Happy Tail: Mog and Tiogar (formerly Puck and Waffles)
Mog and Tiogar (previously Puck and Waffles) were first discovered in the spring of 2021 at just nine weeks old. They were living under a porch with their sister Apple. The trio went for a vet visit and were soon placed in the loving care of veteran fosters Pat and Rob who, along with their resident cats Uncle Socks, Cookie, and Sarah (an ACR adoptee), have been successfully fostering kittens since the 90s. “We just love cats, that’s it,” Pat says, and which is evident through her and her husband’s decades-long dedication to foster
Pat recalls that the three siblings first presented as “spicy dragon kitties” who would hiss. But they soon gained trust by being fed regularly, playtime with the humans, and socializing with the other cats. They also had the luxury of having their own private kitten suite in Pat and Rob’s house, until they felt more comfortable running around the house with the other cats. They even enjoyed playing a virtual fishing game on an iPad. Pat recalls that they became wonderful kittens, “friendly as can be,” and as such, drew an avalanche of prospective adoption applications when the time came.
Right around this time, in another cat household, James and Elise, along with their children Emma and Conor, had just said goodbye to their two cats, 18-year-old Butterscotch and his feline companion Obelix, who died within a month of each other. The cats played an integral role in the happiness and well-being of the family and while Butterscotch and Obelix could never be replaced, the family loved cats and wanted them in the family again.
Mog and Tiogar were adopted by the family in June 2021, while their sister Apple was adopted as a buddy cat into another family. Elise commends the foster system and adoption process at Annex Cat Rescue.
“Speaking with the fosters is so valuable because then you find out real information about the cats, their behaviours and their health” she says. “Knowing that they were cared for and loved early in the foster program makes all the difference. This was the perfect adoption route.”
She also appreciates the ACR has a policy of not adopting out kittens as solo cats. She believes it’s very important for cats to have a feline companion and she was relieved to know that Apple was going to a home with another cat.
Elise says Mog and Tiogar are very friendly and happy to be held and pet. They are also intelligent and inquisitive, standing up and trying to reach doorknobs. Mog is quite distinguished with his seal point markings and funny personality. He will bat around feather toys and sometimes sleep on top of a tall wardrobe. “He keeps you on your toes,” Elise says. Tiogar loves reflected sunlight and will jump halfway up a wall to try and catch it.
These days, Mog and Tiogar can be found hanging out in Conor or Emma’s rooms, or just taking a nap in a patch of sunlight in the house. The cats are constantly together and only separate when they are in different windows of the house, looking out for their family.
-Sandra Dania