Adoption
2014-09-28 16:06:28, Sunday
My husband, B, nor I realized it at the time, but we were adopted one week ago today. A feral kitten appeared in our just opened garage and won B's heart when he found it. Then, he introduced the kitten and me. It was the most adorable and loving little one.
Monday through Wednesday, the kitten made repeat visits (probably because of the food and water we set out Sunday afternoon for the malnourished little one). Over that time, I figured out it was a girl, she was deaf, and was clawless on her front paws. Never mind how she was malnourished. There was no way she would survive on her own. She couldn't defend herself and how would she catch food? Never mind how winter is approaching.
Therefore, as of her Thursday appearance, she has found a permanent home with us, but is in a temporary home in our garage as we socialize her so we can take her to the vet for a check-up and shots.
Her name is Kara (Kare-uh). It means "friend" in Turkish.
She no longer has to sleep with her head up in the air, alert for danger. As of this afternoon, she no longer pigs out immediately on the wet food we set down for her. She does not know hunger any more. Her little tummy is plump, but her sides are still hollow. They are slightly filling out, but it is slow in coming. She is safe and protected and she knows it. Her life has drastically changed.
Every time B and I see her, she is more social and experiments with us to see what she can do to us and with us. She tries different ways to show affection. The kitten has several favorite sleeping places in our garage: dog/cat bed, on top of a paper bag, on the steps, and on a comfy patio chair with thick cushion.
It's truly amazing.
Kara is wild. Feral. A little beast.
Who is also the biggest lover.
By the way, it's quite interesting trying to figure out how to interact with and socialize with a deaf cat who sleeps a lot. How do you approach her? I've learned to pet her and make sure to leave my hand right there for her to smell. The second she knows it me, or B, she perks up, meows, and gets to her feet/paws. Or, is she wakes before we get to her, or if she is already awake, she meows and rushes over to us.
She has learned a whole new life in the last four days.
Kara has gone from feral and homeless to lover and home. Hungry to full. Wild to gentle. Alone to having a family (B, beagle, cat, and two turtles).
The building of a relationship between between B, Kara, and I has been a special and sacred one.
Written: 2014-09-29 12:38:49, Monday
B and I keep doing everything we can do to tell her, through our actions, how we are trustworthy, faithful, and loving. She's responded to every gesture we've made, except for one. She does not like to be picked up. She hisses most of the time when we do.
Consequently, we wonder if she might be bruised on the inside (from either hurting herself or something/someone hurting her) or if Kara had something dramatic happen to her when she was carried. Therefore, we're slowly trying to recondition her. I started off picking her up off of the ground about half an inch and for just a couple of seconds. Now, I can hold her to about three inches off the ground and for about ten seconds. I make sure to pet her and love on her after she allows me to do so--and she gets all excited to receive my affection. Hence, it's a win-win. I just wish she could hear me as I tell her, "Good girl." But, I'm sure she senses it.
I wish she could tell me her story. She does in her own Kara, sweet thing, and girlie way. But, I wish she could speak to me and tell me all about it. Like, who dumped her? When? Who had her declawed? (I personally think this is inhumane. It impacts their every movement the rest of their lives. They are defenseless and cannot walk, jump, climb, like they could. It takes all of three minutes to trim their claws and is quite easy actually.)
Other questions I want to ask her: How old is she? What type of cat is she? Why doesn't she like being carried? What does she want from me/us?
I also wish I could tell her how she was loved and never had to worry about anything again. she'll always have shelter, food, water, and love. I wish I could tell her how sorry I am for whatever she experienced in her past.
Kara talks to us every single time we walk into her haven, the garage. She has the sweetest wildish meow and she tells us how excited she is to have company. She trots over to us and immediately starts to purr. Who knew that someone so small could make so much noise? What an absolute delight!
We can make fast movements and she doesn't flinch. She trust us.
I think she has a very laidback, happy-go-lucky, charming, sweet, gentle, loving, easygoing personality. She's as cool as a cucumber. It's wonderful for us--and for her. But, it makes me even more glad she adopted us because this tenderness wouldn't bode well for her in the wild. Thank God she found us--and we found her.
I cannot help but wonder the story of whoever dumped her. They clearly wanted to love her (she's fixed and declawed). Did they move? Did they figure out she was deaf and didn't know how to handle her?
How could they put her in the wild--so defenseless?
She didn't get out. If that was it, I learned last week how many times she returns, if it's a good home. Also, with how malnourished she is/was, she wasn't fed or taken care of by anyone.
I count our blessings she is so loving and has been from the second B met her. Feral cats and kittens usually aren't that way.
It also amazes me how she doesn't door dart or want to leave the garage. Nor does she try to walk away from us when we visit her in the garage. She knows she has it good where she is and likes us. (Praise God.)
B and I did not want another cat right now. (Let me stress that. We did NOT want another cat right now.) It's too soon. Five animals? That's just plain nuts. We are not a zoo or an animal sanctuary.
Yet, Kara adopted us. She is wild. Feral. But, she loves us and trust us. She had no reason to trust us or love us from the onset, but she did. And, she is a thief--of hearts. She has stolen ours thoroughly, that is for sure.
Kara is a reminder to me of my faith and how I am with God.
{Note: It's 214 p.m. as I sit in the garage on our patio chair and Kara is curled up in a tiny ball, on her paper bag, with her head down, whiskers back, sleeping. She has her guard completely down as we hang.}
The feral cat reminds me how I am wild, too. I am a sinner. I run around and try to do things on my own. I act independent.
{Kara just got up and ran to me for affection. Purred. Then, went back to sit on her bag.}
I act wild and have several deficiencies which could kill me (spiritually). The reality of my situation is I am totally dependent on God. I need Him in order to survive. I need to keep my eyes forever on Him because I cannot always hear Him.
Yes. I have a lot to learn from Kara about faith.
So, who adopted whom?
(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014.)
--Stacy Duplease
http://rypstories.blogspot.com/
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet
