left behind

The kittens were safely dropped off at the Humane Society, the trap returned. It was such a relief to have the 3-day rescue operation over with, I was even in a good mood about going to the elementary school open house and seeing all the other parents I normally avoid. School events are great opportunities to teach the kids about one of my favorite things: the Irish Goodbye. Before the other families even got to their cars, we were halfway home and high-fiving. And then I glanced out the window at the rescue site and saw a kitten sniffing at the remains of the dead cat (which I did not move, because it kept the kittens in one spot and also I am a massive weenie). WE MISSED ONE. I pulled the car over, found a piece of garbage to serve as a dish, and dumped out my water bottle so she'd have something to drink until I could get back.

All evening I sat in the bushes with a rudimentary trap made out of a carrier rigged with string, but the kitten was too cautious to step inside to get the food. Gave up when it got too dark and the drug dealers started cruising slowly up and down the road, probably thinking about fire-bombing my car.

In the morning I was back at it with the carrier, and again the little cat was too scared to go inside. I came home for lunch, tired and frustrated. Mike felt sorry for me and bought a humane trap at Home Depot while picking up lumber for the deck. I hurried back to the road and found a drug dealer sitting in my spot, maybe thinking I had established the new pickup location. I pulled up right behind him and got out, and he panicked and sped away. I win.

 

The trap worked in less than 10 minutes. 

This little kitten is the sweetest. She was scared in the trap, but she sighed in relief when I picked her up, let me bathe her, and fell asleep on our laps. The kids are in love, she was a lot of work to catch, and I feel bad about leaving her behind, so we’re keeping her.

If the pendulum ever swings the other way and the universe starts sending me dogs the way it sends me cats, I’m going to have to move to the Yukon and start a sled team.