July, 2000. Three weeks after Annabelle's rescue from the animal shelter and just a few days after her release from the veterinarian's care....
When I went to the animal shelter that hot June day, my idea was to rescue four kittens and find good homes for them. I had every detail planned out quite well, or so I thought.
This particular shelter houses cats in two different places. Their cat shelter is extremely nice, and the cats here are very adoptable, often having as long as four weeks before they are euthanized.
The other building where the dogs are (the main shelter) is also a brief holding place for ferals and sick cats. These cats have practically no chance at life. They are simply biding their time until they are put down.
I had seen four kittens on a website and I had written their numbers down so that the shelter worker could easily find them. I was hoping that I would wait patiently in the cat shelter while he got the kittens for me.
It was not as simple as I had thought...
Because the cats quite frequently tear the numbers off their cages, the pleasant man who helped me could not find the cats I was looking for.
I had to look in both buildings. I was not as worried about the adoptable cats in the cat shelter. He assured me that they would all probably find good homes and had at least two weeks to live, if not a lot longer. I kept thinking, "Where are those kittens that I had seen the pictures of?"
When he took me into the main shelter, I tried hard not to look at the dogs and puppies there.
The shelter worker pointed to the feral cat run and said, "These are the only other cats we have here."
My heart sank. Within the small confines of the run were at least four very sick looking adult cats and a pile of kittens.
Knowing that I wanted to rescue kittens this time, (but actually wanting to help the adult cats too)I tried to concentrate on the babies in the bunch.
The worker handed me kitten after kitten to hold- nine in all. I did not know what to do. How could I save just four of them? How could I choose which ones to take with me and which ones to leave?
I said, "I'll take them all." The man had a worried look on his face. He stared at me in disbelief, but began putting the kittens into a tiny cat crate.
As the last kitten was crammed into the carrier, I looked back at the run and saw a tiny lump of gray crouched in the corner. She had almost gone unnoticed.
"There is one more in here," I said.
The man walked over to the kitten and pulled her out by the scruff of her neck. She had practically no hair on her head or on her body. Her little bottom was soaking wet. She was pitiful looking. "Oh, you don't want this one. It has mange."
I assured him, "Yes, I do want that one too."
All nine kittens were sent to a local veterinarian for FeLV testing and vaccinations.
Two of those kittens tragically died while at the veterinarians' office.
Four were later placed in good homes.
Annabelle, the little gray kitten who was certainly doomed to die the next day, is one of the most special cats I own. After her ordeal with ringworm, (not mange) she is now a beautiful cat, I must say. From the moment I brought her home, I never intended to adopt her to anyone else. She was mine from the beginning.
I don't know what had happened to her before she came to the shelter. I don't know who had been mean to her, or if she was feral. I'll never know.
For weeks after I brought her home, Annabelle was shy and withdrawn. She would never get in my lap nor would she approach me when I called her.
What changes I've seen in her over the last few months! Not only does she get in my lap now, she is on the bed with me at night and she frequently watches me as I prepare for work. Quiet by nature, that does not stop her from playing with the other cats (roughly, too, I might add!) She has a meow like a Siamese--very loud and deep, and if she wants something, she knows that all she has to do is get in my face and tell me. In truth, I let her "get away" with a little bit more than the other cats who are her age! She is slightly spoiled, but I wouldn't have it any other way!
Annabelle today. (December, 2000)
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