Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Willow is a sweetie for sure! What a beautiful face. I'm so happy she has a home with you!!!! :-)

Luv-a-Stray is a great organization. They have helped so many people find great pets! Bless them all. :-)

Willow, you are SUCH a pretty girl!! Oh, I just LOVE the way her face coloration is divided right in half (and in quarters!). And just look at that tummy, waiting to be kissed and snuggled! LOL

Congrats on your new baby, Jenny!! If I win the lottery out here in Cali, I'll take half of those barn kitties!

Brenda

Congrats! What a beautiful face! I'm so glad you could give her a home. S

I just love that face. She is so lucky to have a place in your home and your heart. Glad she has some sisters to play with and keep her company. Glenda

Thanks everyone for your kind words. Luv-a-stray was calling her Phantom because her face reminded them of the mask in Phantom of the Opera. Phantom just didn't fit, so I changed her name to Willow. She is so slender like a willow branch. I tried to get some pics of her tail but she doesn't keep it still. I think she is part raccoon. Her tail has rings around it. Starting with black, then white, then orange. The rings repeat twice. What made me select her from all the cats they had was her loving personality. She sleeps on her back on my chest with her head nestled in my neck. The top of her head is against my chin. Her front paws are extended one along each side of my head next to my ears. At least she is comfortable. The first time I left her out of the carrier when we got home she jumped from the floor onto my back. She scared the living daylights out of me. Tried to keep her in the rec room with gates in the doorway, but she wasn't having it. Once I made her comfy in my room she settled down. We kept her gated for three days so McLovin and Boa could sniff her through the gate. It worked. Of course now that she has the run of the house, where does she stay? In my room. Go figure.

Jenny

LOL!!! @ her jumping on your back!! I would have had a heart attack, Jenny! LOL

That is so sweet how she sleeps on your chest! I can't wait to see her tail...if she'll ever hold it still for you. THAT'S what I was trying to think of - Phantom of the Opera! But Willow is much more appropriate, I agree. :)

Brenda

What an amazing face! But Willow is a much better name :^)

We always have to play with the kitties before we adopt them - you can tell so much after just a few minutes with them. Poor Bandit was adopted because she shook the whole time I held her and hid her head under my elbow and I knew she would be bypassed for the more friendly kitties. She's still a fraidy cat but she's a sweetheart!

When we were leaving the barn with Willow I met another tortie named Fiona. She jumped up on a box and was eating up my affection. As my son and I got closer to the door she took off like a bat out of hell and was in front of the door in a second. I told my son to wait. She was so fast he didn't see her. When the lady went to pick her up I noticed she limped. When she did pick her up I noticed she only had three legs.

I went up to Petsmart the following week to talk to Gwen and let her know I was in love with Willow and that I had her tested for anything contagious and everything came back negative. She got her rabies vaccine, updated her shots and I had her microchipped. Of course I ended up in tears because I love this little girl so much.

We got to chatting about "the barn" and I told her I fell in love with Fiona. Since I was already in tears I asked her what her story was, then at the last minute I chickened out. Gwen asked me if I had time, she would tell me. Apparently someone had scalded her from the waist down. It was bad enough to affect her little "pieces-parts" and she couldn't hold her urine or feces. The Avon Lake vet they go to performed miracles with her "pieces-parts" and she can now function the way she should. However, because of the scalding she dragged her hind leg and due to the scraping it was getting infected. Being a no-kill shelter and against all the rules and regulations they thought it best to euthanize her. When they took her back to the same vet to have it done, he said if he amputated her leg she should be just fine. He did and she is a little "swinger" now. Gwen says she gets into the rafters of the barn with only three legs. Had I seen her before I adopted Willow I would have adopted her because of her special needs. But she has made herself "at home" in the barn. I don't have rafters in my house. lol

There is a special place in hell for whoever did this to a poor defenseless animal. Luv-a-stray is a top-notch class act when it comes to animal rescue. If you are located in Ohio and are looking for a dog or cat to adopt, please try them first. You won't be disappointed.

Excuse me now I have to go blow my nose, and dry my tears.

Jenny

Awww, what a sweet, heartbreaking story, Jenny! It's so amazing how animals rebound when treated right. Resilient little darlings.

But I agree there's a place for those who abuse animals and children. I only wish the person that hurt Fiona could be scalded from the waist down. I'd be happy to volunteer for that job.

Brenda

Pretty girl and lucky to find such a great home. I used to have a similar looking kitten as a child, half black face and half orange - right down the middle. In our childish sophistication we named her Half-N-Half.