Lost and Found

What a hectic couple of days it has been. Saturday is rained . . . all day . . . like Noah's Ark rain.

Sunday morning it finally slowed down enough to take the dogs out for walk. On our way to Congressional Cemetery, as we were passing through a very busy intersection, I heard a kitty cry. I looked over and lo and behold I could barely make out a kitten hiding under a truck in that busy intersection.

Well, with two big dogs that consider kittens snacks, I had to continue to the cemetery. As we walked, I prayed and prayed it would still be there - safe and sound - on our way back.

Sure enough, it was still crying as I approached the intersection. So I ran the dogs back the half block, let them in the yard, and raced back to save the kitty.

The poor thing was water-logged and scared, but fierce enough to hiss at me as I reached for it. It was far too weak and small to outrun me, so I scooped it up and brought it home with me. I let the dogs in and then wrapped the wee thing up in a towel and held it close as I began to consider the enormity of what I had just done.

What were my options, really? I mean, it is clearly the kitten of a feral cat who quite possibly abandoned it or died - so it needed a home. For whatever reason, it chose me - in spite of the fact that I observed several people walk by the same intersection that morning. Did it know I would be the bleeding heart that would take it in? Apparently the universe let it know.

So, after a short shock and a cat nap (hers) I started to act. I cleaned up one of its eyes, which I thought was missing when I first picked it up. It was clearly infected. I went to the store and got a case for it 'cause I knew it needed protection against the dogs and a way to travel. I then took it to the vet . . . and it was diagnosed with an eye infection, an upper-respiratory infection, and anemia due to fleas (nasty buggers). It was very underweight and estimated six weeks old - and finally identified as a female!

Two medications and $150 later I was taking the sweet little girl kitty home.

Once home, I bathed her in dawn to kill the fleas (the damn things are so resilient I have bathed her twice again), fed her (wow can she eat), and held her as she slept the afternoon away. It was then I started considering who would take her home. I couldn't bear taking her to a shelter - even a no-kill shelter as I knew I was already too attached to not know how she grows up. But the dogs were already watching her intently with looks to kill . . . she couldn't stay.

So I tucked her into her little carrier and ran off to the computer to start sending out e-mails and making phone calls. Well, between allergies, lease restrictions, and too many cats already I was finding it difficult to place her and getting more and more upset by my dwindling options.

Then it hit me - two friends in NYC who were fabulous cat people. With one e-mail, the universe spoke again and these friends were actually considering a new kitty . . . so I am keeping my fingers crossed and praying silent prayers to St. Francis - even though I'm not Catholic - that it works out for all of us - especially baby kitty!

In the meantime, she continues to stay with me as she recovers. I get to clean her eyes and give her baths and enjoy her sweetness until she is well enough to travel and go to a home with other cats. But I cannot name her . . . because once I do, she is mine forever.

Her story is an amazing one - and a lucky one. In two short days she was lost and found.