a stray cat leaves kittens in your barn. This is the type of thing that never happened to me when I was growing up in a house in a neighborhood. Random creatures taking up residence? How unusual, and fun! We once had a possum that liked to live on our porch eating our cats’ food and sleeping in the cats’ beds. But more on that another time.
One day in late June, we found 7 kittens on a shelf in our boys’ barn. We did play with them, they were irrestistible. They also had fleas and were tiny so we found a box, put towels in it, put the kittens back in the box, and left some food and water for mom. Later momma cat did come back and she stayed in the box with them for a day or so. Then she moved the kittens. My children were heartbroken. We kept an eye out for them but never saw them again. Until…
About ten days later, I was having a conversation with our farm manager and we heard a loud meowing coming from under the machine shed. Out comes this adorable and very scraggly orange kitten. One of my girls had been telling me that she was dreaming of getting an orange kitten. Poof! Like at Disney World, wishes do come true!
We have been through a lot with this little one. We’ve had him since he was about 4 weeks old. His mom and littermates were never found. He’s a hoodlum, decidedly naughty and wild, but he’s now a part of the family. He should have made a terrific barn cat. He was practically born in a barn, but after enjoying life in air conditioning, he informs us that he is strictly an inside kitty and has no intention of being content with life “out there”. So much for my allergies.
Note to self: buy stock in company that makes Claritin.
