Sammie & Caroline Veno
(Click To Enlarge)

This month we feature a beautiful male rescue cat for our Featured Pet and Pet Owner story. “Sammie” is owned by Caroline Veno, who has been with Replacements Ltd. since 1995 and is currently in the Internet Services department. Sammie is the latest and scrappiest member of four cats in Caroline’s household.

As a child, Caroline grew up with cats and dogs as playmates but never had a pet she was responsible for. In 1996, during her second year at Replacements Ltd, a co-worker of Caroline's persuaded her to foster a mother cat and three kittens. Enter “Chessie” (the mother cat) and Mr. Kitten into Caroline's home. Cat number three, "Lilibet," was rescued from under a car at Caroline's apartment complex.

In 2002, Caroline and her three cats moved from Greensboro to Burlington to live with her mom. The next summer, Caroline kept seeing a large, stray male black cat in her mom's backyard. The cat would run every time Caroline tried to get near, but he eventually allowed her to stand close by when she fed him daily. When the cat showed up one morning with deep lacerations all over his head and face from a fight, Caroline tried for the next week to catch him and take him to the vet.

Undaunted, Caroline got close enough to throw a blanket over the cat and stuff him, with the blanket, into a pet carrier. Off he went to the vet where he was neutered and his wounds cleansed and medicated. Caroline decided to call the cat "Sammie" because he reminded her of the Samsonite luggage commercial - able to take a licking because of toughness. After Sammie came home, he immediately sat in Caroline's lap outside. But it took the cold weather’s arrival a few months later before Sammie decided to permanently move indoors.

Since that time, Sammie has become a certified lap cat. He can be counted on to drool every time Caroline sings to him while stroking his fur. He loves to tap his reflection in Caroline's eyeglasses. He is afraid of no beast, prey, or object - except black socks! His feelings are hurt if he is not carried around like a potato sack at least once a day. Sammie will remind Caroline if he has been ignored for too long by grabbing one of her legs with his front paws.

When asked what she liked most about the Replacements Ltd. pet-friendly policy, Caroline had this to say, "Being allowed to bring our pets to work and to see our co-workers' pets during the work day is a benefit that sets Replacements above and beyond other companies. I am so proud of all the fund raising and personal efforts our employees have put into helping so many animals. Not only is it a stress reliever to be around our furry friends; it also says a lot about the respect for life that our Replacements family has. It makes me proud to say I work with these employees at Replacements."

Click here to view our Featured Pets Archive!