Midge, Mori & Macy
The truth is I LOVE winter. Yes, you read it right: I LOVE WINTER. Not only are there no bugs and the garbage does not smell; it is also the time to sit with a blanket with a cat or 2 or 3 on your lap.
Our furry faced BENCHS cuddly companions are Midge, Mori and Macy, and they like to read. My husband Andrew will take his book and lay on the bed to read and pretty soon he has our fur balls laying on him or next to him. Always in the same spot. Midge in between the book and his body, Mori on the back of his knees and Macy beside him, without fail. Always in their assigned spots. When Andrew comes home they are waiting by the door, all lined up like friends, wondering how your day went. Who could have the winter blues with those friendly faces gazing lovingly at you. The cats want to be where we are and follow us all around the house and stay by our sides entertaining us, chasing the winter blues away with their silly antics. They can be in a dead sleep on the second floor, and with their super sonic hearing, hear the kibble bowl being filled. And then be down the steps before the last kibble is resting in the container. Or throw themselves at our feet and squirm around on the floor until we pay attention to them. They are our true companions. Showing us unconditional love and warmth. Often we are woken up in the middle of the night by loud happy purring. They are part of out family. They bring us joy. We are so happy our BENCHS cats are a part of out lives. Andrew and Kim |
Toby
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Arco

I remember the day that Arco, came to the shelter back in August of 2012. I remember it so well, because it was also the same day that I started working at BENCHS. Arco, was found running in the city of Mankato, and was found by the police department. When Arco first came to the shelter, he weighed only 3 pounds and was the cutest kitten that I had ever seen. Although he was very afraid and shy, there was something that was very special about him. I was given the opportunity to name him, and he was one of my “favorites” at the time. I remember the first night that Arco, was at the shelter, because when I came into work the next morning, his cage was wide open and I panicked thinking that he was somewhere in the shelter hiding. When I went to look for Arco, he was nowhere to be found. However, when I was looking under his cage, I heard a faint meow and I looked up to find Arco still in his kennel cowering on the corner.
As the months when on Arco slowly came out of his shell and he quickly grew from a 3 pound kitten, and into an 18 pound cat. Although Arco seemed very happy to live in his condo, it broke my heart when I thought about him growing up at the shelter. He had no idea what he was missing out on! I really wanted to adopt Arco. However my home is very busy and full of animals already and he would have been very terrified to be in that type of environment. I was very excited when a family came to the shelter to adopt Arco about a year into his stay. The family seemed like a great fit, they were a quiet family, home often and had two other cats. After 3 days, I was shocked when I came to the shelter and found that Arco had been returned because the family’s first cat was very upset about the new residents.
Another year went by before anybody came in to see Arco. He was still the happy kitty who loved his condo friends and the security of his condo. It was a busy Saturday afternoon at the shelter, when a young newlywed couple came into the shelter who had recently bought a home and they were looking for another cat for their current cat to keep company. When they saw all the cats in the shelter, they were overwhelmed and sadden looking at all of the homeless cats. They asked us who had been at the shelter, and I told them about Arco. When they went into Arco’s condo, he immediately ran away in the corner and was very shy but curious. After the couple spent 15 minutes with Arco, they came out of the condo and told me that he was purrfect and they wanted to adopt him. Tears immediately filled my eyes because I was so happy for him. I told the family about the first time that Arco was adopted, and they were very understanding. I told them it could take months for him to be comfortable in his new home but he was the sweetest boy and very near and dear to me. The adopting family said to me; “Don’t worry about Arco; he will have all the time in the world to settle in and we will never push him and love him to pieces.”
After watching Arco, leave the shelter with his forever home was one of the best moments I have had working at the shelter. Arco now has the purrfect family, a kitty friend to play with and all the time in the world to love his new family and home! This is what it’s all about!
As the months when on Arco slowly came out of his shell and he quickly grew from a 3 pound kitten, and into an 18 pound cat. Although Arco seemed very happy to live in his condo, it broke my heart when I thought about him growing up at the shelter. He had no idea what he was missing out on! I really wanted to adopt Arco. However my home is very busy and full of animals already and he would have been very terrified to be in that type of environment. I was very excited when a family came to the shelter to adopt Arco about a year into his stay. The family seemed like a great fit, they were a quiet family, home often and had two other cats. After 3 days, I was shocked when I came to the shelter and found that Arco had been returned because the family’s first cat was very upset about the new residents.
Another year went by before anybody came in to see Arco. He was still the happy kitty who loved his condo friends and the security of his condo. It was a busy Saturday afternoon at the shelter, when a young newlywed couple came into the shelter who had recently bought a home and they were looking for another cat for their current cat to keep company. When they saw all the cats in the shelter, they were overwhelmed and sadden looking at all of the homeless cats. They asked us who had been at the shelter, and I told them about Arco. When they went into Arco’s condo, he immediately ran away in the corner and was very shy but curious. After the couple spent 15 minutes with Arco, they came out of the condo and told me that he was purrfect and they wanted to adopt him. Tears immediately filled my eyes because I was so happy for him. I told the family about the first time that Arco was adopted, and they were very understanding. I told them it could take months for him to be comfortable in his new home but he was the sweetest boy and very near and dear to me. The adopting family said to me; “Don’t worry about Arco; he will have all the time in the world to settle in and we will never push him and love him to pieces.”
After watching Arco, leave the shelter with his forever home was one of the best moments I have had working at the shelter. Arco now has the purrfect family, a kitty friend to play with and all the time in the world to love his new family and home! This is what it’s all about!