Hungry Hungry Kitty

            It was a rainy day.  Perhaps this was the reason for the cat’s behavior out of character.  It was normal feeding time for the stray cats that do appear regularly at my back door.  I was not behind in my scheduled feeding time.  A back bathroom window had me looking out to see how many I should count this time.  It was then I counted thirteen strays waiting.  And other strays would surely come later.  But the ones present already were drenched in rain.  Having a tarp over picnic tables (I have two) gave them all dry spots to wait.

            Hurriedly I made preparation to go out the back door with a bowl of dry food, gravy packages, and several cans of wet cat food.  It had become an expense to feed them.  But giving up certain leisure items of my own, gave me the extra cash to feed them.  I enjoy seeing animals eat who ordinarily would have their lives cut short with starvation.  Some of these cats I do believe do not have the survival techniques.  There’s Sticks that has leukemia.  There’s Ricky that has a crooked head and crossed eyes.  I have seen many cats that have eye problems, etc.  But still they live, whereas others are victims of accidents in street, predators, and such.  For the cat with leukemia, he is one of the longest survivors.  All God’s creatures deserve a chance at living.  I do feel good about feeding them.  I see nothing wrong with it regardless of what some people may think.

            But today may seem quite different.  Immediately upon opening the back door, they all come running.  It was not so in the past.  Before I could close the door, in ran two. I had a tough time getting out my door. I head for a picnic table with food in hand. I place food upon the table now going to an outside cabinet to get bowls. I have to pick up containers at night before scavengers eat what is left over from the day. With a rash of kittens being killed in the past, I have to put up food at end of day.

            I have never been able to come close to a big grey male cat I call Fuzzy Wuzzy. But there he was meowing at the bowl I was filling. He was starving and I appeared to be no threat to him. If I had wanted to touch him, I could have. But I held back. He could have bit the hand that feeds him. There was Tarzan, who meowed like a lunatic. It was just last night they had food before it was taken up. But all thirteen acted like a hungry, hungry kitty. They acted as if they had not eaten in days. But then again, could it have been the change of one of the cat foods I was giving them? It was last weekend I bought an item from an area store that was a phase out item. It was expensive cans of cat food at half price. I have been giving it to the strays this week. I think this may be the change of behavior. Will I be able to go back to the regular kind I have been putting out? My daughter said, “They are afraid they won’t get any of it if they don’t get to it first.” Cats, I guess, are much like humans in their taste buds. We like certain foods and pass up others. I guess they are no different. But if a cat gets hungry enough, I guess they will eat a cheaper brand.

            I look outside after just a short time. The good food is all gone. And then so are the majority of the cats. Remaining behind are only a couple of cats. There’s a 100% chance of rain today. With the cat’s belly now full, it is probably now nap time…..

The Visit

            My husband’s brother, wife, and two children lived in Jefferson City, Missouri.  Their visits were far and in between.  We were always glad to hear they were coming.  But one thing always had us regretting it once they got here.  Although we were cat lovers, we would always have a problem.  It was hardly unlikely that they did not have the money to pay someone to care for their cat.  (Perhaps they could get a neighbor or even a kennel to care for their cat.)  They both worked as teachers.  But not so; as here they came with their cat.  Two cats that didn’t spend any time together were expected to get along.  Our only cat at the time was a female named Tina.  She generally hid from this big male cat named Jerry.

            Articles written do talk of how to introduce cats to one another.  But there was no time since Jerry only came for occasional visits.  It was not his house, but he was the dominant one.  Tina had been spayed.  Jerry had been neutered.  But still they wanted to fight.  One visit should have told my husband’s brother and family that the cats did not get along.  Try it once and next time don’t bring the cat again.  It was a blessing that we all slept upstairs.  The cats spent the whole night downstairs.  With Tina hiding most of the time, the fighting was kept at a minimum.  But the next day, they were at it again especially when food placed out.  But those years, like everything else, had their time and place.  It seems like so many years ago.  But it still leaves memories that stay with me.  With my husband deceased and his brother gone as well, communication with his wife and children ended.  I did try to relocate them, but without luck.  They all moved from Missouri.  Even if she and I were no longer related, the children were still cousins.  Maybe there is a lot to say about related only by marriage.  It is kind of funny to think that the only thing I remember most about them was their cat.

            This does make for kind of a sad story.  People have a habit of changing.  We live in a fast paced world.  People have so many things that keep them busy.  Or so, they always say they are busy when they don’t stay in touch.  Perhaps this explains the brother-in-law’s family.  An animal (a cat) is never too busy for you.  If you love them, they will return that love.  It took me many years to realize that a cat’s love is forever.  Unlike the human, I don’t think a well-cared for cat is ever too busy for you!

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy fourth of July to all cat lover's out there.  With taking off this week for the holiday, the next cat story to appear the weekend of July 12-14.