Thursday, March 01, 2007

So in Love

Early last week, the sensitive, cat-friendly maintenance man (who I call Maintenance Buddy in real life cuz I don't remember his name) stopped me on the way to work to tell me that the tenants in another apartment had gotten evicted and moved out leaving their kitty behind. He said she was very friendly but he worried she would be "corrupted" by my kitties and turn feral in a matter of time. I agreed. He said there were all sorts of legal things that had to happen before anybody new could move into the kitty's old apartment, so he suggested I feed the kitty at the old apartment where she was still hanging around to keep her isolated. In order to keep an eye out for her, he told me she was all white. Hard to miss.

After discussing with Heather, the cat expert, she instructed me to keep giving the white kitty plenty of food and water to keep her from wandering too far and socializing with my ferals. In the meantime, she would check into foster homes affiliated with local feline rescue shelters.

I spent a couple days feeding the elusive white kitty without actually seeing her. I would notice the dry food eaten, the empty wet food cans pushed into the corner. Finally, on the third morning I loudly shook the box of dry food and turned to see the white kitty looking at me with curiosity. It was love at first sight.





After assessing me, she walked up to me tentatively and began the universal cat ritual of weaving through my legs. I petted her without hesitation and she responded by loudly purring. She was probably starved for attention. I stayed with her for awhile and did the same the next couple of days until Heather said a foster home was waiting for her and we could try to catch her anytime. In fact, not only was a foster home waiting for her to take her, but a woman was already waiting to adopt the white kitty and giver her a permanent home.

We caught her last Friday. I went out there with a carrier, fairly certain we wouldn't need a trap or anything. I picked her up and snuggled her awhile before gently shoving her in the carrier and handing her over to Heather. She mewed and I cried. I cried because this was way more difficult than handing over the two kittens I have rescued from a life of scavenging and parasites. This was someone's cat, a cat who one day relied on people to feed her, love her and care for her, and the next day the door was shut and those same people were long gone.

The following day Heather took her to the vet, had her tested for diseases and parasites. She's healthy except for a mean sunburn (apparently a common affliction for white cats) and will always need to be routinely checked for melanoma. As of a few days ago the tests are still out for ringworm and Heather didn't want to put her into foster care with ringworm where other kitties can be infected. Besides, Heather herself and her house kitties are currently on antibiotics for ringworm so it made sense for Heather to hang on to her until the tests are back. It's looking like foster care at this point will be replaced with Heather caring for her until the adoption goes through. Caring for the white kitty doesn't seem to bother her one bit.

In the meantime, I've stopped by a couple of times to to see her and pay her some attention and Heather teases me about having such a crush on her. It's true, I'm attached to her and I so selfishly want to take her into my home. But the logical part of me knows how silly that is when there is somebody else with more much space thrilled to adopt her. Heather had called the woman personally to see exactly why she was interested in adopting a white kitty (such preferences tend to raise flags) and she had told Heather she had three aging cats and one of them, a white one, had recently passed away. It's a perfect situation, and despite a few rough weeks for the white kitty, a happy ending.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

She is beautiful. I am so proud of you for caring for the all the cats. I wish I could have been there to help with her too. How does the scraggley big Tom look since ACT cleaned him up?

Natalie said...

sylvia-
If you had been there to help, the white kitty would be in MN right now! scraggly big Tom is still pissed at me. I saw him for the first time in a couple weeks yesterday. He looks pretty dapper. :)

anne said...

Oh she is adorable. I wanted to help her and I am glad someone did.

Anonymous said...

Natalie - this is your mom-in-law's cousin, Sharon (known as Snooks to Sylvia) AND also a big Cat Lover. I love what you are doing, loved the White Cat. She looks exactly like our Roadie (now deceased) that we fostered after he was rescued from a highway and never left our home. I believe white cats have a personality of their own. Looking forward to following your cat-a-ventures on your blogspot.

Natalie said...

e.b.-
After stumbling upon the whole crazy cat community here, it's amazing how willing people are to help. You just have to ask for it and there will be someone who won't turn their back. Granted, there are more people fighting to keep this kitty than the ones who rejected her in the first place!

Welcome, Sharon! Always glad to have another cat person around. The fact that I can't seem to shake wanting to keep this kitty convinces me their is truly something special about her. The lucky new owner must agree with your feelings about white kitties!

Jackie said...

reading things like this make me want to live in a condo or apartment complex so I can be closer to strays and help them out!

But since I don't think that I will be able to convince Jamie that leaving our big house for a tiny apartment for the sole purpose of saving cats is not only a good idea but a sane idea, I will simply have to settle for coming here and reading about your wonderful adventures!

Keep up the good work Natalie!! If there was a noble piece prize for cats, you would get it!!

Anonymous said...

I was hoping you were gonna keep her! I'll take her. Send her to Missouri! She's so damn cute, and I normally don't like white cats.

Natalie said...

Thanks, jackie! I'm so glad I'm keeping some of you entertained, I certainly just feel like a loony half the time. I would give anything to live in a big house over a tiny apartment- more room for kitties...

lefty-
You and me both. I just visited her again tonight and it is looking like the adoption won't go through. This is very hard on me because I would love so much to take her in but there are so many reasons we can't. The biggest reason being she is a grown female and my girls wouldn't be happy with me. Neither would yours though. The good news is, since she is so damn cute she probably will still find a home very soon.

Runner Girl FL said...

ACK!! Why did you tell me the adoption might not go through!!

Anonymous said...

I hope the white kitty is adopted before Darrel is there for spring training or she may STILL end up in Minnesota! Or maybe I hope it won't be!

Natalie said...

This was as of last night when I went to visit. I'll write more when I know for sure.