posted on May 11, 2022 by Lyn Cote

Lyn Cote Asks: Have you ever taken in a stray or claimed one from an animal shelter?

Well, I have and it’s a family trait. I teased my mother once, saying, “You must be on the lost animals list of good places to beg.” All my life she took in all kinds of strays. One year when I came home from college for Thanksgiving, I found that she had a little lost white poodle, five kittens that had been threatened with drowning, another cat that was threatened with being euthanized. And the coup de grace, my stepdad found a lost parakeet trying to eat birdseed in our backyard. That was just one time when our little house was full of strays. (Of course, my mother always kept a birdcage in the basement. Who doesn’t?)

PS: She put an ad in about the lost dog and the family came and picked it up. And an ad in the paper giving away the kittens and all five of them went to very happy children. She adopted the older cat and named him Smitty. He lived with her till he was 19. And the parakeet lasted until Smitty learned how to get the birdcage open, but on the bright side, the bird had an extra nine months of a pampered life.

Now to my life as an easy-touch:

When I was just a young single, my mother dropped mature stray Professor off at my apartment. (I named him that because he was the smartest cat I’ve ever known!) He stayed with me for nine years before he passed away. Sheba also came to our door and lasted for several years. In Iowa, Shadow came to our door and within a month delivered five kittens. Shadow was the cat that grew up with my children and we still have very fond memories of the sweetest cat ever.

When we moved north, we found out that there are no strays in the woods because they are “delicacies” to eagles and fishers (a relative of the mink that can climb trees! Who knew?). So we were forced to go to the animal shelter. We chose Sadie and V-8. Then our daughter moved in with her cat Trixie, and then my mother-in-law passed away and we took in her cat Mutzie (Slovenian for Kitty).

Presently V-8 is here alone because the other three have all been buried, one by one, in our cat cemetery out back.V-8 is approximately 22 years old which is the equivalent of over 100 years in people years. So he is suffering from arthritis but is still one of the sweetest most laid-back cat I’ve ever had. We are waiting till he passes before we go to the shelter to get another two cats. He deserves our care and attention.

But I am not happy without a cat or two in the house. I do like dogs but our neighbors are very close and we have no sidewalks since we live in the woods. Plus we have a lot of ice and snow in the winter so I don’t want to have to walk a dog. But I love it when dogs visit. So how do you get your pets? Have you ever taken in one who really needed a home? I’d love to hear your stories because each unexpected animal is so special. Or just say STRAY OR SHELTER AND THE PET’S NAME—I’ll give a free ebook Northern Shore Intrigue Duet with many “four-footed” characters in it to one commenter, chosen randomly. So tell me your story!

_______________________________________________________________

Northern Shore Intrigue Duet by Lyn Cote

BENEATH NORTHERN LIGHTS
Originally published October 2020 (Book 4) in eBook.

Two wounded souls, a puppy and someone out to destroy a man’s dream~

After a life-altering event, Nick’s one goal is—to race his beloved Alaskan husky, Maddie, in the Lake Superior Apostle Islands Dog Sled Race. Megan adopts Maddie’s pup, the runt of the litter, and soon helps “grumpy” Nick care for his dogs. Nasty pranks start. Megan and Nick draw closer as the danger mounts. Who’s out to rob Nick and his huskies of the joy of the race?

A heartwarming, clean romance mystery with characters — some four-footed — you won’t easily forget~

UNCERTAIN SPRING
Originally published March 2021 (Book 5) in eBook.

By starlight, a frantic dog leads Lois to a young woman lying in the snow, unconscious…

In the morning, the girl is diagnosed with a state of dis-associative fugue, a form of amnesia. No ID, no car, no clues. Taking in the nameless young woman and her dog, grandmother Lois finds an ally in the local vet, Dr. Jacob. Attraction sparks but isn’t falling in love only for the young?

And why isn’t anyone searching for the young woman? Or is someone?

Another suspenseful, heart-warming, second chance on love romance set on the rugged shore of Lake Superior by a USA Today bestselling author.

Beautiful shore, Dangerous seasons

Lyn Cote

Lyn Cote

USA Today best-selling author of over 40 romances, Lyn Cote writes award-winning contemporary and historical romance. Her brand is "Strong Women, Brave Stories." Her books feature a strong heroine, often a multi-cultural cast of characters and authentic history or contemporary life. She lives with her real life hero in a lakeside cottage in the northwoods with two fun cats. (She loves dogs too. :-)

https://BooksbyLynCote.com/SWBS

Lyn Cote Contest

Lyn Cote is giving away an ebook copy of NORTHERN INTRIGUE BOOKS 1-3 box set to one winner.  

Enter Here

7 thoughts on “Lyn Cote Asks: Have you ever taken in a stray or claimed one from an animal shelter?”

  1. Sandra Christensen says:

    Shelter – dogs Maxwell James (Max) 15 yes old still living; dog Kong age unknown deceased and cat Rosalyn Rae (Roz) 8 yes old still living

  2. bn100 says:

    no pets

  3. Colleen C. says:

    Many of our pets over the years have been rescued or adopted… My cat Ash was a feral that grew up in our yard… one day she decided to be nosey and sneak into the house… she basically adopted me… always following me around… she has become a part of our household for the past 5 years now… love her… she refuses to use a litter box though… she tells me when she has to go outside to use the bathroom…

  4. Sarah DeLong says:

    We’ve rescued and adopted our furbabies. My first cat lived to be 19, now we have our Chocolate Lab, Bear, who just turned 13, Tigger, our orange striped cat who is 10 and Lilo, our daughter’s Maine Coone kitten who just turned 1, as our daughter can’t have pets at her new place.

  5. KathyS says:

    Both my cats were shelter rescues. Tink, a Maine Coon cat (runt of litter at 25#, the males get up to 45#s) and she was a hunter. Her attitude was if it moves kill & eat it if possible. She lived for 18 years. Shadow a tuxedo cat is a double rescue. He was first adopted by my daughter. But when her MS put her in a wheelchair, she got a service dog & her hubby was goingto take shadow to SPCA. No Way was I letting that happen. He is a spoiled & content 16 yrs old.
    But the list of pets in our family started with a pet snake, til my mother had hysterics after finding it hidden in my bedroom. White canaries, baby chicks which grew up to crow at dawn (went to a friend’s farm) 2 ducklings from a friend of my Dad’s ( went to same farm) 1 dog a cocker spaniel named Rowdy & her certainly was, tetras & beta fish, hermit crabs,gerbils (which Tink hated, because he had a plastic ball to roll around the house in & would alway chase the cat down & kept bumping her LOL the look on that cats face) & I can’t forget JT our horse & Lefty my daughters pet steer (which stayed with my in-laws on their Colorado ranch.
    It’s a sad life if you don’t have a pet in it so I encourage EV1 to rescue an animal if you can.

  6. Lyn Cote says:

    I randomly picked one commenter and sent her a free download of Uncertain Spring which has a veterinarian hero!

  7. Megan Allen says:

    I have many times! I cannot stand to see a lonely or hungry animal. I would take them all in if I could!

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