And Then There Were Six
It was love at first sight, Two weeks after he was born. A Crème
colored kitten, with white little mittens. Part of a gang of five to a first
time mom Three grey with white mittens the last an orange tiger like our Tom
They would tumble and play five balls of fuzz on four legs. Then
curl up together to sleep in the shade of an Iris patch. With each day we
watched as their personalities began to show the three grays, shy and timid The
Crème and orange were always game.
It didn’t take long to give him a name Crème sickle we called
him on that very first day, and which for us is quite rare, it’s still the name
he has today.
While the smallest of the litter He was fast and brave. He’d
tangle with his older cousins; Even Street Fighter was fair game. And a feeding
time, he was never lame, for he sat in the middle of the bowl, atop the food,
and ate both his and the others food.
Twice we had him in our arms hoping to find him a home sadly
each time ended the same Back home with us he came. Then his siblings were all
caught and taken to a foster home .And suddenly Crème sickle had only his mommy
at home. Actually that’s not quite true, since he had four older cousins, plus
three who were new. He’d sleep with the little ones, where he now ruled, and
wrestle and play with his older cousins throughout the day.
We brought him in to see how he would fare with the five we
already had in here.
The older two were fine it seemed like they didn’t care. But the
younger three; definitely Didn’t want him in their place. The youngest of all actually
displayed anger and hate; which for her was a never seen trait. So back out he went once again with his
cousins to play.
So back out he went, with his cousins in the pride, shunned at
first from the smell of inside. But
granted a spot by the mother of three, to suckle and bond with the other three.
Fully back in the pride, and free to play, be they younger or older, they were
all fair game. Even Street Fighter, whose health had turned for the worst, let Crème
Sickle cuddle, if not actually play. And
at feeding time, he was on his game, right in the middle of the bowl, sitting
atop the food.
Then a plan was hatched to trap the little ones, and send them
to foster homes so they could be adopted, and have a home. The others, we would then catch, and
Neuter or Spay, then back to here where they could stay. Poor Crème Sickle was the first to get put in
a cage; and a plan for his cousin Bullseye; to join him for the day. Except Bullseye had other plans, as my wife
soon found. With her bleeding and scratched Bullseye dashed her plans.
Little Crème Sickle spent the night in the cage, not very happy
you could easily say. But Street Fighter
might have actually been beyond number 9, so off to the vet, knowing full well
he wouldn’t be coming home. Back home we
did come with an ach in our hearts, but knowing we had done the right thing, for
he was now pain free.
I opened the garage, and there was Crème Sickle looking and
crying at Sue and me. One look at each other and we knew what to do. The
trapping plan was on hold, but Crème Sickle wasn’t going free. Instead he was
coming back inside with Sue and me. And
together we would take more time to let the other five agree.
With the two oldest it was an ease, Tom is so laid back and easy
going, and Sweet Pea, played Mr. Mom to the other three. Pip followed suit,
when he realized Crème Sickle liked to play.
The two girls were the tough ones, filled with hisses and growls, and
the occasional deep guttural groan.
Five days and nights have passed, and Crème Sickle likes his new
home. Big brothers with he can both sleep and play, and two older sister, who
while they don’t hiss and growl as much, are like older sisters everywhere, and
wish that little brother might simply go away.
©August 24, 2014
RDN
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