Picture it: June 6, 2025. You’re working from home and you hear a high squeal. Thinking it’s a bird, you take a peak outside but don’t really think much about it. A few hours you hear it again, and then you look outside and see the tiniest kitten on someone’s patio.
The person in this story, is me. And the kitten I speak of is Princess Lady Godiva Annie Giselle Piaget Knowles Carter IV.
“That lady, lady she’s the man. I think I got a master plan.” Olivia Dean
Our apartments have a lot of strays that I feed, so it isn’t a shocker when another one joins the colony. Because of Beaux, I didn’t think about adding another cat and they never came inside the home.
Lady was different. She was so alone and rough looking, crying in the summer heat and my heart said I had to rescue her.
“I’m taking her to the shelter, but I will not bring her home.”
We went to PetSmart where I bought Kitten Lac, a few toys and some kitten food to get her started, and a carrier fit for a guinea pig. She was that tiny.
After calling shelters with no answer at all or no room, I took a deep breath sitting in my car trying to figure out what to do.
I can’t take her in…can I?
As soon as the thoughts flooded, she stretched out on my lap, stretching out her tiny paw-beans, and closed her eyes as to say, “I am home.”
“Dammit, yes you are cutie pie. You’re mine and Imma stick beside ya.”
After a year, here are a few things I’ve learned
- Boundaries
If they want to be left alone, leave them alone. When they want you to pet their head, pet their head. They make the rules. - They are picky
For someone that doesn’t have a job and brings in no income, it’s funny how they stick their nose up at the wrong cat food. Ma’am, I saved you from the streets! Be grateful! …OK, I’ll go get the food you want. - You are on their schedule
Heaven forbid I feed her five minutes late. The demanding meows are indeed demanding. Sorry, I had to go to the bathroom - Closed doors are a big no
The closet door? Must be open. Bathroom door? Open. No door should be closed. On a personal note this really bothers my spirit, especially when I’m trying to go to sleep - You will become that cat parent
You’re obsessed with cats. You research their habits, you take photos of their little sleep positions, you want them to be in your space all the time and are sad when they are, “Done with you.”
Lady wasn’t meant to live with me…or maybe she was. After I lost Bunzy and adopted Beaux, I figured I was good on pets. But the little scruffy Tortie on the patio made a cry that I heard. I’m happy I answered.
