An Unexpected Furry Friend

Yesterday, I made an unexpected friend in a little lost calico kitten.  Everyone in my office saw it hiding beneath our Head Accountant's car first thing in the morning.  For some unknown reason, it took a fancy to me and scampered over as soon as I set foot in the parking lot.  Mewing, "Help me!  Help me!" incessantly, the kitten tried to follow me into the office.  It then spent the morning pawing at the window by my desk, squishing its face against the glass and meowing pathetically.  As much as I wanted to let the poor thing inside, it's out of my jurisdiction to allow strays into our building.  Fortuitously for the kitten, one of our nicest clients saw it, brought it in, and plopped it on my lap saying, "I think it wants your help."  And even the Head Accountant won't say "No" to our clients!

 

Kitten says, "Oooh!  I want to play with the camera!"

 

This is not the first time a lost animal has latched onto me.  Last summer (and to my terror), a big Pitbull followed me home while I was walking my dog.  Thank goodness, she turned out to be really sweet and did not want to eat my little Cavapoo or myself.  We gave it water, called some shelters, and brought it to a rescue center (where she was ultimately found by her owners--hooray for happy endings!)  Likewise, I put the kitten in our spare conference room, gave it part of my lunch, and took it home at the end of the day.

 

I think animals must be able to smell my bleeding heart from a mile away and know I won't turn them down.  This little kitten sparked an interesting conversation with the other employees in my office.  Like I said, everyone saw it, but I was the only one it chose to beg for assistance.  One person said they saw it and thought, "Ew--a mangy cat is hanging around the building."  Another said they had hoped it would go away so they wouldn't have to think about it.  A third employee said his wife was just like me and would have wanted to help it--or made him help it!  And one not-so-compassionate person said they couldn't have cared less if it was run over in the parking lot.  (The horror!)  Apparently, that nice client and I are in the minority of people who opt to help a critter in need.  This rather surprised me.  My insides turned to mush at the sight of an adorable, helpless kitten; other people welcomed its extermination.  All I can say is there must be a pheromone or vibe or something that makes animals run to me instead of someone who happily envisions them as roadkill!

 

So what happened to my kitten friend?  If it weren't for my allergies and the fact we already have a dog and two ferrets (one of which is quite possibly the world's most expensive ferret), we would have kept the little guy in a heartbeat.  (Even my hubby melted for it--and he doesn't like cats!)  I made a few calls to see if any of my friends would possibly want it, then hubby and I took it to the Capital Area Humane Society to check for a microchip.  Since they had room and we didn't want to risk our ferret, Link, picking up any unknown germs (now that he is FINALLY healthy again), we decided to leave the kitten at the shelter.   Hopefully, some sweet little girl will call looking for her lost pet.  (Wouldn't that be nice?)  If not, it will go up for adoption pending a health and temperament exam.  The darling was so cute and friendly, we know it will find a home in no time.  (If you want an adorable calico kitten, you should keep your eye on the shelter's website!)

 

Hubby had a grand time making fun of my bleeding heart all night long, but I feel better knowing the kitten is in good hands.  It only took a portion of my lunch, a few phone calls, and a drive to the shelter to make a difference in one animal's life.  I probably won't learn what happens to it from here, but at least I know it wasn't smushed by a car, swept into a storm drain, or eaten by a hawk.  And that, to me, is worth it.

 

Do you have a bleeding heart, too?  I'd love to hear your rescue stories!