Like a walk through the country side living on a small farm is full of daily surprises, sometimes wonderful and amazing, and other times puzzling and sad. I hope you will walk with me as I live out my dream of living on this tiny farm. You will come to know the dogs, cats, Shetland sheep and chickens that make up this farm and what goes into keeping them happy and healthy. Come and join the journey with me.

Monday, May 07, 2007

Where Kittens Come From.....


...well we all know where kittens come from, but have you ever wondered where that kitten came from? You know, the little tiny one, that isn't hardly old enough to walk, let alone be away from its momma?


I doubt that my experiences are unique, since I have feeling there are allot of suckers, er, animal lovers out there that read this blog. From time to time over the years there have been a few kittens that show up--basically out of no where---too tiny to be weaned, not even 'dumping' age for those who are cruel enough to do so. These tiny mites are not to be confused with the older kittens and cats who have so obviously been dumped with regularity.


Driving to work the other morning, I think I had a rather abrupt and startling revelation, about 'where kittens come from'. My neighbor lives on a blind corner, and had just pulled out in front of me, as I came around said corner. Well, we were both running a bit late for work, so we were moving along at a pretty good clip. I was following fairly closely behind her, when suddenly I saw her hit a kitten. A tiny kitten. It came flying out from under the car and into the ditch.I didn't stop. I was sure it was dead, and I couldn't bear to see its bloody mangled body. Normally I stop and help when I see an animal in distress... normally. That's why I have 5 cats and 1 dog (this is not counting the 1 cat and 1 dog I got to pick out myself--10 years ago!). I'm not sure why I didn't stop. I was sick to my stomach and arguing with myself for the next mile or two. I probably would have went back, eventually. I was surprised my neighbor didn't even reflexively brake after hitting the kitten. I had slowed down considerably and was still arguing with myself when I saw my neighbor pull over. Ah, I thought, she is going back. Then as I passed her, I saw her get out and pop the hood. Hmmm... hitting a cat and having car trouble all in one day, I thought? So I turned around and went back. I rolled my window down and before I could get it down, she blurts out--I swear I hear a kitten! I immediately blurt back---it fell out! She asked where and I told her, but she was pretty sure she had heard it since then. So parked on the sides of the road on a hill we did a search of her car---under the car, in the engine, the wheels. No kitten. She asked where the other one was, and I said, follow me back and I'll show you. I got there first and saw the little body laying about where I thought it had landed. It hadn't moved. As I walked closer, I saw tiny ears sticking straight up and a few steps more revealed little eyes staring at me! I couldn't believe it---it was alive! I quickly took the last few steps and scooped it up. It had a bloody nose, but otherwise seemed unharmed. Amazing. My neighbor quickly headed home with kitten in tow, and I headed on to work--arriving 'only' 8 minutes late.
Throughout the day I wondered if the kitten was okay, if it had suffered worse than we thought. By that evening I couldn't stand it any longer and called her. The kitten was fine and out playing with his siblings! Seemingly no worse for wear. The story didn't end there though, as my neighbor went on to tell me about the rest of her day! After she got the one kitten home, she again searched the car to make sure there were no more stowaways. Then off to work she went, putting the pedal to the metal to try and get there on time. She works all day, so her car sat in the parking lot the entire day, except for errands at noon and then after work, a stop by a fast food place and the gas station. While at the gas station, she suddenly heard a kitten crying. Again.
By now she had gotten quite adept at releasing and opening the hood of her car, and quickly threw it up. There on a little plastic shelf behind the engine sat the little kitten. It attempted to run, but she nabbed it before it could dash off, burning herself on the engine in the process. She thinks that probably everyone at the gas station thought she was nuts! She immediately put the kitten in the car, and locked the door! :-) The little mite immediately hid under the armrest. Let's just say there was one little kitten that was mighty glad to get home and see his mum! I'll say it again--amazing that these two tiny little sprites both survived.
The first little kitten that was ejected from the car, looked suspiciously like Sage. Hmmm... could that be how the wee (and temporarily sweet), Sage made his arrival into the neighborhood? Only he knows for sure, but it sure would explain where some of these little imps have come from. I tried to find a really cute, helpless looking photo of Sage to post with this, but I'm afraid that his pure orneriness just can't be hidden. He has sweetened (and fattened up--now 13 pounds worth) since his worst days as a teenage mutant kitten. Now he just has spells of out of control orneriness, interspersed with dopey sweet moods, and hogging the bed at night.

1 comment:

Allena said...

I always have to go back or pay the penalty in guilt, nightmares and other such punishments.