Skyla’s Home for Wayward Strays

aka Chez Cameron

Called the Cat Whisperer even among other cat ladies, I have a magical ability where I open my door and stray animals come inside whether I want them to or not. There must be a sign nearby that says, “Lady here will feed you! Make very sad eyes at her!” Whether seniors, blind, mentally challenged, abandoned, neglected, or just socially awkward, they are all welcome at Skyla’s Home for Wayward Strays. Or were. Not now. Dudes, I’ve got my hands full already.

This page was getting super unwieldy and I had various fosters who came and went, so I’ll mark the pets who have passed the last few years and then limit it to whoever I talk about the most on my blog.

Want to sponsor a cat and help out? Truthfully, it’s pretty rough right now. I’ve got a page up for that.

Light of My Life:

Shawn Spencer. I hand-raised him and his brother Gus as two-day-old orphaned neonates, The Psych Kittens. He thinks he’s people. He’s my sweetest boy and truest love.

The Rest of the Crew

Temperance von Eviltry, Duchess of Doom aka Doombuggy. Not a stray. She’s had no trauma in her life except for when she went to the vet to be spayed, which I’ve never been forgiven for. As such, she does not appropriately worship me.

Rodney Ballsnomore. Yes, Zara’s saber-tooth cat was named after him. He is also known as Special In The Head Cat. He was abandoned out in the country in the dead of winter, sick and dehydrated but at least found. On Valentine’s Day, in fact. He’s on Twitter.

In Memoriam

Sophie. My darling girl I had since I was seventeen years old. She passed away peacefully at home with veterinary assistance at eighteen years old April 24 2018.

Jilly-bean aka Blind Cat. I lost my old girl on June 2, 2014 and I miss her terribly.

Miss Dinah Fantastico. I lost her suddenly three weeks after Sophie due to a blood clot, devastating me. She was that rare soulmate cat.

Oliver. He was a Maine Coon, so very large. Sadly Ollie aka Giant Cat died late 2015.

Marcus Arrius Julianus aka Socially Awkward Cat. He passed away fall 2019.

Reuben. A very old man who had kidney disease and a seizure disorder, but we managed everything well for a number of years. He died at nineteen on September 30 2021.

The most evil rabbit you will meet. I lost her at the age of twelve.

Gus. Shawn’s brother. My little fighter. The most amazing kitten you can imagine. If you don’t know his story and didn’t see his journey, please read about it (get a tissue).

In Memory Of…

Stray Dog

A senior boy I found in the summer of 2013, staved and dehydrated, running out on the road. Got him safely inside and settled a day later with the Humane Society, but found out two weeks later–during which time he had not been claimed–that he had congestive heart failure, his lungs were 75% filled with fluids, and he had to be humanely euthanized.

He’s not one of my pets, no, and I only had him for twenty-four hours, but he’s one of many animals who are abandoned. Others I’ve rescued ended up with happily ever afters but I’ll never forget his sad ending. He died safe and cared for with a full belly, which is more than he likely had for most of his life, but it breaks my heart that wherever he came from, no one looked for him and certainly no one mourned him.

And someone should mourn him.

So I would like you to know him, to teach your kids to respect the sacred responsibility of caring for a life,  and to reach out and help animals in need when you see them.