Since Abigail hasn't been here for too long most of you know about her story but we will gladly tell it again.
The neighbor that lived across the street from me was also leaving out food for any strays. She had several that hung out at her house only. The middle of last year she moved away, but told me that she would be taking the cats with her. NOT!!!! She left me several cats and a pregnant female. Since this is about Abigail I won't get into how I feel about this woman.
So my outside porch kitties grew in number. I had only been feeding a couple of very feral males up to this point. Now I had three new semi-feral females that weren't fixed. I am currently working on that problem with the shelter.
The beautiful dilute calico started coming to eat and soon had three little ones tagging along with her. I swear the number three must be the number in my neighborhood! Since they were still so tiny and momma wasn't totally freaked by my presence I was able to touch two of them while they were eating. Number three wasn't interested in me at all! She bolted everytime she saw me. The little gray kitten didn't look so good to me. She was much smaller than the other two but I thought maybe she was just a runt. I saw them nursing on the porch all the time so I knew she was getting milk and the food that I put out. I didn't see them everytime I fed but usually several times a week.
One evening I saw them across the street. The little buff baby was limping on his front leg and the little gray kitten was having trouble keeping up. She walked with her back end all tucked under and her tail was pulled tightly up against her belly. I knew something was wrong. I couldn't get close to them while they were out in the yard so I knew I would have to wait until they were busy eating.
The next morning I got up and went to feed. I saw the babies on the porch. Before I took out the food I ran and got the cage, and set it up with all the necessities. Now hubby is still asleep at this point and has no idea what I'm up too. I was doing all this at record speed because I didn't want the babies to take off before I got out there. I whipped up their breakfast and headed for the door. I didn't even stop long enough to get dressed! I was in a T-shirt gown that went barely to my knees. Hubby hears all the ruckus I'm making and gets up. I pass him on my way out to the porch but I still say nothing. My bare feet hit the porch and I'm only wearing my gown, but the babies are still there. I put the food down and squat beside the plate. I know if they are hungry enough they will come to eat while I'm there. The little gray one came to the plate and she was barely able to lift her back end and walk.
Hubby had seen the cage set up and the look on my face as I went out the door and got curious/nervous? He was now standing in the door to see what I was up to. I pulled up the bottom of my gown to form a pouch, picked up the baby and quickly put her in there and rolled up my gown some more so she had no escape. Now my undies are exposed, I have a wild kitten rolled up in my gown, and I'm running towards the door. Hubby's eyes were huge!!!I yell "open the door!" He does, I run to the cage and deposit my little prize, and run back outside to repeat the process with the little buff kitten.
I was very fortunate that neither kitten fought at all. The minute I put them into that little pouch all was calm. Thank goodness cause that would have hurt! Now you guys know why the neighbors think I'm the crazy cat lady!!!
Upon closer inspection of the little gray kitten I realized that she was starving to death. She was infested with fleas and was nothing more than fur covered bone. The little buff baby was extremely tiny too but looked great next to her. She was so frail and sickly that she really didn't care what I did to her. She seemed to have only sadness in her eyes and very little life sparkle.
Now hubby is just watching and I looked at him and said "I will find them a home (I did!) but they are sick and she is going to die if I don't intervene. I need you to go to the store and don't come back without chicken baby food, kitten milk, and kitten chow, ok?" He walked to the cage and picked up the little tiny girl. She wasn't even a handfull and he said "Ok".
So the healing began. She was so far down that she took weeks to get her up and running again. I really wasn't sure she would survive. It was the look in her eye that concerned me. No sparkle or fire there at all! Not normal for a little kitten.
After a few days we went for the bath. I knew the fleas were sucking what little life she had right out of her. This did not go so well! I knew she would be terrified but I was going to do it quickly. I got everything set up. Towels were heating up in the dryer and I had hubby standing by with the camera. Had to have pictures for PT you know!
Right after that last picture she jerked really hard and seemed to pass out! She went totally lifeless with her eyes wide open. Hubby dropped the camera and said "Oh my God you've killed her!" I was screaming for him to get the warm towels, and the tears were welling up. I was frantically rubbing her and trying to get her moving. Hubby ran in with the warm towel and we wrapped her in it. He sat down with her muttering "Oh poor baby, come on little one, wake up baby girl" stuff like that and now the tears over flow for me. He's rubbing her, I'm rubbing her, and keeping warm towels coming from the dryer. Finally, she started moving a little. Now all this took only a couple of minutes but it felt like an eternity! I'm guessing that she fainted. Leave it to me to have a fainting cat!
The rest of the story is simply watching her come to life and steal the heart of her daddy. Plenty of food, Advantage for fleas (no more baths!) and tons of love did the trick. She finally began to play and grow.
Abigail is still a little squirt. I don't think she is going to be very big ever. She plays long and hard with her brother. She has a lot of lost time to make up. We commonly refer to her as the little gray bullet! she can be extremely loving and makes the best "sucky face" of any of them. When she wants lovin she gets in your lap and rolls around with the most pathetic look on her face. She purrs so loud and drools like a mad dog during these sessions. Thats the "sucky face" stuff!
When she is not playing she is the most delicate, dainty, and prissy little thing.
Here is our sleepy little "meatloaf for one" today.
Well that's the story of our baby girl Abigail.
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..even the bath sequence because I know the outcome!! I have also met the lil stinker and know that "silver bullet" action
...for those *temporary* rescues of course.
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