MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

WE DON'T REALLY GIVE GIFTS ANYMORE -- WE DONATE TO PET CHARITIES

Okay, we give some small gifts to friends, family and colleagues.

But 90% of our gift giving is to animal welfare.

We make a donation each Christmas to Siamese Cat Rescue, on behalf of family members.

We make a monthly donation to the ASPCA in honor of family member’s birthdays.

This year, our anniversary gift to each other was a combination of contributions to cat cafes in Miami Beach and Paris.

Our birthday gift to each other was sponsoring a Siamese rescue cat at the Largo di Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary.

Our Valentine's Day, celebrating an accomplishment/milestone and other annual gifts are spent on food, shelter and medicine for dozens of Little Havana outdoor cats that congregate on our small urban lot just south of Calle Ocho.

We encourage our friends to make donations to animal welfare non-profits, rather than buying gifts for us.

Please. Instead of one more gadget, one more electronic toy, or another outfit to take up space in the closet – think of donating your time and money to protecting stray cats and other animals.

TICHIRO: OUR BEAUTIFUL SIAMESE BOY BY DISTANCE ADOPTION -- PART 10

OUR DONATIONS SUPPORT THE LOVING CARE FOR
AN OLD CAT AT ROME'S TORRE ARGENTINA SANCTUARY

I'm not a selfies person.

And I've never liked pictures of me.

But here I am kissing Tichiro goodbye.

The time had come for me to return to Miami.

And for him to remain with his feline friends and the loving volunteers at Torre Argentina.

I wept a lot after this photo.

I may have covered him in tears as I whispered that I love him and will send him healing, positive energy from the USA.

http://www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/distantadoption.php

TICHIRO: OUR BEAUTIFUL SIAMESE BOY BY DISTANCE ADOPTION -- PART 9

OUR DONATIONS SUPPORT THE LOVING CARE FOR
AN OLD CAT AT ROME'S TORRE ARGENTINA SANCTUARY

Tichiro is our forever boy, via distance adoption -- read more about distance adoption at the link below.

I told him all about his Meezer family in Little Havana.

How roughly the same time he was rescued by former opera star Silvia Viviani and her team of volunteers at Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary, we rescued HoneyBear.

Our HoneyBear roamed the streets just south of Calle Ocho for more than a year.

We took her in and now she's our daughter -- sleeping in my bed nightly.

I gently petted Tichiro and told him he is every bit as loved and cherished as HoneyBear.

http://www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/distantadoption.php

TICHIRO: OUR BEAUTIFUL SIAMESE BOY BY DISTANCE ADOPTION -- PART 8

OUR DONATIONS SUPPORT THE LOVING CARE FOR
AN OLD CAT AT ROME'S TORRE ARGENTINA SANCTUARY

Every other day, for nearly two weeks, I would walk down the steep steel staircase from ground level to the excavated ruins -- to visit the cat sanctuary.

A nice lady there let me pet and hug Tichiro.

She would find him for me if he sneaked off somewhere.

I noticed that he had almost no teeth left.

But I also watched him wolf down a bowl of dry cat food -- so I know he's still got plenty of fight and spirit in him.

http://www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/distantadoption.php

TICHIRO: OUR BEAUTIFUL SIAMESE BOY BY DISTANCE ADOPTION -- PART 7

OUR DONATIONS SUPPORT THE LOVING CARE FOR
AN OLD CAT AT ROME'S TORRE ARGENTINA SANCTUARY

During one of my visits, Tichiro had sneaked up into the bins that hold the souvenirs that serve as another way of raising funds for the very expensive work of a sanctuary that gets no government support.

I bought a calendar featuring the cats of the sanctuary.

I also purchased magnets and dish towels.

In total, the Wright family contributed about 200 USD to the welfare of Tichiro and his hundreds of friends at Torre Arentina Cat Sanctuary.


http://www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/distantadoption.php

TICHIRO: OUR BEAUTIFUL SIAMESE BOY BY DISTANCE ADOPTION -- PART 6

OUR DONATIONS SUPPORT THE LOVING CARE FOR
AN OLD CAT AT ROME'S TORRE ARGENTINA SANCTUARY

Teichiro was found living on his own in a subway stop.

He we rescued on a very rare snowy day in Rome.

He's a dapper old gentleman that makes the daily rounds to check in with his dozens of friends at the sanctuary.


http://www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/distantadoption.php

TICHIRO: OUR BEAUTIFUL SIAMESE BOY BY DISTANCE ADOPTION -- PART 5

OUR DONATIONS SUPPORT THE LOVING CARE FOR
AN OLD CAT AT ROME'S TORRE ARGENTINA SANCTUARY

Tichiro likes to visit the disabled cats.

