Saturday, October 14, 2006

Speaking of cats

I think I mentioned before that there are LOTS of street cats here. They are in every alley, every dumpster, and a few figure out that restaurants with outdoor seating are definitely the place to hang out.

So last night a group of us when to the YMCA on the west side of town. When dinner was done and we were all just chatting about work and other non-sense, we all hear a tiny meow. M turns around an announces "It's the world's tiniest cat!" A little black kitten was walking between our table and the table next to us.

I got up and picked up the kitten, a little unusual since most street cats will not let you touch them, even when they are at a restaurant and are as young as this one (she's maybe 4 weeks old). I took her over and handed her to T, one of our best friend's here. We have all been telling T that she needed a pet because she gets so stressed about work. Pets are a great way to keep your life in perspective in a career that can become your whole life if you let it. She agreed, but had never found an animal that she felt bonded with her that didn't already belong to someone else (she coveted out younger cat, Pishik, who is really more dog than cat). We had found a kitten nearly a year ago, but T and that kitten just didn't bond.

Well this kitten clearly picked T. It curled up in T's lap, stretched out and tapped at her with its tiny paw, and went to sleep. Sound asleep. I told T the kitten felt safe, and she said that this was probably the safest the kitten had ever felt. At that moment, I knew T had found her cat.

Sure enough, T took the kitten home, and named it Blanca (did I mention it was black? T liked the irony) in honor of her Jeep that was stolen (also named Blanca). So she lost and gained a Blanca here. I helped get her set up last night with some food and kitty litter. I am going to show her the vet and pet store tomorrow. But already the kitten is using its litter box and following T happily around her apartment. Both of them seem happy.

You can't save them all, but you can save some!

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