We are sure you remember Norman, the Courthouse Cat. For years, Norman was a beloved figure at the Polk County Courthouse in Columbus. He had many friends and admirers, and usually at least five bowls of food in a row so he could have his choice. He was neutered and had a few teeth pulled years ago by Po'Kitties, thanks to Eric Mack at the Purrrfect Bark (who knew him as Kong), and Norman had a wonderful life with lots of treats and attention.
One night Norman was found in dire shape in the street, and was taken inside for the night by two good folks, and in the morning, we rushed him to Landrum Veterinary Clinic. His friends visited him at the clinic and he was always so glad to see them! He was released and went home with one of his buddies, but it was quickly clear that Norman had suffered severe neurological damage and needed to be with an experienced hospice foster, so we brought him home. Norman was a handsome, particular guy and it grieved him no end that he could no longer properly clean himself anymore. His favorite time of day (and ours) was after supper when we held him steady and gently washed his face with a warm, wet washcloth. We would call "Normie!" and he would come just as fast as he could. He loved that time, purring and turning himself this way and that so we could clean his chin, the sides of his face, the top of his head, and then turning again to be patted dry. When we were done, we announced that he was now "fluffy and cute" which was his signal to cuddle up so we could feel just how fluffy and cute he was. Norman's condition deteriorated until he began to fall over every few steps, but that didn't keep him from eating, and from claiming his favorite spot in the sun every afternoon. He became more and more wobbly, and then earlier this week when he did not want his dinner, we knew his time was close. We know Norman was old but it was hard to tell exactly how old he was because nearly all of his teeth were missing. That evening, he asked to be held and spent 45 minutes lying quietly on my chest. When he wanted down, we placed him in his bed, and he fell asleep. He slipped quietly into a coma and in the morning he sighed once and his spirit flew free. We are so grateful we had the opportunity to get to know this special cat over the last few months and we send our love and thanks to his friends and fans all over, especially his many friends at the Courthouse and his special friend Walt in Corrections. You all made his life worth living. Thank you for caring about him and for him for so many years. What a lucky Po'Kitty.
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SPOTLIGHT on P3 Consignments – Paws, Prayers, & Promises’ fabulous partner on this incredible journey to help the animals, and their people, in our community.
Have you shopped at P3 Consignments lately? It is our favorite store, and not just because all their proceeds support the animals! They have gorgeous clothing, shoes, accessories, animal accessories, horse “stuff”, art work, jewelry, some furniture, and CATS! Gabe and Winston, the phenomenal greeters and Official Shop Cats, help supervise the kitties in the window, all of whom are available for adoption. This wonderful shop in the middle of downtown Landrum, South Carolina, has everything you need or want, at incredibly low prices. And you may consign or donate your high-end, gently used things to benefit the animals in our community. What people don’t realize it that this is a labor of love for Yvonne and Kelly – they have created and run this gorgeous and successful shop for the animals as volunteers. Volunteers! Like us, they do not make any money themselves, so when you support P3 Consignments, 100% of the proceeds actually do go to the animals. Not only does P3 Consignments support Paws, Prayers, & Promises financially, they have helped us create events and have been the backbone of labor in producing them. They serve as a drop-off and pick-up point for folks in need of cat food, dog food, and cat litter. They host cats and kittens for adoption in their window. They host dog adoption events and have a love of all things dog. They serve as ambassadors for Paws, Prayers, & Promises and have loyally supported us in everything we do. Seven years ago, Kelly and Yvonne managed a local consignment shop that everyone loved. They are always so welcoming and have such great taste. We had many wonderful conversations with them about animals, and discovered they were already involved with animal rescue, fostering and volunteer event programs on the side. So when Paws, Prayers, & Promises was in the works, Kelly and Yvonne decided that the community needed a thrift shop to help raise funds for local animal rescue. It was time for a change! P3 Consignments was born from a proven business plan and a lifetime of love for animals and a commitment to their welfare, bringing a wonderful new focus to the shop. The new venture started in October 2015. In our first kitten season, our initial family of kittens were fostered by P3 Consignments and in honor of our new venture, were named Paw, Prayer and Promise. Each of these kittens was adopted out of the storefront window to great homes, and their mother Gracie got a terrific barn home! Since then many cats and kittens have been adopted out from the window habitat at P3. Everyone loves to see the kitties. P3 Consignments is located at 112 E. Rutherford Street in Landrum, South Carolina. Their shop hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10-5. So please stop by and say hello to Kelly, Yvonne, Gabe, Winston, and the kitties in the window, and support the animals, and their people, in our community. When we say, “We couldn’t do it without P3 Consignments” – we really mean it! |
AuthorDana Mayer & Archives
September 2017
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