When Lucy was barely four weeks old, her mother, Mrs. Rachael Littleface, moved her kittens. But, she left little Lucy by my front door. I kept watching, waiting for Rachael to come back. Lucy was in bad shape; eyes glued shut, nose completely clogged by mucus. After about an hour, Rachael came back, looked at Lucy, then looked me right in the eyes for a long moment...and then turned and walked away. I figured she was telling me, "She's sick and I can't heal her. I know you can...take her." So I did. This isn't the first time a feral mother has brought her kitten to me for help.
I brought Lucy inside, cleaned her up and then took her to the vet. They said she had both a viral infection and a bacterial infection and was dehydrated. They kept her overnight. It was so, SO hard to leave her there, but I knew they'd take good care of her. The next day, I brought her home and she was on various meds for a couple of weeks. (That's her dad's hand by her above).
Her appetite was good, and by six weeks old she was playing happily with her favorite toys in the kitchen.
But, Lucy was a bit of an angry little girl at first. She would bite and sometimes scratch when I would try to hold her. After a few days of this, I figured out she didn't like being held, but if I would sit down and put her on my lap, she would tolerate being petted.
Eventually I noticed she would sit up when she wanted me to put her on my lap. Progress! I still had to be careful and watch her body language for clues to her mood. When her tail started twitching at its very end, I knew I would have to put her down on the floor quickly or she would turn on me.
When she was old enough (eight weeks) to meet her siblings (that's Max, who adores her), I think she figured out that human moms are not for playing roughly with...
But to be loved. And she knows I love her...and that my lap is the most comfortable place to sleep! I think the smile on her face says it all...
This is heart melting, Victoria - I shed more than a few tears.
ReplyDeleteThat she came to you, after being abandoned by her mother touched my heart deep down. I feel deeply for those (humans and animals) who have been rejected by their parents.
That it was your door she was left at, was no accident for sure.
Lucy would surely have not survived otherwise.
So wonderful to see her progress in pictures. And to know that she is loved so much in her forever home.
Thank you for this post, I needed it.
Lucy is adorable. It is great cats know they can come to you for help. I have a friend like that, two sets of pregnant feral cats have had their babies in her property as if they knew that she would take care of it. Which she did, she rehomed all the babies. She had to take up the floorboards in the garage to get to one that was stuck underneath once!
ReplyDeleteVicki, I don't think Rachael rejected Lucy; I think Rachael was smart and loving enough to give her to me because she knew I could help Lucy. Rachael is a wonderful mother and she has given me her sick kittens before, while keeping and raising her healthy ones. I don't think Lucy understood that, though. I think she thought she'd been abandoned by her mom and that's why she was so angry at first. She missed her mom and her siblings, but I'm sure Rachael knew that Lucy would die if I didn't help her. But I, too, feel deeply for those who have been rejected by their mother; I know nothing must hurt more than not being loved by the one being on earth who is supposed to love you more than anyone else.
ReplyDeleteLaura, I think your friend is a super person!
A lovely story!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Miss Vicki.
ReplyDeleteI think animals have a sixth sense about people. Rachel obviously knows she can count on you. My daughter would so love you for taking care of Lucy. She absolutely loves cats.
ReplyDeleteLaurie, I think you'e right about animals sixth sense. Blessings to your daughter for being a cat lover...and you, too, you obviously raised her right! :)
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