Fourth of July Kitty!

After we watched the spectacular local fireworks display, my boyfriend Ted & I decided to drive by the Cal Water Office to drop our payment in the night slot on the way home. Upon entering the drive, Ted starting yelling, "Stop, Stop!" so I put on the brakes. There was a TINY kitten in the middle of the driveway that I hadn't even seen, just frozen there. It didn't move. I waited for it to run away but it remained. I finally urged Ted to get out & get it. When he got all the way up to it, it ran. I pulled in the parking lot, got out to drop my payment, pulled back around & got out to find Ted, sitting cross-legged, holding the kitten. He was a tragic little orange bag of bones. We looked around the whole small "strip mall" (it's one Papa Murphy's take & bake pizza, The Cal Water office & an Engineering Office surrounded by some flowers with a few parking spots,) but couldn't find any sign of a nearby litter, (there are groups of feral cats that thrive several blocks over by the banks, but they are usually a lot healthier.) We both decided quickly that he needed our help & we took him home. He was surprisingly calm in the car & in our home. He seemed very good-natured & of course I started falling for him instantly. We bathed him in warm water without too much difficulty, (I got just a few scratches on my wrist,) cleaned his ears & he ate like a champ, (we have a three-year old cat so we have a lot of treats, wet & dry food & even toys & bedding around.)

The next day I called the Animal Hospital & alerted them that we had found a lost kitten. I didn't want to take him to the other animal hospital which serves as the "pound" because it's not as clean or nice & they really have their hands full with so many strays. Anyway, the folks at the AH told us to use some regular Dawn blue dish soap to bathe him to get rid of more fleas so I bought some & it worked pretty good. Fleas were jumping ship as we poured the soapy water on him - it was really gross! He was still pretty covered, though, so we had to wait for our appointment at 2:15 on Friday the 6th to get him completely free of his infestation. The Nurses took his temperature, weighed him, (he is one pound, one ounce,) & then the Doctor soaked him with Frontline spray & all the rest of the fleas abandoned him. We have an appointment in two weeks two get him wormed & get some shots. He is already so much happier to have all the fleas gone. He was frolicking so much more & sleeping more peacefully the afternoon after his Vet appointment.

We have an enclosed screened porch & the weather is very warm during the days & cool at night so he is staying out there now. He has a radio, a couch, a kitty bed, food, water, toys, & we go out there & stay with him & open the doors to the back yard during the day, (he has the litter box for the night time.) As soon as our cat, Butters, gets more used to him, (she's a bit hissy so far,) we will start bringing him into the house more & try to house train him better. He is so smart he was already alerting us when he needed to go. I think he will be a great addition to our family. We have been tossing around names: Nico & Landon are the frontrunners so far but we are open to any suggestions. He is just so precious, lovable, mellow & has a wonderful personality for one who has had such a rough start. I feel very lucky & fortunate that I decided to go pay my water bill so late at night & that Ted yelled for me to stop & I didn't run over that poor little kitty. Everything happened so perfectly by chance. He really needed some people to love & take care of him. I feel so happy & emotional seeing his progress, even just over a couple of days. He looks so much better. He's happier & he's healthier. He's fun. It might seem silly to some people, but this really makes me feel good. It feels good to be needed.