Our 1st Gotcha Day

Today is a very special day as it marks our first Gotcha Day!!

One year ago today, Mommy and Daddy brought us home together from Morris Animal Shelter. Mommy and Daddy said that after our big brother who we never met went to the bridge, they were so sad and the house was so quiet that about a week later they became obsessed with finding a new kitty to love. They went to the SPCA but it was closed and they went to every pet store they knew (even though their vet friends told them not to get kitties from pet stores) and they weren't able to find any little kittens.

Finally, Aunt Christine recommended that they try Morris Animal Shelter in Center City Philadelphia so they made a special trip and went down to look. Morris had many, many kitties for adoption there. Mommy and Daddy had to fill out some paperwork and it took a few days to get approved so they could not pick out a kitty that night. They did however see one kitty they liked and were asked to write down his number and once they were approved they could see about taking that kitty home. Thankfully, when they found out that they were approved, that kitty was sick and was not able to be taken home (we hope he is better now of course). So, they came back into the shelter not knowing what they were going to find. Lo and behold when they walked in, Leslye (the animal adoption coordinator) told them they had just the right kitty for them. She reached into a little basket in the front display window and picked out Mr. Chen and plopped him in mommy's arms. Mommy and Daddy just about lost it because they said they only thing they could NOT do was to look at any black kitties because it would remind them too much of their beloved Bingo. And of course Mr. Chen is black! Well, after a little while holding him mommy and daddy realized just how special he is but they still weren't sure. So, they decided to look at other kitties back in the cages. Leslye took them back and they looked at several very beautiful kitties. Daddy was very drawn to one little sleepy kitty, who was a gray tabby. Daddy kept going back to this kitty but Mommy and Daddy still liked Mr. Chen, too. Lesyle said "why don't you take both?" And, that's just what mommy and daddy did! They still didn't get to take us home that night as we had to get our hoo-haa operations done and some shots. Finally on Sept. 13, 2006 Mommy and Daddy got to go back to Morris and take us both home. We were put into one cat carriers together and that is how we became brothers forever!

Once we arrived at the house, Mr. Chen immediately began to play. Ollie got a head-cold between the time mommy and daddy picked him out and then picked him up so he was very snuggly and sleepy and just liked to rest. Ollie did not have a name in the shelter and we do not know what his story was. But, Mr. Chen was named Mr. Chen by his foster family. Although mommy and daddy had several other names picked out for us (including Rock and Roll!) they just didn't think anything was more fitting than Mr. Chen so they kept it.

We are very happy kitties to have found our forever homes and found each other as best brothers ever! Happy 1st Gotcha Day to us!!