the great kitten rescue extravaganza

So this wee abandoned little kitten had been creeping around my neighborhood for a few days, crying it's fluffy heart out. And I kept trying to go out there and approach it, but the tiny dood was so terrified that he'd stay across the street from me at all times, just standing there, shivering & crying. It was too sad. This kitty didn't stand a chance in our notoriously cat-danger-filled area- dangerous Montana Street traffic... free-roaming pitbulls... crazy-mean old tomcats... and even a cat-poisoning neighbor... kittens don't last long here, sadly. So I knew I had to rescue the kitteh or he had a slim chance at survival.

He eluded me for a whole frustrating day. No amount of coaxing would let me get near him. I'd approach, he'd run away, I'd go back inside and soon would hear him crying outside my window again, I'd go back outside, repeat cycle.

Then I realized we had a can of tuna. Lightbulb! I went across the street and from there, left stinky dollops of tuna leading back to my yard like a fishy E.T. Reese's Pieces trail. Keep in mind I was doing this at about 1:30 in the morning, it's a wonder I didn't get carted away to the mental ward. Again. Haha. It worked- he came right into the yard, but then he still wouldn't come within arm's reach. At least he was getting closer. This went on for awhile... until I ran out of tuna and he ran off again. I was beginning to feel like the guy in I Am Legend (the book not the Will Smith flick), in that part with the stray dog. Frustration!

A little later in the night, I heard the dalmation out back barking it's monster head off. Immediately I thought uhoh, and hustled outside to find- yep- the none other than the orphan kitten... cornered by the gigantic houndzilla. Somehow, I had to move fast with Spideylike skills and grab the little guy, pluck him into the air and away from the dog drooling/barking an inch from his face, and get him inside... so I just went for it! And got myself gouged by the freaked-out kitten like 3-4 times in the process.

So I took him inside, and (after cleaning up all the blood- mine that is, ha) I fed him, gave him water, and cleaned him up. And he was ADORABLE... fluffy white with big blue eyes and fitting right in the palm of my hand. He even calmed down pretty quickly. I could tell right away that he was a really mellow, sweet cat. I had him purring within 5 minutes. But I couldn't keep the little bugger... so I used the power of Myspace and sent out a bulletin about the orphaned kitty...





















In an answer to my wishes, quickly I got a message from a friend whose brother might be interested, and, it turned out, WAS interested in adopting the kitteh cat. Yay!

So I dropped him off at his new home this afternoon, and he has an awesome new family. Total cat people, and I can tell that kinda stuff *wink* He seemed to dig them right away, too... burying his face in their cat's food right away without shame, and later cuddling up and making muffins in their arms. And best of all he was a birthday gift for a very adorable little girl, showing that sometimes, timing really is everything.

Tonight it's quiet outside, no pitiful kitten cries in the air, and that makes me smile. Bigtime.