Maggie was a mess. The animal control officer offered an explanation: "Someone dropped her off outside the pound when she was about six months old. She was so scared, it took six months of coaxing to get her inside, and we don't have the staff or time to take care of the long-haired cats." Maggie had been at the pound three years. Her coat was filthy and matted.
It was two weeks before Christmas, and I had come to the pound determined to give a good home to one of the cats. I knew long-haired cats were less likely to be adopted; people thought their coats would be too much work. We already had a beautiful pure-bred Maine Coon with silky long hair, also a rescue. His coat was hardly any trouble, so I was sure we could handle another long-haired cat.
Cats roamed freely in the overcrowded cat room. Several ran up to me, but I looked around for a long-hair. There, in the corner, sat a ragged-looking longish-haired black cat. As our eyes met, she stood up and limped over on stiff legs. "She's too afraid to walk around much" the animal control office said. "She mostly just sits there in the corner."
My heart went out to Maggie. Filthy and shy, she was one-part Persian, which gave her face a weird pushed-in look and an exaggerated big chin. She had waited many Christmases for a loving home.
After several baths and brushings, we learned Maggie wasn't black; under all that dirt, she was a gorgeous dark-brown and pumpkin calico! Her coat has filled in beautifully, and because of her unique parentage, she hardly sheds. My "Jay-Leno baby" as I call her, is an adorable, loving teddy bear. All animals can be beautiful, if given a chance...
Morris County, NJ
