I almost made it through this summer without a foster kitten.
Almost.
Today I received a call from a man that saw a truck slow in front of his home and dump out what appeared to be some kind of small animals. The truck took off before he could get a closer look or a read on the license plate. He went to investigate and found several small kittens scrambling along the side of the street an into a corn field. This is a quiet country road with few houses and a whole lot of farmland.
Yet another human dumping cats that no one has time for, believing that this is the only option. People think that leaving these domestic pets in an area with farms will ensure that they find a place to survive. Often this is not the case and they inevitably end up hit by a car, eaten by a predator or succumbing to hunger and disease. I would have rather he left them in a carrier in front of the shelter at night.
My caller attempted to catch the small animals and was successful in securing one tiny orange tiger kitten. Another black one ran into the corn field before he could get to it.
He placed the orange kitten into a cat carrier and set up a live trap next to it, hoping the hunger might drive the others to come back.
I spoke to him on the phone and advised that we typically don’t pick up stray cats and asked if he was able to hold them or find a rescue. He was not.
I made my way north, winding further into farm country and wood line until I reached the address. At the time of my arrival the man had left but let me know where he had left the carrier in the corn field. I found a small, scared orange kitten hiding in the corner of the carrier peering up at me. The live trap next to him was empty and no other cats in sight. I transferred the scared little guy to my own carrier in the van and he allowed me to pick him up and snuggle him.
Damn it. I can’t resist those big blue eyes staring up at me, and tiny paws clinging to my shirt. I made the decision that he was coming with me and briefly entertained the idea of taking him home.
Just then I saw a larger cat with Siamese marking running across the street from the corn field and back into the caller’s yard. Following her was a tiny little black kitten doing its best to keep up. I saw them disappear into the wood line and went over to call for them. Silence. I moved the canned food and live trap to the location I saw them last and advised the caller of this.
I had a long drive back to the shelter and the wheels were already in motion, churning inside my head and painting a picture of this tiny, adorable tiger in my lap. He was coming home with me.
I stopped at the shelter to get his intake paperwork and to make sure he received vaccines, deworming liquid and flea medication before taking him back with me.
My husband was notified of this decision once I walked through the door tonight. He accepts that I have a slight obsession with these tiny creatures and simply wanted to be assured this was just a foster kitten and that it will be leaving one day. This is why I married him.
Little Meatball is currently set up in my spare bathroom like a king, with every toy imaginable. I do hope that the man might still be able to secure his sibling. Better yet, the mother cat.
Sometimes we take work home with us. Today I did just that. And his name is Meatball.
*And yes, this little fella will be available for adoption if you are interested 🙂