Kitty ---Just When I Needed Her Most

Finally, after many failed attempts, I caught this image of Kitty. Most every morning when she hears me opening blinds, she races to the railing just outside the door and perches precariously waiting for the blinds at her window to open.

And, on Wednesday, November 13, 2019, I was able to photograph this sweet and loving kitty. What a pleasure it is to share it with you.

Little Kitty is so very smart. She had lead me to believe she was this forlorn and abandoned kitty that no one cared about. Just a few days ago I discovered she is actually the kitty of my neighbors across the street. She kept that a secret from me as she never came to visit me from their home. It was only by accident that I discovered it. My next door neighbor and I were chatting one day and Kitty appeared. We both adored her and I told her she is not my kitty. She nodded and smiled. And went on to tell me that she actually is their kitty and she pointed across the street!!!

I have told them I am not trying to steal her and they are fine with me loving on her. She spends quite a bit of time here now----sleeping on my front step or on top of my car. I still say this is a Kitty who came just when we needed each other most.

Alone. Lonely. Just needing someone to come along and love me. When I was a wee kitten, I awoke one morning to find my Momma was nowhere to be seen and she just did not come home again, ever. I do not know what could have happened to her but very early in my life I began to believe it was me against the world. Horrible things began to happen. I was thirsty and hungry and alone---did I already say that? Day turned to night and while I am able to see very well at night when you are just newly no longer a suckling kitten, everything is strange and brand new and very frightening.

For many times of the sun coming up and going down. I survived by hunting whatever small, fast-moving critters I could find. (I find out now they are called 'ro-dents' or something like that.) My home was in high, dry grasses, under sheds, under porches...anywhere I could find shelter from down-pouring rain or heat so hot that my paws felt they would bubble up and burst even in sand.

Danger comes, even now, in many sizes and forms. The heat and rain and wind are my every day challenges. Those I have become prepared to face. There are others that frighten me much more. There are other Felines who, like me are homeless and have no special One to care for them. And rather than embracing me and offering to be my Comrades they usually offer hisses and spit at me. If that does not get the message over to me, they will quickly smack and scratch at me!!

One thing I became was fearless. Maybe not fearless...maybe I became more alert, overly cautious, always looking around in case danger was near.

The Felines usually are about the same size I am so while they can spell danger, they are not as fearsome as some other critters I encounter. There are the stray dogs, too. Sadly, some of them are pushed out of those boxes with wheels that hurry up and down our street. That leaves them sad and lonely and hungry, too. Some befriend me. Most do not.

The night is filled with many strange creatures. Beautiful, sleek four-legged ones often travel in twos and threes or more. Some say they are called Deer. I have not found them to cause fear within me but they are very alert and move quickly and stealthily to avoid the Humans.

Rarely but once in a while very large brown fuzzy creatures stumble out of the woods and down the street looking for trash cans to pummel, searching for food. I have not gotten very close to these massive characters which some Felines say are called Bears. I did see a small one playing in the path where those boxes with wheels travel. I smiled as he played and was relieved when I saw those boxes with wheels slow down until the young one moved off the path.

There are many other critters but most of those to do not cause me to be fearful. You know, I am very curious by nature. So when I saw a long piece of curled up food lying in the road, I had to explore. Sidling up to it, my paws reached out and poked at it. Much to my surprise, it moved! lt was alive! It raised its little head and began moving it back and forth at me. I was not afraid. I played with it for a bit and I think it got tired of the game. It scurried off the path and into weeds. Silly me. Of course, I followed. We continued our game for a while and decided we had both had enough and we both went on our merry way. That was the first day I saw my Padi.

Yes. I first spied my Padi that day. She came down the path in one of those boxes with wheels. I guess watching me with that food that I now know as a Snake caught her eye. She sat and watched us until we went into the tall weeds. I did not see her any more that day and did not really meet her for many rising and setting suns.

The way I met her was kind of sneaky. She spends a LOT of time working on her yard. The last of the dried leaves needed to be raked and bagged. I saw her from my little spot in the tall, dry grasses across the street. I could help with that. Sort of. She would rake them into a nice, big pile and bend down to scoop them up and put them in a bag. I would bat at her hand and of course she batted back. This was a great little game. She would finally be allowed to place a few of the leaves in the bag.

