After we took in Violet, our ankles became the victims of energetic kitten attacks featuring prickly claws and teeth.
Dan: She needs somebody to play with.
Me: She's got us.
Dan: No, she needs somebody to play with.
Me: We don't need another cat.
Dan: She needs somebody to play with.
Me: We've got enough cats.
Dan: She needs somebody to play with.
Me: What would we do with another cat?
And then, one recent day, this showed up in our carport.
Terribly timid, hungry, and feral, it wouldn't let us near it. Where in the world did it come from? I believe it's female and a little older than Violet; charcoal in color with similar tuxedo markings. Maybe they have the same daddy?
I immediately set about trying to figure out what to do with it. A neighbor down the street was looking for another cat, maybe he would take it? No response from Dan so I said, "We don't need with another cat." To this Dan replied, "She's an answer to a prayer." What could I say to that?
We're still not allowed to touch her, but we can come within three feet, two if I have a dish of milk or food. Reaching hands are immediately run away from. She won't come into the house.
18 comments:
Remember, a successful adoption is when the cat adopts you, not the other way around.
Judy, we definitely seem to have been chosen.
It takes a lot of patience. My favourite cat was taken in as a wild, feral kitten. She became MY cat, sticking to me wherever I went, and before we could afford to have her spayed, she was about to birth her kittens on the kitchen mat at my feet. She was very protective of our son when he was a baby, staying guard beneath the chair in the garden where I put him while gardening, and chasing off all comers, even riding bare back, all claws out, on a poor inquisitive dog who came too close.
I wish you all sorts of luck!
The Universal Cat Distribution System always delivers.
Sounds like a match made in heaven.
Rosalea, yes, patience. The cat that changed Dan from a cat hater to a fan was a feral tabby we had shortly after we were first married. I recall it took awhile before he'd come into the house and even then he was cautious. Violet wants to play with her so badly, but I'm not ready to let Violet out yet. At least they'll know each other.
Alex, it was silly of me to try and fight it.
Daisy, lol. Apparently!
It looks like you've been hired. That's how I got nearly all my animals.
Our long running joke is "there's no such thing as a free cat". We have paid for kittens/cats from shelters and we've adopted "free" cats, but in the end you are neutering or spaying someone, paying for shots, buying flea medication, and someone has to go to the vet for some reason or other. Ahhh, but what would we do without them? :) I love those white whiskers on little black cat. -Jenn
My terrier needing a playmate is how we ended up with a second dog of my husband's choosing. I love that Dan is a cat lover and was the one pushing for another.
Liz, LOL. I'm often reminded of Mrs. Bond in James Herriot's All Creatures used to say, "I work for cats."
Jenn, we've always gotten our cats at shelters as well. One in the next largest town over has a sale on cats every August, and we've gotten some good cats for a good price, already neutered and up-to-date on their shots. These will be out of pocket, but it needs to be done.
Michelle, most animals really do better with a companion of their own kind, don't they? Dan is definitely a converted cat hater. All it took was the right cat!
Sometimes these things happen for a reason. We have a similar marked one although butterscotch instead of black colored, that I see every now and then outside around our house. Unfortunately my wife has a phobia of cats, especially when they purr, so I just let it continue on it's way. But I've seen it off and on since this spring at least.
Ed, my great-grandmother was terrified of cats. Yet they were always attracted to her.
I think there are definitely reasons for the things that happen, even if we can't discern the pattern. Cats are certainly useful for mouse and chipmunk population control, which in turn helps keep the snake population under control. Every living thing has its purpose and its place.
With two exception Annie's first cat when she went home on the school bus to a friends farm and took her to see the friends cat and litter. "Annie you need to ask your father." A quick turn of my 8 year olds head"But Mom you and Dad said I could have a kitten when we moved to a farm."
And the Calico wonder who followed me (yes the eight year old reminded me)home from kennel duty over the weekend of my Vet tech school. All others were rescues. All total 30 of them as time and energy are permitted. And as the passion took over so did the rescue species change. Great Pyrenees of Northern and over the years more dogs total under our care for over well over 100 in sixteen years. But the need was noticed feline or canine they all needed a friend. But what is one more? Good luck Leigh nice call Dan!
Goatldi, ah yes, what's one more; that's how we got Meowy! LOL. you've helped an amazing amount of animals. That's something to be proud of.
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