Kitten Little

Last night we awoke to the next door neighbor's dog barking madly - which was highly unusual because he's normally very quiet. His barking set Simon barking, and after about 20 minutes of nonstop cacophony, Andy decided to go out and investigate just in case something was wrong (our neighbor was hurt, Buddy was stuck in the fence, someone was lurking outside, etc.).

Andy went down and quickly came back in, telling me that Buddy was barking at a very wee stray kitten and he wasn't sure what to do. I grabbed a towel and we headed back outside. There crouched between the tree and the fence was a wee, grey, impossibly tiny kitten who was hissing and growling with all her might, trying to look fierce and dangerous.

With Donna's help, we got the kitten out of the yard and Buddy safely inside, and the kitty then darted under the cars in our driveway (scared out of her mind and extremely wary of the two huge creatures talking to her in musical voices, refusing to leave her alone).

We decided to put out a small bit of milk (a very small bit because I know it's not so good for kitties), some water, and a bit of food to see if she might eat a bit. She timidly ventured forward and drank some milk before disappearing back under the far end of the car.

Thinking she might eat more if we were absent, we left a folded towel for her to sleep on and headed back inside to get some rest ourselves, as by this time it was midnight.

Of course, in the morning she was gone, and although I bought some actual kitty food today in the hopes she might return, there has been no sign of her tonight.

Even though we could not have kept her (Simon would freak out, and Andy is severely allergic), we felt very responsible for her and desperately wanted to find a way to keep her safe, fed, and cared for. We were hoping to get her feeling comfortable enough with us to help find her a good home, but she was probably so traumatized by her ordeal of being shouted at in doggy speak that it will be a while before she settles down.

I hope she's safe, wherever she might be, and that she is guided to a good home where she will be taken care of with love and kindness. May the next path she crosses lead her to safety.