In early February, we contacted Norma Milton of Halfway Home Pet Rescue in Caribou, looking for a kitten to love. We quickly found out that the middle of winter in northern Maine is not the season to find kittens. Our family visited the Central Aroostook Humane Society several times in course of three weeks, looking for the right cat to add to our family. Feeling frustrated, we scheduled an appointment to visit the cats at the Halfway Home Pet Rescue.
We arrived late in the afternoon Feb. 24, thinking we would be looking at young adult cats since Norma had told us she didn’t have any kittens. Upon our arrival, Norma surprised our 9-year-old daughter, Madelyn, with an adorable, longhair, all-black kitten! It was love at first sight. I certainly didn’t have plans to adopt a black cat, I don’t really know why; I just assumed we would find a gray, striped or butterscotch colored cat. However, it didn’t take long for the color of this little guy to be a moot point.
Norma informed us that little “Denzel,” as she called him, was found on the side of a country road in Easton in the middle of the night the night before. Those that rescued him searched the rural area (with no houses seen for nearly 2 miles) for other kittens, but found none, afraid a wild animal must have found them first. Knowing we would be arriving later that day, Norma quickly had this little kitten checked out by the staff at the Presque Isle Animal Hospital. He returned later that day, shortly before we arrived. After meeting all the other cats in Norma’s care, we decided “Denzel,” now known as “Whiskers,” was the perfect match for us.
During those first few months, we quickly learned that Whiskers was “all kitten” and needed a playmate. He meowed during the night, most every night, and got into any kind of mischief he could find. In May, I contacted Norma to see if she had another kitten that she would recommend pairing with Whiskers. Knowing all the cats in her care, as if they were her family members, she e-mailed me with the names of a couple cats and their personality traits. We returned to Caribou to the Pet Rescue May 19. Norma introduced us to the cats she thought would make a great playmate for Whiskers. Our daughter quickly became attached to “Reggie,” another all-black cat with a small patch of white on his neck. He was so loving, rubbing up against her, purring the entire time. Norma informed us that “Reggie” was dropped off in the parking lot of Foster’s Convenience Store in Caribou on a very busy Friday night and was nearly run over. An employee took him to the Pet Rescue. After witnessing his loving nature, we made the decision to adopt “Reggie,” now called “Midnight.”
One week after adopting Midnight, we were contacted by Kathryn Harnish, a board member and online marketing coordinator, at HHPR (Halfway Home Pet Rescue). The Pet Rescue received a call from a writer at the “Every Day with Rachel Ray” magazine who wanted to feature a story of a successful black cat adoption for their Halloween issue. Norma Milton provided her with our contact information and the fact that we had adopted not one, but two black cats! Excited to promote the ministry of Halfway Home Pet Rescue and pet adoption, we were more than willing to share our story and experience with a national magazine.
Days later, Sarah Horn, writer of the “Talk about Pets” page from “Everyday Day with Rachel Ray,” made her first contact via e-mail. At her request, I gave her a call and she conducted a brief interview over the phone. She asked about the cats’ adoption, their physical and personality traits and how they have added to our home. Having never been through such a process before, I was surprised and impressed that editors contacted us two more times via e-mail, once in June and again in July, to verify all the facts and information I shared with Sarah Horn in May. They double-checked and triple-checked spelling and facts to assure that everything was accurate prior to printing.
While shopping at the Aroostook Centre Mall last month, my daughter and I were waiting in line at Kmart and noticed the October issue of “Every Day with Rachel Ray.” Quickly skimming through the magazine with great anticipation, we came upon the article and photo I submitted. It was so exciting to see Maddie, Whiskers and Midnight in a national magazine. Maddie was so caught up in the moment, she even showed the cashier working the register and the customers in line behind us.
Several months into our journey with our two black cats, they both have added so much fun and excitement to our home. As I write this article, they are both curled up in our living room recliner, snuggled close to each other. One would think they were siblings from the same litter, but obviously are not. They are inseparable and truly enjoy having the other to play with.
If anyone reading this article is considering pet adoption, specifically, cat adoption, I highly recommend contacting Norma at Halfway Home Pet Rescue. Norma and her wonderful staff of volunteers are extremely dedicated to the lives of all cats brought to their door. They have also partnered with the amazing staff at North Country Animal Hospital, Presque Isle Animal Hospital and the Presque Isle Animal Hospital Caribou Clinic. Through donations and sponsors, cats adopted from Halfway Home Pet Rescue receive leukemia testing, wormings, flea removal, all age appropriate shots, and ear care. All adult cats are spayed/neutered before adoption and all kittens are adopted with a fully paid spay/neuter voucher for when they are old enough for surgery.
Maybe you are unable to adopt a cat, for whatever reason, but would like to contribute to the mission of Halfway Home Pet Rescue. Donations can be mailed to HHPR, P.O. Box 488, Caribou, Maine 04736. For more information or other ways you or any organization can support HHPR, visit their website at www.halfwayhomepetrescue.org.
