Calico cats and kittens are domestic cats, well-known for their gorgeous, tricolored coats in hues of orange, black, and white. Some cats may have cream, bluish black, red, or chocolate brown in their coats, too. Outside North America, the pattern is more usually called tortoiseshell and white. In the province of Quebec, Canada, they are sometimes called chatte d’Espagne. In folklore, calicos are revered worldwide for their good luck. In the United States, calico cats are sometimes referred to as “money cats,” because they bring good fortune to their owners.
The Steinbach Fire Department in Manitoba is not of much tourist attraction, especially not on cold Canadian nights. Still, that didn’t stop a furry little friend from inquiring. “I was walking and noticed her at the window. A member of the department went outside, and she came right to them,” Fire Chief Kelvin Toews told.
A Calico kitten was trying to find some warm place in the cruel cold. Perhaps she knew what she was doing when she arrived at the fire department and asked for help. The part-time firefighters are not always present, but they happened to be there that night. “Steinbach does not have a full time fire department so the station is not continuously staffed,” Toews said. “Unfortunately the station can go days without someone being there.” Luckily, it was not an ordinary day, just in a while, the cat was wrapped in warm blankets and enjoying the company of her new friends.
Toews has four cats at home already, and decided to take the new cat home with him. She was suffering from a little frostbite on her ears, but otherwise in good health. The firefighters named her “Ember.” “I posted on Facebook to see if someone would claim her. When no one did we took her to the vet, had her vaccinated and took care of ear mites,” Toews said. As the firefighters are only working part-time, Ember wouldn’t be able to stay there for too long. The SFD knew Ember needed a loving home.
The average calico cat’s lifespan can vary greatly. The key to a long, happy, and healthy kitty life is a nutritious diet, protective shelter, and plenty of love. loyal, clever, observant, and extremely lucky. “We brought her to a friend who does fostering, so she could have more human contact and the run of a house,” Toews told. There, she was cleaned up for adoption, which was arranged a few days later. “We posted on Facebook that she was available for adoption, and it looks like we may have found her a loving home,” Toews said. See more of Ember in the video below: