Bissell is having a BlogPaws Carnival about pet adoption to help raise money for the Petfinder.com Foundation, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to tell you a little bit about where Binga came from. She should consider herself lucky because that means she is being featured here twice this week!
The humans never intended to bring Binga home from the kill shelter where she was locked up in late October, 2000. My human actually had a black kitty on hold to pick up after Halloween. But when she saw a two-month-old tortie kitten screaming to be released from her cage, grabbing at everyone with her paws and licking any random fingers that reached for her, she was determined to save her. So she and her boyfriend came by to sign the papers that Saturday. As soon as the kitten was spayed, my human fetched her to drive her to the veterinary clinic where her boyfriend worked. They knew that one of the clinic’s clients, or maybe even an employee, would want her.
Like most newly spayed kittens, the tortie was oblivious to her recent operation. On the drive to the clinic, the cardboard cat carrier shook as if it was possessed and the kitten screamed to be let free. Finally my human parked the car and allowed her to explore for a few minutes. The little thing was so tiny she was able to crawl onto the car dashboard ledge, near the speedometer. While my human watched the kitten enjoying herself, she realized that she had rescued her purely because she wanted to save her life. She had done it without attachment or any desire to adopt. She says that for someone like her, who by choice has never had children, it is probably the closest thing to unconditional love that she has ever felt.
It turned out someone else also wanted that black kitty, and in fact wanted him so badly that she was at the shelter’s door when it opened the day after Halloween, beating out my human by less than 10 minutes. “I have never seen that happen before!” said one of the shelter’s workers. My human left empty-handed and called her boyfriend. “You can bring that kitten home,” she said.
My human named her Binga because she had so much energy she bounced off the walls — bing-bang-bing! She played so hard and so frantically that she would wind up panting with exhaustion. For quite a long time, her favorite morning game was attacking the sleeping faces of my human and her boyfriend. With her claws. Not everyone thinks tortoiseshells are pretty cats. One friend of my human’s visited and said that Binga looked like “a tore-up kitty.” Binga bit him.
Did I mention that my human already had a cat when Binga came home? The cat before me had been diagnosed with the bone cancer that would kill her, but at this point, she was still relatively healthy — and she did not appreciate the new addition to the family. Harlot was a calico. A calico diva and a scrappy tortie from the streets living together — that was an adventure! One time my human was playing with Binga and Harlot was glaring at them both. So my human picked up Binga and told Harlot, “Aw come on, be friends!” So bap-bap-bap-bap-bap — Harlot gave Binga a machine-gun round of whaps across the face! They were never the best of friends. They both wanted to be in charge. Sort of like Binga and me now.
Binga has never met a stranger, and insists on greeting all visitors, whether they are good friends of the humans or the handyman (the guy who insulted her was an exception). She does not know the meaning of No. She goes where she is not supposed to go and does what she is not supposed to do. She is a food stealer and cannot handle her nip — it makes her grouchy! And the humans totally worship her. It is enough to make a sane kitty like me a little bit crazy.
I think Binga’s life motto is “Well behaved cats rarely make history.” Which is kind of funny because I am well behaved. Most of the time. But as with many things that go on around here, we just agree to disagree.
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Great cat tail!! I thought maybe it was me who got the black kitten–but my story with Mariah started 2 years later….Kind of intense to have 2 alpha females together? I know Mariah rules the roost here and keeps all the boys in line….
I never knew you lived with another kitty! What a great rescue tale! Thanks for sharing Binga’s story.
Binga is a feisty one!
My mum is totally in love with Binga.
We didn’t realize that Binga was there before you Sparkle…don’t know why we thought that…but whatever, right? So Binga, we think you are way cool. Well behaved cats never make history…I think that means that all of us kitties in my family will make history around here with the exception of Jonesie.
This is a beautiful Christmas story centered around Halloween. My question: if your humans worship her, why isn’t she the famous one? What did you get the blog and book deal?
Good to know more about Binga. For some obscure reason we thought you were there first.
LOVED the story of how you came to adopt Binga! I like her! She is feisty and I am all about feisty!
I love Binga’s story. So glad your human saved her!
What a great story! We’re so glad your human saved Binga, and the black cat got a forever home too. We think Binga is absolutely beautiful and we love her tortitude.
Thank you for sharing your story about Binga. She was meant to come home with your mom. Mom Paula misses her special tortie, Sweet Praline, but I’m helping her heal and smile more every day.
Truffle
This is one of Mum’s best ever Sparkle posts! She LOVES Binga * rolls eyes *. She adores this post * sigh *
No Mum we can’t offer to adopt Binga – really we can’t!!!!
That is a great story, and you know what? It made the Human a little leaky. She is happy Binga found such a good home. Yeah, me too.
That is a great story about how Binga was Gotcha’d. Good luck in the contest.
What a great story about how Binga came to be. I think torties are beautiful!
That’s a great story, Binga!
Purrs,
The Chans
What a great story! Thanks for sharing it!!! Binga looks cute in her devil horns too!!
The Florida Furkids and Angel Sniffie
Oh BINGA! I had no idea of your turbulent and colorful and dangerous past. You have a full history! I am so grateful to your Mom and Dad for rescuing you. You are beautiful and spirited and a Lady of Autumn in coloration. xxxooo
No one can tell it like you Sparkle! And you meant the closest thing to unconditional love before you, right?
We LOVED reading about how Binga was Gotcha’d!
Sparkle
We loved hearing all about Binga and what a wonderful story!!!
purrs
>^,,^<
♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥
Binga sounds great…and just like our Chica!!! Torties rock!!!
I loved reading Binga’s story and have always wondered how she got her name. You must tell us how you got your name Sparkle 🙂
We love the story & think Binga is beautiful! Love the tortitude!
What happiness that Binga was adopted and saved from that place.
(Sure glad that the black kittie was saved too.)
That is a very good story. Obviously Binga was supposed to be with your human
What a beautiful story. We’re happy Binga now has a forever home with you (even if you’d like to bop her now and then). You would really miss her if she were not there. What a great story.
That is quite a wonderful story about the gorgeous Binga!
We loved Binga’s story and also her little baby picture! We’re so glad your human and her boyfriend saved her from that shelter! She’s so full of personality and of course she’s so beautiful! We just love Binga!
Harlot??? Mommy is laffin so hard! Great story. It’s true that kittehz often pick us instead of us picking them.
That is a great story!!! Binga certainly sound like she has “tortie-tude” – but is still very friendly!!! Mom enjoyed reading that someone else is a bit of a mean drunk on the nip. 🙂
We think Binga is a lovely tortie – mum is fascinated by her face.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
We think Binga is the most gorgeous tortie we’ve ever seen! Sounds like Binga has even more tortitude than my Aunt Beatrice.
A.K.A. Little Wishbone Head
That is such a great story. Binga, it sounds like you are quite the character and lots of fun to have around except maybe not around Sparkle. We have two torties too and they have lots of energy too. They go dashing around like a crazed cat. We loved hearing all about you Binga. Take care.
Oh Binga…that’s a great gotcha story!!
I loved learning more about Binga. She is all tortie, that’s for sure!
What a wonderful story of how you got Binga…. I love the last picture of her too.
pawhugs, Max
Ohhh, Miss Binga… I adore you from afar…
What a sweet story of your adoption my dear girl. You have the bestest humans.