Clementine, Noot and Waldo and the Sunshines : Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail

“In February 2023, we were searching for a cat with a sweet and quiet temperament to complement our older female cat,” says Mara. “Our other cat had died prematurely from a fast-growing tumor in her throat.

“My husband Bob and fellow Furry Friends volunteer chose Clementine because she would sit on his lap and take pets. We found that some cats aren’t comfortable around men and tend to shy away, but not Clementine. Unfortunately, however, after bringing Clementine home, our older cat refused to be near her. What we needed, then, was a companion for Clementine, but being slightly timid, she wouldn’t accept just any cat.

“Around that time, Furry Friends had taken in some cats from a large hoarding situation. I remember the first day I met a cat named Comet who was quite ill and in the Med Room. But instead of hiding in the back of the kennel, he was up front greeting everyone! When Comet was moved to a regular room, he sauntered around, confidently meeting and greeting every kitty there. He knew when to be playful and when to hold back. He also enjoyed the company of people and loved jumping in laps for cuddles.

“My husband agreed that he would be perfect for Clementine and her quiet demeanor, and we changed his name to Noot, which means ‘small’ in Thai. (Noot seems to have some Siamese in him or at least the ‘voice’ of a Siamese). Although Clementine initially hissed and ran away from Noot, after a week and his skills of diplomacy, he won her over. Soon they were wrestling, playing tag or just cuddling together. 
“Not long after bringing Noot home, our older cat went downhill quickly and passed. We were back to two cats and felt we had the perfect duo. And then a cat named Waldo, who was abandoned in a cat carrier on the side of a parking lot, entered Furry Friends. Understandably traumatized at first, he came out of his shell thanks to the caring staff and volunteers. Quiet and unassuming, he tended to be overlooked by adopters, and yet he was good with his many roommates, even when they were spicy.

“When it came to playing with a wand toy, he was all in, but he was so polite, always letting his ‘roomies’ take first turns. It was holiday time 2024, Waldo was still at Furry Friends, and my husband and I thought of opening our home to one more deserving cat. I was rooting for Waldo who checked all the boxes, but my husband had to agree. So, after New Year's 2025, we brought him home.

“He and Noot were best buds right away, sleeping and playing together, but Clementine wasn’t having it, and so we gave them their space. One month later, we went out of town for several days, and upon our return Clementine changed her attitude, and now it’s the three Musketeers! They all come running when my husband yells, ‘Who wants to play?’ Sometimes, I’ll even find them napping together on the bed.” 

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Furry Friends Fur-Ever Stories are compiled and written by Nomi Berger who is the bestselling author of seven novels, one work of non-fiction, two volumes of poetry, and hundreds of articles. She is a volunteer writer for Furry Friends in Vancouver, WA and also volunteers her writing skills to animal rescue groups in Canada and the USA.