Bones
(1988 - Sept, 2007)
Anyone who has ever visited the Save
A Life animal shelter has probably met Bones. After all, until recently he was the official mascot
for the shelter, welcoming perspective kitty parents with a friendly rub and gentle meow. He
helped calm frightened cats and kittens just coming into the shelter. He was also a reluctant
"demonstrator cat" when volunteers at the shelter would show visitors how to trim a cats claws.
Lastly he was the executive chief faucet watcher at the sink.
Bones was actually one of the first cats to be rescued and rehabilitated by the owners of the
shelter. Bones came under the owner's care as a severely dehydrated and malnourished kitten
that had been left behind in an apartment when his former owners moved. Although details of
what actually happened are sketchy, we feel Bones was left in the apartment with little or no food
or water for almost two weeks. By the time he was brought to the shelter, he was a very sick
kitten, nothing but "skin and bones". Hence the name "Bones".
Through a lot of dedication and hard work Bill and Janice (the owners of the shelter) were able to
save Bones. Not only did Bones make a full physical recovery, but he put his rocky start behind
him and developed into a loving, happy go lucky cat that seemed to take everything in stride.
Although Bones was well enough to go up for adoption, Bill couldn't let him go. Eventually
Bones was dubbed the shelter mascot, and given the run of the building. Anytime a new
volunteer came on board, they were quickly introduced to Bones, and also told in no uncertain
terms that Bones was not to be adopted out.
Bones took his duties as Save A Life mascot seriously, and spent many days over the last
five years welcoming potential pet adopters, supervising newcomers blood tests (from a
quarantine area), and even playing with litters of kittens that were up for adoption. Because of
his gentle outgoing nature, many people wanted to adopt Bones. They were always politely told
"No Way".
Although Bill and Janice loved Bones very much, they felt that after 5 years at the shelter, he
deserved a to be in a real home. However, they were very choosy about just what home this
special boy could go to. They wanted him to go to a home that had several other cats as he was
used to having a lot of other animals around. They also wanted him to go with someone he
knew. The Rude Ranch is proud that Bill and Janice trusted us with Bones. On August 14, 1999
Bones officially retired as Save A Life mascot and came to live with us at the ranch.
Although he was very nervous at first, Bones has settled into his new life pretty quickly. He has
discovered the joys of watching fish in an aquarium, and finds sleeping on a soft pillow on the
couch quite appealing. He is still working out his relationships with the other cats here at the
ranch, and doesn't seem to be bothered by the dog at all. He probably just thinks Boomer is a really weird cat.
September, 2007: After a long and gentle life, Bones succumbed to bone cancer. He will always remain in our hearts and be thought of as a wise old soul.
