Music by Blissful Dreams

         Having trapped a raccoon I drove it to “Critter Haven”.  That’s a place I had located in an unpopulated area that had a creek running through it that never dried, even during the droughts.  It was ten miles away.

        I decided to go home by a different road on which I had never been before. A short way down the road I saw something black in the middle of the pavement. It moved and I figured it was a crow. As I drove closer I realized it was an animal and apparently hurt as it didn’t move away. I pulled my pickup over slightly and turned on my hazard lights. As I walked closer I realized it was a kitten, no two kittens. As I was nearly upon them I could see one pawing at the other one that was laying down. As I reached them the one scurried away. I was so saddened to see that the kitten left behind was dead. It had been run over by a vehicle.

        Why anyone would hit a kitten and leave it behind is beyond me! It’s sibling would not leave its side and was trying to get it to get up and leave. I started crying. I picked up the dead kitten and buried it by the side of the road. I wished it a happy journey over the rainbow bridge.

        Then I went in search of the other kitten. There apparently had been some road construction done a long while ago and a bunch of rocks and boulders had been abandoned at the site. The kitten was among them. I finally found it in a crevice. I squeezed down but was only able to touch its fur. It wouldn’t come out on its own even though it was mewing for help as I talked to it.

         I repositioned myself and stretched my arm down. Close, but not close enough. I used all my strength and jammed my body painfully against the rocks. I stretched and stretched my arm and some inner strength allowed me to grasp the neck of the kitten with two fingers. It was tiny. I pulled it out and held it close. It mewed and stayed calmly nestled in my arms. I petted it and then wrapped it in a blanket which I always carry in the pickup.

         Even though I had an empty trap in the enclosed bed of the pickup I kept the kitten in the cab with me. I left it and went to search for the mother or other siblings. I looked all around and found nothing.

         I took it home and named him Faithful. Poor thing was full of fleas and hungry. It took two consecutive washings to rid him of the fleas. He was great in the water. I gave him a bowl of warm milk and some moist cat food. I had cats of my own. He thrived with us.

          I called the local no-kill rescue but they were full. They did take my information and about 3 weeks later I received a call from a woman who had been referred by the Rescue. She came with a younger daughter and she was looking for a kitten for her older daughter’s birthday. They both fell in love with Faithful as he had become a cute and playful kitten. He had found a new home! – Marilu Shellie

 

 

 

A “Feline” Good Note:

Nina would love to hear your rescue story. A cat rescue is great, but any animal that has been rescued deserves to be noted. Please send her your story and be sure to add a name so that credit can be given to you. It could be your full name, nickname, or any combination that you would like to have printed. Nina takes your privacy seriously. Looking forward to hearing your special story!