Miss Kitty

Some people reach a point in their lives when they just know “why” they are here. For me, it’s making quilts and caring for cats/kittens, both my own cats and foster felines. And as with all things, there is always that first experience when you don’t know what you are doing, but want to help and are willing to learn – sometimes the hard way.

The “cat rescue thing” started with the above featured feline – Miss Kitty. When I lived in Tampa and managed an entertainment complex in Ybor City, this mysterious black cat lived in the alley between the buildings, and we would occasionally get a glimpse of her as she disappeared behind a fence. One day as I attempted to feed her, two smaller black cats showed up, and we soon realized they were her adolescent kittens. We began to feed all three of them, and had the two kittens spay/neutered, but not before Miss Kitty gave birth to another litter of kittens. What to do? I didn’t know a thing about cat rescue nor what it involved, but with the help of the Humane Society of Tampa, I was able to contact a great feline rescue organization – Cat Call of Brandon, FL – and they took the kittens (except one – Kali, who lives with my friend, Irene). But we needed to get Miss Kitty spayed, and quick. Again, I reached out to my new friends at the Humane Society of Tampa, and took advantage of the wonderful services at their Spay/Neuter Clinic. But one thing led to another, and pretty soon, I was volunteering with Cat Call to organize spay/neuter schedules with three separate facilities, clean adoption cages at Petsmart in St. Pete (FL), and fostering more kittens that I could physically handle. But every day, I knew I made a difference – helping a cat or kitten to find a new home where it would be loved and cared for, hopefully for the rest of their lives. In December 2005, I made the hard decision to stop volunteering in cat rescue so I could get back my quilting; I realized that I simply could not do both at the same time, and do them well. But . . . I’ve since started fostering kittens for the Dawson County Humane Society, and I love it. Watching these little “bottle babies” grow up, develop personalities, and prepare themselves for their new homes is so rewarding!

That’s why when I visited Tampa a couple of weekends ago, I went back toYbor City, and called out to Miss Kitty, who still lives in the alley (local residents now care for her). She heard my voice, responded with a hearty “meow”, and came running through the alley to see me. She rubbed my legs, and let me pick her up and hold her for awhile. Then, true to her nature, she jumped down, gave me one last look, and off she went through the fence again. Until next time, Miss Kitty . . .