on over from Nicole’s blog.
Your kittykats are the most beautiful cats ever. Adorable and those gorgeous eyes… My current 2 cats are siblings and I think that’s the way to go because they have each other to lean on and they entertain each other.
Your Belle is equally beautiful and so serene looking.
I love cats and am so happy to meet yours and yes, they DO match your surroundings… Hee! Thanks for sharing.
Visiting over from your sister’s blog. Your puss cat babies are lovely. I have a burmeses/rag doll cat. He has those gorgeous eyes too!
Are you sure you didn’t buy theses kitties to match your decor?
Thank you LindaSonia. I love having the two of them. I was a little afraid they would just interact with each other and not bother with the likes of us but we are one happy family. More like they are the family and we are the staff!
Arent those blue eyes amazing? Thank you for coming over from Nicoles blog.