Cats in Raymond

First and foremost, what you need to know, is that I’m allergic to cats. This alone has caused me great conflict at times, since I’m rather fond of them. As a result, I can only have outside cats, and I have two of them. One is named SeeKitty, and the other is Midnight. Please see my former journal entry regarding Midnight....

SeeKitty got her name back when I had to see the kitty in order to feed the kitty (she was wild). That was my agreement with her, and it took almost a year for her to warm up to me. She was very shy. I never once attempted to touch her, and after months and months, she became curious why I didn’t want to touch her. Eventually, she made the first contact, and she’s been a love junkie ever since. Well, I can touch her, my neighbor has had that honor a few times, but no one else. She’s nearly 14 years old by all accounts. In the winter, I put out a heating pad, on the back steps for her, underneath the awning. Old bones don’t feel good in cold weather. 

                                                              SeeKitty in Summer

  
                                               SeeKitty and Midnight- Hard Day in the Yard

The former lady of the house I live in (Miss Connie), had approximately 53 cats in her dotage. I found this out from the neighbors, who eventually were able to remove most of them from the neighborhood. I mean, that’s a lot of cats. Once I found out the number of cats, I asked whether they lived inside or out. Unfortunately, the answer was both. Since my husband had lived in the house for about 10 years, the smell was long gone, although there were signs of spray on some of the inside doors. Kilz paint made them disappear nicely. Oh – by the way, you can use Kilz in your shower to cover up the mold spots in the caulking. It lasts just about as long as the caulking. Good thing to know when company comes!

Since my neighbor and I walk every morning through Raymond, we encounter many animals on our way. Armadillos, owls, hawks, possums, dogs, cats, and even an occasional fox. But most of all – cats. Ferrel cats in all stages of life and health. It is impossible to walk past them every day and not respond. So we carry bags of cat food with us to ease the hardship of the most in need. And no, I am not bringing them all home to live with me – ever.  Below are photos of some of our friends.

Bruiser – This guy takes some of the worst beatings. He is always bleeding from some gash or bite.  But he’s tough, with an attitude to match, and suns himself in front of the Quonset hut.

Baby Kitty – Elaine and I found this poor, tiny kitten on the Baptist Church steps one morning.  She was yowling at the top of her lungs in despair.  She was so tiny that she fit into the palm of my hand.  I think she was about 5 weeks old.  Since I already have two cats, I promptly handed her over to Elaine. We tried to give her a name, but everybody who saw her, said, “ooh-baby kitty.”  It was said so often, that she came to think that was her name, and so it is. 

Munchkin – We think this might be Baby Kitty’s mother, since they have the same triangular face.  Munchkin lives under an old house and has had at least two litters. She’s always desperately hungry.

 


Eli – Eli was a young male when Elaine first started feeding him. He was quite attractive with his stripes, but as manhood approached, he would go off for a month or two and then come back starved and full of wounds.One time his head swelled up so big, I thought for sure he’d be dead by morning, but he somehow healed up, and then, of course, went back to fighting. Try as I might, he wouldn't look up at me for the photo.


Olivia – I first met Olivia when I started walking in Raymond.  She was a very friendly, middle aged striped kitty with an O on her side, and most days, I’d stop and pet her. Then I found out that the people who lived in Olivia’s house, moved away one day, and left her. Elaine and I fed her for about four years, but now a new family has moved into Olivia’s house, and they’ve taken her in.  Yes!