The no name birthday cat updates. *My daughter has named her Meer Meer but I'm not agreeing with the naming!
Up until a few nights ago, the cat who adopted me on my birthday has been coming around to eat twice a day and sleeping on the porch furniture. Then we had a glimpse of winter move through with a northeaster that brought low temperatures, high winds and lots of rain. Around here northeasters typically last three days. The first day of it, I felt so sorry for the cat on the porch that I let it in for the night, while stressing about where it would sleep and what would happen if it had to go to the bathroom. I was set up for neither. Some how all went ok and the next morning it took off as soon as it ate and I opened the door for it. That day the storm grew worse.
In the mean time one of my neighbor's dogs who has made a habit to come visit me during his daily free roaming walks around the neighborhood for several years, came by. This was odd because normally he isn't out until after his mom and dad get home in the early evening. He was wet and sad as if something had happened to him and he wanted to stay all day with us in the office. We allowed him to hang out until finally right before dark, we had to put him out and after a lot of barking at the door he finally left.
This messed with my head in that I then started worrying about the cat. I had no idea where it was hiding outside but the weather was not letting up and by now it was dark. I thought to myself, this is exactly what I don't need right now, to be worrying about a cat that I didn't ask for! After a half an hour or so I heard a little squeaky sound at the door and sure enough it had found it's way back to my office. When I opened the door it ran in and it was wet and scared to death. It was meowing and crying and talking to me like crazy. I don't know what it was saying but it said a lot. I fed it and it stayed on my desk or on the chair on the front side of my desk all night. I had a small litter box here from when my mom used to visit with her cat when it was alive. That was filled with mulch from the garden so I stuck it in the bathroom just to see if it would use it.
The next day I found the cat had used the makeshift litter box and when I opened the door it went out but it didn't leave the area to go more than a few feet away. It was as if it was scared that if it left it might not get back in next time. Maybe it saw the dog and thought if it didn't stay the dog would take its place. That night I forgot and left the office door open but rather than roam the entire house, upstairs included, it stayed down on the bottom floor. I offered to let it out that night and the next day and now today again and it won't even go out the door.
Except that at 3:00 am it gets a wild notion and wants to play and be petted a lot, it sure is being good. it seems to have moved right in and made itself at home. But I still ask in my prayers that if there is someone out there who wants to adopt a cat and who will give it a good home that I will find them!!!!
I am resisting the bonding and responsibility! I didn't realize what it was like not to always have to think about the caring of a child or an animal until my last Schipperkee passed away a few years ago. I didn't miss that part of it even though losing the love and companionship was hard. To be free and not attached has its definite perks and to not constantly have the caring in the back of my mind was really a blessing.
For now the cat with no name is secure in having indoor safety, food, water, and occasional petting. If anyone wants a really nice cat - you know who to call!