Because street cats often get injured, there is a separate part of the cramped sanctuary for disabled cats.

Some are blind in both or one eye.

Others have little hearing.

There are several that are missing a limb or tail.

Some have the effects of head injuries.

Many are on kidney failure medicines or have FIV.

Here Tichiro is getting a smooch from a friend while they await admission into the disabled cats wing.

http://www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/distantadoption.php

TICHIRO: OUR BEAUTIFUL SIAMESE BOY BY DISTANCE ADOPTION -- PART 4

OUR DONATIONS SUPPORT THE LOVING CARE FOR
AN OLD CAT AT ROME'S TORRE ARGENTINA SANCTUARY

Tichiro is an old boy.

His right eye is a bit cloudy and his hearing isn't great.

He has been on meds for kidney failure for some time.

He also has a bit of arthritis and his mobility is slowed.

Still, he's a happy cat who moves about the entire sanctuary.

Here he is sitting on some of the dozens of hand crafted souvenirs that can be purchased to support the largest cat sanctuary in Rome.

http://www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/distantadoption.php

TICHIRO: OUR BEAUTIFUL SIAMESE BOY BY DISTANCE ADOPTION -- PART 3

OUR DONATIONS SUPPORT THE LOVING CARE FOR
AN OLD CAT AT ROME'S TORRE ARGENTINA SANCTUARY

Tichiro likes to hang out in the front of the sanctuary, where visitors stream in seven days per week.

He sleeps a lot, but loves a gentle petting while he's in his cat bed.

By the way, the ch is like a K sound.

So his name is pronounced Tih-KURE-oh.

http://www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/distantadoption.php

TICHIRO: OUR BEAUTIFUL SIAMESE BOY BY DISTANCE ADOPTION -- PART 2

OUR DONATIONS SUPPORT THE LOVING CARE FOR
AN OLD CAT AT ROME'S TORRE ARGENTINA SANCTUARY

The caring volunteers at the cat sanctuary believe Tichiro is at least 16 years old.

When he was rescued and treated by vets, they thought his beautiful seal point Siamese markings would get him adopted.

But no family ever re-homed him, so he lives in the sanctuary carved out of an underground storage area next to the Largo di Torre Argentina ruins in the Centro Storico.

http://www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/distantadoption.php

TICHIRO: OUR BEAUTIFUL SIAMESE BOY BY DISTANCE ADOPTION -- PART 1

OUR DONATIONS SUPPORT THE LOVING CARE FOR
AN OLD CAT AT ROME'S TORRE ARGENTINA SANCTUARY

I met Tichiro while working in Rome and staying at the nearby Unico Argentina Suites.

I visited the cat sanctuary five times and fell in love with Tichiro, who has lived there more than six years.

Before I left, my wife Heidi and I agreed to do distance adoption -- allowing him to live out his days with his friends at the sanctuary next to Roman ruins -- with our financial support.

http://www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/distantadoption.php

LARGO DI TORRE ARGENTINA CAT SANCTUARY -- PART 10

LOVING CARE FOR DISABLED AND STRAY CATS 
AMONG THE OLDEST TEMPLES IN ROME

The Torre Argentina cat sanctuary is open noon-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

It is very easy to reach by public transit, because more than half of the city’s major bus routes stop at it, as Torre Argentina is one of the largest transit hubs in all of Rome.

There also is a taxi stand on the north side of the square.

It is a 20 minute walk from the Colosseo and 12 minutes from the Foro Romano.

Largo di Torre Argentina is less than a half hour, walking or by bus, from the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Square.

It is a five-minute walk from the Jewish Ghetto, Tiber Island and the famed Ponte Cestio bridge over the River Tiber.

The site is a 30 minute walk from Termini Train Station and less than 20 minutes by bus from that access point to all of Italy.

https://www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/

LARGO DI TORRE ARGENTINA CAT SANCTUARY -- PART 9

LOVING CARE FOR DISABLED AND STRAY CATS 
AMONG THE OLDEST TEMPLES IN ROME

All Torre Argentina cats available for adoption are sterilized, vaccinated, treated against external and internal parasites and tested for FELV and FIV.

"Which does not mean that they cannot harbor any ailments, like us, like you," the volunteers quip.

