Jun 17 2008
An Abandoned Kitten
Today on the way home from my doctor’s appointment, I was just about to board the light rail (part of our public transportation system) when I heard a kitten cying: “Mew! Mew! Mew!!” I couldn’t ignore those little cries for help, so I ran to where the little kitten was, and found a couple of other people also trying to help the kitten.
While one guy called around to Animal Control, I sat on the ground and got the kitten to come over to me. I picked him up; he was so tiny, he fit in the palm of my hand. He was a solid black kitten someone had abandoned at the light rail station, leaving the kitten there to die.
With my great love for cats, I just cannot fathom why anyone would leave a kitten near train tracks, where he could so easily be killed. Even if someone didn’t want him or couldn’t take care of him, there are so many other ways to make sure a kitty has a good home these days that it simply breaks my heart to know that someone didn’t see that kitten as a valuable creature.
I held the kitten close to me and talked to him while another guy tried to find something to put some water in for the kitten to drink. We all knew the kitten was starving and likely dehydrated. However, when we tried to get the kitten to drink, he wouldn’t do so, probably because he still needs to be fed with an eyedropper or bottle.
I sat on the ground continuing to talk to the crying kitty, and thought about what to do. I wanted to take him home with me very much, but I knew my two adult cats might eat him for breakfast (I mean this in a joking way). Seriously, though, I wasn’t sure my two adult cats would appreciate a tiny kitten in the house. Kitty definitely tugged at my heart strings. I decided not to go anywhere until I knew the kitten was going to a safe place.
In the end, Animal Control said they wouldn’t be able to pick the kitten up for another three hours, and I was honestly glad, because I didn’t know what they would do with the tiny kitty. One of the guys said he’d take the tiny kitty to the animal shelter, where I knew they would not euthanize the kitten unless he was very very ill, and while the kitten has an eye infection, the animal shelter should be able to take care of him and nurture him back to health pretty easily.
Still, I worry about what is going to happen to that tiny kitty.
Have you ever found yourself in such a situation? If so, how did you handle it? If not, what do you think you would do?
This is like a deja vu for me! I was in a very similar situation about 15 years ago, but instead of an abandoned kitten, I found a stray. We had lots of them near where I lived. I found a three-week-old black kitten sitting in a puddle outside my building. My mom didn’t like cats, and I thought she’d probably throw the both of us out, but I took her inside, gave her a flea bath (which apparently was the wrong thing to do, but she survived it) and kept her. My mom was really mad at first, but the cat soon grew on her. (She was such an adorable kitten!) She was with me until a few years ago when she had kidney problems and had to be euthanized. But she had a good life & she is still missed. So, short answer, I would probably have taken the kitty home.
That’s a really sweet story! Thanks so much for sharing it with me! I’m sorry to hear about your kitty dying, but I’m so glad that you could love her for so long.
Loved your story. I’m sure someone will take kitty home. We rescued a dog once and fell in love - ended up keeping her.
Jen @
happyfibrofamily.today.com
Aren’t pets just wonderful?! Thanks for sharing, Jen!