Jerry Coyne healthy, will soon be neutered and (sigh) adopted

March 10, 2014 • 4:50 am

Gayle Ferguson, owner of the abandoned kitten Jerry Coyne (as well as his four sisters) has sent me some more pictures of the rapidly-growing kittens. I am also informed that Jerry will be neutered in about two weeks (ouch!) and then put up for adoption.  Here are the latest photos with Gayle’s captions (indented):

Jerry and his sister Hoover

Jerry and Hoover

Jerry cuddles Hoover

Jerry cuddles Hoover

Jerry and his sister Molly

Jerry and Molly

And this next photo and caption make me want to cry:

Jerry and a potential adoptive parent.

I am of course glad that Jerry will get a loving home, for Gayle wouldn’t let him have otherwise, but I’m also unspeakably sad that he will go away, and we’ll no longer be able to watch him grow into a fine orange tomcat.  And they’ll probably change his name, too.

Adoptive parent

24 thoughts on “Jerry Coyne healthy, will soon be neutered and (sigh) adopted”

  3. “And this next photo and caption make me want to cry”

    And you’ve made me well-up at work! Seems like I’ve been getting attached to the little fellow too.

  4. That is awfully young and too soon to castrate a kitten. He needs to mature more and get at least some testosterone from his attributes in order to grow fully and be strong and healthy. Male kittens should not be castrated before the age of 4 months, best is at the age of 6 months.

    But I am happy that he has found a new home. Are the adoptive parents keeping his name? Will they be keeping us informed on his progress and his life?

    1. Many rescue organizations alter kittens based on weight (two pounds is usually considered safe). Younger kittens have a MUCH better chance of being adopted, and early neutering can prevent some behavior and health problems.

      The males will have smaller, leaner muscles, especially on the head and shoulders. But an intact tom doesn’t reach his full big-headed, broad-shouldered potential until three or four years old anyway.

    2. Ironwing is right. The rescue organisations in Auckland insist that cats be desexed and microchipped before they go to new homes because the general public have proven that they cannot be trusted to get this done. ALL the rescue agencies do this when they are 1kg. If we wait ’til he is 4 months it will be harder to find him a home, and they’d be asking a lot more of their fosterers to keep a litter for 4 months. We have a HUGE stray and feral cat problem in New Zealand (and a movement led by Gareth Morgan to eradicate cats). https://www.google.co.nz/#q=new+zealand+cat+problem

      So many judges on this site! I feel I have to defend myself every time Jerry posts on little Jerry!

  5. Can’t Gayle request that the adoptive parents keep you updated occasionally, as well as keep his name?

    1. It shouldn’t be a problem just giving it an extra name or two, given that it probably won’t listen to them anyway. Like an old neighbour I once had whose cat was interchangebly called Minet, Darling, or Getoutoftheneighboursflowerbedrightbloodynow.

  6. The kitties look really healthy – kudos to Gayle for taking care of them!

  8. Coming out of lurkdom to voice my distress over Jerry Coyne — the cat, not the author — taking to a life of neutered privacy. Perhaps if new owner knew of Jerry Coyne’s large internet fanbase she’d provide the blog owner — now what was his name? — with regular updates.

    I don’t know what I’ll do if Hili goes all Greta Garbo on us.

  9. Aww. I hope Jerry’s new family will adopt one of his cute sisters so he will have some feline companionship.

  10. Many years ago the atheist online community had a bit of fun and amusement over a newpaper want ad which was reposted over the net. It said something about kittens being given free to “Christian” homes.

    As if the kittens were going to accept Jesus. Or, more ominously, as if the writer equated Christianity with kindness and decency.

  11. All these itteh bitteh kittehs should be adopted together. They’ve been through so much and seem so close!

  12. Jerry hasn’t found a home yet. The people who visited the kittens last night have gone away to think about it. They want to adopt two kittens.

    The rescue agency who are adopting them out are http://www.gutterkitties.co.nz. If you’d like to make a donation to help with the medical expenses for Jerry and his sisters, and for the care of all the other cats and kittens in their care, you can do this at http://www.gutterkitties.co.nz/Donate%20/%20Foster%20For%20Us

  13. Is it technically correct to refer to a cat as a “tom”, if it’s had its nadgers cut off?

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