The second part to the leaf game was probably more fun than the first part. She would rake the leaves into a nice, fluffy pile and that was my signal. Slither up inside of that pile and hide myself, almost. She would laugh out loud and shoo me out. But just that fast, I would scurry back into the middle of her neatly raked leaves. When she bent down to pick up a handful, once again I would bat at her gently. She would just smile and say, "You are so playful." This game would continue for a while and I heard her mumble something like---"this is like the game "Where's Waldo?" when you look at the photos." Even now I have no clue what she meant by that. After a while she would take a break and I would wander off to chase a leaf that the wind had caught. This was really the beginning of our friendship.

The next time I saw her in the yard, I raced over to visit. I followed her all over the yard as she watered her flowers and plants. I tried not to trip her but she often fussed at me and still does about trying to make her fall. I really am just loving on her---not trying to make her fall. One thing that she does that I really do not like is when she goes to the small box without wheels around back, opens it, and brings out a tiny box on wheels that has no cover---I think she says she will be doing something to the grass in her yard with it. Anyway I do not like it and even before she makes it rumble with a big noise, I have taken off. That spoils my visiting time for the morning with her.

Each time I visit her ever since that first day, I make sure to speak sweetly and look as adorable as I possibly can. I can be a bit of a nuisance I think. She fusses at me in a gentle voice each time she tries to go in the door away from me. You see, I do not want her to leave me outside. One morning she left the door open a bit and I went right in. The door closed behind me and I could not get out. I heard her calling "Kitty, Kitty" and then she opened the door and out I ran. Now I still want to go in but often will just stick my head in and peer around to see what I can see. I am not welcome inside. But I think I belong to her somewhat. Because...

The reason I think I belong to her is that she began to give me treats each time I appeared. Only a few pieces but it was something. Many times I had not eaten for a long while and the treat tasted mighty good. After the sun had risen and set numerous times, a small dish appeared on her carport. And usually two times a day she places delicious food in it for me to enjoy. And she has a special water bucket just for me that she fills with fresh water each day. I am stealing her heart away.

Sometimes she will open her door and look around I hear her say "Kitty, kitty, kitty---where are you kitty?" I think, no, I know that "Kitty" has got to be me!!! I have a name----I am KITTY. If I happen to be nearby, I race across the yard so she can adore me. One of the times I arrive, she sits down on a step to pet me. At this time she says, "Little Kitty, it is time for a proper introduction. You can call me Padi or Meow Meow or whatever you feel like. I will be here for you whenever you choose to visit."

Padi will tell this part of the story--- So you have met Kitty. Admittedly Kitty really has nuzzled her way into my life. I have been unable to keep my Milo kitty and my pup, Gretta, at this home. They both have happy homes and I miss them so much. I do see Milo as he lives with my daughter. I see videos and photos of Gretta---she lives on a farm with other pups and is so happy. This makes me very happy. But I do miss having the two of them. And when Kitty showed up I tried to ignore her because I did not want to lose my heart again. Ignoring did not work----my heart belongs to Kitty.

Each morning as I open my door, I anticipate seeing Kitty racing toward me from across the road or lounging casually in her chair. Yes, she has a chair. I found some really inexpensive cushions to place in the chairs on the carport. They really are for Kitty and she discovered them quickly. She has selected one to lounge in some part of most days. There are days when I look out and she is neither on the front step nor in her chair. She is not racing toward me from the tall, high grasses just across the way. Several times throughout the day, I look for her. When I am working in the yard, I am on alert, thinking she may sidle up to me at any time. But no. No Kitty. Sometimes it is 2 days before she will appear. I wonder----where can she be? When she does show up, she is always ravenous. Food is provided and she munches as if she has not eaten since she saw me last. No fussing at her about her absence---just reassuring her that I am delighted she is back. Her absences are growing less frequent now----that makes me smile

Our lives are sometimes complex and messy But we choose our battles and find what makes us happy ---- what brings us joy. Just when I needed it most, Kitty showed up and brightens my every day. Secretly Kitty has told me that I kind of make her happy too. How blessed we are---just when we needed each other, the universe has brought us together. How blessed we are.