About a month ago, a stray cat began to stalk my son. Stephen lives on a pretty street near downtown Lexington. When he’d come home from work, the cat would meet him on his porch meowing—begging for a bite to eat or a scratch behind the ears. It wasn’t too long until the cat was inviting itself inside for short visits—kind of getting the lay of the land.
At first Stephen and his girlfriend, Dottie, wondered if the cat had a home—maybe it just liked to hang out with people. They asked around—someone made sure it had water—someone else put out food—but no one claimed it. No one took responsibility. One night, during a phone call, I heard my son call the cat by name, Sister. She was working her way into his heart.
Soon it became apparent that the small-framed, white and black cat had a serious problem. She had no home but she needed one desperately, for she was going to have kittens. Dottie was worried about Sister’s health. She was so tiny and still so young—would she survive delivering kittens? Dottie called various cat care facilities. They advised a termination of the pregnancy and immediate spaying of the stray.
The night before the procedure, Stephen borrowed my Jack Russell’s carrier. The vet said to keep the cat inside overnight so that he wouldn’t have to try and find her in the morning. We were all sad and upset about what was to come for Sister—and all because someone did not care enough to spay/neuter their pet. Sister and her unborn babies would pay the price.
I prayed for Sister before I went to bed that night. I asked God to watch over her, and I apologized for what was to happen to the kittens. I prayed if the little things were meant to be, that God would have nature take its course. “Now is the time to pity her, now is the time you promised to help.” Psalms 102:13
Dottie was up early the next morning so that she could get Sister to the vet before going to work. On the way there, Sister had her first kitten. During the course of the next few hours, she had four more. Her little body was more than up for the strenuous job.
For the time being Sister and her off-spring are living in my basement. They are healthy and cute as can be—three gray and whites and two solid grays. “He ransoms me from death and surrounds me with love and tender mercies.” Psalms 103:4
Sister is a fine mother—happy to be safe, and loved, and fed all that she can eat. Her water bowl is always full and her litter box clean. Twice a day, I give her an oral antibiotic for an upper respiratory infection. She doesn’t like to take it, but she tolerates me, and enjoys the bite of cheese she gets as a reward.
The kittens are up for adoption. Sister will remain in the family. We’ll make sure all are spayed or neutered. It’s the least we can do. “And the King will tell them, ‘I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” Matthew 25:40
What a beautiful story. We also had a cat come to us right after we moved to Ky from Ohio. She adopted my husband the first day we moved in. She also was very young. We didn’t realize at first that she was pregnant. We fed and watered her outside. One day she disappeared and we have a tree house that was left on our property so I went up there to see if she was there and she was with 5 kittens. Two had died the other 3 were living. So I made them a bed and took her some food and water up there, but shortly after that she moved the kittens and we never seen them again. She ended up coming back and we now have her in the house. In fact, she won’t go outside. She is a beautiful cat and loves us and we love her. God knew we needed her as much as she needed us. My husband had a heart attack and she is with him all the time. Great company for him.
Frances, Thank you for this. I love animal rescue stories. What a smart cat she was to pick you and your husband as her forever home.
Jan! That’s the sweetest story ever! God is so good. Wondering what Miss Maggie thinks? See you soon! God bless you. Lovin’ “Tattler’s Branch”!! Excellent. Can’t put it down. Hugs from Louisville…
Maggie is not paying too much attention to all the babies in the basement. We are keeping them separate just in case she mistakes the tiny kittens for tiny squirrels (which she detests.)
Maggie has always liked cats and for the most part they like her. Go figure.
Thanks for your thoughts. I have to tell you that you are a new author to me recommended by our library in Spencer County. I am reading “Tattler’s Branch” but I am going to read all of the rest of them. If “Tattler’s Branch” is as good as it seems, I am sure the others are wonderful also. By working in the library here, I get them first. Thanks for your wonderful books.
Jan and Frances, What sweet kitty rescue stories. I’ve also had the privilege of rescuing God’s critters. Jellie (Angelical) would have been killed by a corn picker if I hadn’t seen her run in front of my car in the twilight. She was only about five weeks old. I’m sure I found her just after she was dumped off—two men drove by me slowly and looked very suspect for doing such a cruel thing. Ben (Obi Wan) was for sale in a pet store at about four weeks old and was getting knocked over by the bigger kittens. I told the manager I was taking the kitten home and not bringing him back. The manager said he was fine with that because he didn’t know anything about kittens anyway. And the list goes on. God indeed cares about the littlest things.
Seems like everyone has a kitty story. My favorite is from a lady I met at Kroger who gave me extra grocery bags–anyway she had a feral car come in through her pet door and have kittens in an old rolled up carpet. This kind lady kept them until they were old enough to take to the Humane Society. 48 hours later she went and got them all back!