"There's a critter in the garage," Big Bore #3 announced the night of October 30 when he got home from work.
"What kind of critter?" I asked. "Four-legged?"
"Yep"
"It's not an opossum, is it? I hate oppossums!"
"Nope."
"A raccoon?" I once had a raccoon take up residence in the garage a few years ago.
"Nope."
"A pony?"
He laughed.
"I give."
"A kitten!" he said triumphantly, and I figured he was kidding.
I dashed outside to see if this was a trick or a treat. I could hear it before I could see it, and it sounded like a hungry cry baby. I finally saw a scrawny Tabby in one corner of the garage. Now, I'm a pushover for kittens, but I knew there was no room in the inn. Big Bore and I already had three indoor cats, and we had agreed, with the last adoption in February, "No more cats!" Still, we couldn't let it go hungry, so I fed it--with the plan that I'd set out to find its home the next day if it was still in the garage.
Well, of course, it was still around the following morning. Cats know a good deal when they've found a sucker, so I took a picture of what I determined was a she-kitty, made flyers, and went door-to-door in the neighborhood trying to find its real home. No luck. Next, I took the flyers to the vet clinic and posted one on the grocery store bulletin board. Still no luck. After a week of providing room and board for this odd little critter in th garage, I put an ad in the newspaper. Who was I kidding? The only person who called about the ad was a lady wanting to now if I'd take in a few more strays. Yikes!
Big Bore #3 and I began discussing what we were going to do with what had now been given a name--Critter, of course. We could call the animal control guy and hope for the best, or we could keep it as an outdoor cat. We settled for the latter--until the first cold night in November.
"Well, who's going to be the meanie who makes Critter stay outside tonight?" Big Bore asked.
I was stunned. This was coming out of the mouth of a dog man, who had moved in a year ago without a single cat hair on his belongings. He had come to have a change-of-heart, however, when he had arterial bypass surgery. His constant, faithful companion throughout the months of recuperation was Little Bit, a gray cat I'd had for eleven years and who had never before been much for socializing with anyone but me.
Well, one night inside led to another until it was time to get Critter spayed or face more critters. We decided that once she healed from the surgery, she'd go back to being an outdoors cat. Three is definitely enough to have inside this little house, after all, even though two of the three were having a blast playing with Critter and we two human bores were have fun watching the newcomer act silly.
Once the stitches came out, however, Big Bore had another startling announcement: "As long as you've gone to all the trouble and expense of having her spayed, I think Critter should stay an indoors cat."
"What? You've got to be kidding. I thought we had agreed that three cats in the house were enough."
"Well, other animals might hurt her if she's outside." Critter was purring in his lap as one of his big hands was nuzzling her ears.
At least for the winter, Critter is staying inside. But four is absolutely enough!!!
"What kind of critter?" I asked. "Four-legged?"
"Yep"
"It's not an opossum, is it? I hate oppossums!"
"Nope."
"A raccoon?" I once had a raccoon take up residence in the garage a few years ago.
"Nope."
"A pony?"
He laughed.
"I give."
"A kitten!" he said triumphantly, and I figured he was kidding.
I dashed outside to see if this was a trick or a treat. I could hear it before I could see it, and it sounded like a hungry cry baby. I finally saw a scrawny Tabby in one corner of the garage. Now, I'm a pushover for kittens, but I knew there was no room in the inn. Big Bore and I already had three indoor cats, and we had agreed, with the last adoption in February, "No more cats!" Still, we couldn't let it go hungry, so I fed it--with the plan that I'd set out to find its home the next day if it was still in the garage.
Well, of course, it was still around the following morning. Cats know a good deal when they've found a sucker, so I took a picture of what I determined was a she-kitty, made flyers, and went door-to-door in the neighborhood trying to find its real home. No luck. Next, I took the flyers to the vet clinic and posted one on the grocery store bulletin board. Still no luck. After a week of providing room and board for this odd little critter in th garage, I put an ad in the newspaper. Who was I kidding? The only person who called about the ad was a lady wanting to now if I'd take in a few more strays. Yikes!
Big Bore #3 and I began discussing what we were going to do with what had now been given a name--Critter, of course. We could call the animal control guy and hope for the best, or we could keep it as an outdoor cat. We settled for the latter--until the first cold night in November.
"Well, who's going to be the meanie who makes Critter stay outside tonight?" Big Bore asked.
I was stunned. This was coming out of the mouth of a dog man, who had moved in a year ago without a single cat hair on his belongings. He had come to have a change-of-heart, however, when he had arterial bypass surgery. His constant, faithful companion throughout the months of recuperation was Little Bit, a gray cat I'd had for eleven years and who had never before been much for socializing with anyone but me.
Well, one night inside led to another until it was time to get Critter spayed or face more critters. We decided that once she healed from the surgery, she'd go back to being an outdoors cat. Three is definitely enough to have inside this little house, after all, even though two of the three were having a blast playing with Critter and we two human bores were have fun watching the newcomer act silly.
Once the stitches came out, however, Big Bore had another startling announcement: "As long as you've gone to all the trouble and expense of having her spayed, I think Critter should stay an indoors cat."
"What? You've got to be kidding. I thought we had agreed that three cats in the house were enough."
"Well, other animals might hurt her if she's outside." Critter was purring in his lap as one of his big hands was nuzzling her ears.
At least for the winter, Critter is staying inside. But four is absolutely enough!!!
2 comments:
I believe I have that Dillard's bag now!!! Didn't you wrap my Chirstmas presents in it??? My dachshund thought it was a special gift for him.
Your so kind hearted. I am a sucker for cats too. We also have 3 indoor cats and will NOT take in anymore. The liter box duties are overbearing as it is.
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