on our way to the vet |
Tess celebrated her two month anniversary with us by going to the vet. (poor thing) But, in all that time, I hadn't told you how we came to have our newest little kitty.
After Miss Kitty passed,, I really wanted another friendly
little cat to accompany me on my chores, to sit on my lap on the porch, and to
snuggle on the couch on winter evenings.
…oh, yeah and hunt mice…But the thought of searching for a replacement
put me off time and time again. Maybe a
kitten would just show up! That’s how
Squeekie came to live on the farm…but, what were the chances of that happening
again?
The seemingly endless supply of free kittens in Craiglist
and the Bulletin Board had apparently dried up.
Weeks turned into months with no kittens in sight. Blondie had a friend with some kittens, but
for one reason or another, that didn’t work out. At some point, I bought little
bowls and a bag of kitten chow, but still had no prospects.
On the fourth of July, my phone rang. “Hey, Mama…you still want a cat?”
Toughchick was at a huge yardsale in another town and
someone was giving away kittens. “you
want this little orange female? I can
bring her by this afternoon.”
Something made me say yes.
So, later that day, in the pouring rain, Tess arrived
wrapped in a towel. She was so tiny!
She fit in my hand…which is where she felt most comfortable…so,
I held her. She sat in my lap while I worked on the computer and slept on my
chest all night long as she adapted to a new life here on the hill. I didn’t
get much done those first couple of days.
It became obvious that this tiny kitten had fleas. Oh..no…fleas?
I had held her all night on the couch…I began to feel itchy. The vet was
booked until the following week, so I was on my own. What should I do for a kitten with
fleas? I had to do something…just thinking about it was making the itching worse. A bath! Now, that would be fun.
I don't think she liked me much after this |
After the bath experience, she would only hang out with the Boss |
Apparently, we did the right thing, because the vet praised
my pro-active approach when we did get to the office for her first check-up and shots. The fleas could have thwarted her growth or caused
illness and possibly death in a kitten so small. She did have some residual
skin issues from the infestation. That's why her little nose looks raw.
The vet needed a little history of the kitten. Did I know
her age? How had she been raised up to
now? I couldn’t tell her anything other than “her mom was Siamese and her dad
was some big orange tom.” The vet tried
another tack...”where did you get her?”
“Well, you see….my daughter was at this yardsale….”
A yardsale? You got a
kitten at a yardsale? (gee, that didn’t
seem that unusual to me…I thought you could get everything at yardsales)
The news of the yardsale kitty went around the office. Suddenly, Tess was a tiny celebrity as all
the techs oohed and aahed over her.
Since that first vet visit, she has more than doubled in
size, claimed the couch for her own, and been introduced to the larger “pets”
on the farm. Upon introduction to Ellie
Mae, she bopped Ellie in the nose and Ellie is still not too sure about the
wiggly little creature with the enormous ears.
The other cats were not impressed, but, as long as Tess stays out of
their food…things should be okay.
At some point, she’ll head outside on her own to test out
the theory that big ears make a good mouser.
Until then, she seems content to sit quietly on our…no, wait…HER couch…turning
into the Mbrook stealth ninja from time to time to attack bare feet for sport.
don't let that sleepy face fool you... |
those claws can be lethal! |
But, she’s cute and cuddly and it seems like she’ll be a
good fit here on the hill.
My office helper. ANY time the printer operates, Tess comes running to investigate |
Today, I am thankful for our little yardsale “kitteh!
What a lovely little kitten - seems sad that she was at a yard sale, but by golly she has come to a good home - hope she turns into a good mouser.
ReplyDeleteShe is a beauty. I like this happy end story!
ReplyDelete