That's why the sanctuary offers, within 20 days of adoption, a free visit to its vet.

https://www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/

LARGO DI TORRE ARGENTINA CAT SANCTUARY -- PART 8

LOVING CARE FOR DISABLED AND STRAY CATS 
AMONG THE OLDEST TEMPLES IN ROME

There is a special space for cats with disabilities.

Because street cats get injured and neglected, there are a fair number of cats who:

*are blind in one or both eyes

*have hearing loss

*deal with the effects of head injuries

*are missing a limb or ear

*have arthritis or mobility issues

*are being treated for kidney failure

*have Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

All are happy, safe, comfortable, in treatment and treated with respect and dignity.

https://www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/

LARGO DI TORRE ARGENTINA CAT SANCTUARY -- PART 7

LOVING CARE FOR DISABLED AND STRAY CATS 
AMONG THE OLDEST TEMPLES IN ROME

While visiting and petting the roaming (most cats in the sanctuary stay there, but some wander back and forth between the safety of the indoor area and the adventure of the ancient Roman ruins) felines, you can talk about real or distance adoption.

The small (watch your head if you are more than 5 foot tall) area also is adorned with tons of souvenirs to purchase to support the cats.

We bought a calendar – featuring the actual Torre Argentina cats, magnets and hand towels.

https://www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/

There also are cat bed cushions, sweaters, T-shirts and dozens of other items hand-crafted and sold to support the sanctuary.

LARGO DI TORRE ARGENTINA CAT SANCTUARY -- PART 6

LOVING CARE FOR DISABLED AND STRAY CATS 
AMONG THE OLDEST TEMPLES IN ROME

Everyone from adorable kittens to older cats hang out inside the cramped, but loving quarters of the cat ladies.

There are a few male volunteers but for centuries, Roman cats have been cared for by traditionally by neighborhood cat ladies called “gattare.” 

Former opera singer Silvia Viviani and the late Lia Dequel created the sanctuary in the late 1990s.

Viviani, who speaks flawless English for those of us visitors who have not learned Italian, continues to head the organization.

https://www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/

LARGO DI TORRE ARGENTINA CAT SANCTUARY -- PART 5

LOVING CARE FOR DISABLED AND STRAY CATS 
AMONG THE OLDEST TEMPLES IN ROME

The Largo Argentina ruins take up a full city block in the heart of Rome’s Centro Storico.

The site, largely neglected and off limits to visitors other than getting a view from the walls at street level, may benefit from a public access project soon.

It is very close to both the Pantheon, Campo di Fiori and Piazza Novana.

The #8 trolley to Trastevere rattles right overhead of the small, low-ceilinged former storage area occupied by the cat sanctuary mini hospital, inside home for disabled cats, offices of the organization and visitor center.

Unfortunately, the area can be accessed only by a long steel staircase, so it is not wheelchair-accessible.

https://www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/

LARGO DI TORRE ARGENTINA CAT SANCTUARY -- PART 4

LOVING CARE FOR DISABLED AND STRAY CATS 
AMONG THE OLDEST TEMPLES IN ROME

Many cats live among the ruins of Largo di Torre Argentina.

A 1929 excavation found four temples -- A-B-C-D – underneath Medieval and Renaissance buildings on the site.

A big podium of tuff blocks located in the western side of the site is all that remains of the Curia Pompei.

This is where the Roman Senate assembled at the time.

It is where Julius Caesar, Dictator of Rome, was killed on the Ides of March in 44 BC.

https://www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/

LARGO DI TORRE ARGENTINA CAT SANCTUARY -- PART 3

LOVING CARE FOR DISABLED AND STRAY CATS 
AMONG THE OLDEST TEMPLES IN ROME

The best way to support the Torre Argentina cat sanctuary is to join the distance adoption program.

Adopting at distance is a symbolic gesture that allows you to express affection to a particular cat.

Sponsors receive news and photographs to show to friends.

While kittens and young cats find new homes, it is much more difficult to re-home an elderly or special needs cat.

Distance adoption costs € 15 per month.

https://www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/

LARGO DI TORRE ARGENTINA CAT SANCTUARY -- PART 2

LOVING CARE FOR DISABLED AND STRAY CATS 
AMONG THE OLDEST TEMPLES IN ROME

Like the sign says, the all-volunteer sanctuary re-homed more than 100 cats, housed another 100+ in their shelter, cared for more than 300 cats and spayed/neutered more than 6,000 cats.

All this is done with little to no government support.

Most donations come through visitors who go to the sanctuary at the historic site while in Rome.

https://www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/