Not a squirrel, but a kitten tumbled out of the woods down the slope into Kayla's sight.
It’s strange how things happen. How did the timing ever work out that Kayla, a junior in High School, stayed after school to have a conversation with her teacher which delayed her walk home with her friends. How did the timing work out just right that as they passed the bridge by the railroad tracks by the woods, that just then, a little kitten tumbled down the slope onto the roadside? I think that it is divine intervention that makes these wonderful things happen. Mother nature, Saint Francis maybe guardian angels? Whatever, whoever, the timing was just right and there was Kayla, looking at a kitten when some of her friends thought it was just a squirrel scurrying around in the leaves. But no, Kayla knew it was a kitten and despite some of her young friends telling her to leave it alone, she picked it up and looked for it’s family but finding none, came home to her animal loving mom with this little torti kitten.
Small, orphaned, hungry and flea infested they knew it needed help and called their vet who was also our vet and they referred Kayla and Kathy to us. I happened to be standing there at the vet at that moment and took the call. Thus began our most recent kitten emergency visit last night. I put our emergency kitten supplies in my van and took off to help. When you do animal rescue you can not have a normal life. You do what you must, when it needs to be done to save lives.
I arrived and knew immediately this family loved animals and cared for them. They made their animals their priority. They have a diabetic cat they are caring for and giving insulin shots to daily as well as an older kitty with cancer. They also have a rabbit that has an ego problem and can be feisty but they love him just the same. They needed help with the kitten and didn’t want it to go to a shelter or die of illness and we got busy.
The fleas had to go! A thorough and fast bath killed fleas and removed the flea dirt that turned the water pink.
Kitten was (thank God) pink gummed and larger than the last ones we recently rescued. So the kitten was not suffering from anemia and able to eat on it’s own. The skinny, long legged little girl weighed in at 2 1/2 pounds. The problem was, the darned fleas!!!!
Rinsing quickly with warm water the kitten is ready for warmed towels and thorough, fast drying.
It’s interesting setting up a bathing station in strangers homes. It’s kinda fun. Here we are total strangers and now here we are together in their bathroom with me washing a kitten like we are all old friends. Kindness and love for animals breaks all barriers fast. Soon we were a team. Myself, Kayla and her mom Kathy laughed and shared the joy of helping a little homeless waif. I showed then what to do and they jumped to help. They loved drying the kitten after I bathed her. We bring all our supplies, towels, scale, flea treatments, food, etc, and I asked them to get their clothes dryer going with our towels to make them nice and warm. Kittens love warmed towels to snuggle in after a bath. This family was so wonderful and accommodating to work with!
Kathy and daughter Kayla dry the kitten as Kayla cuddles with her for comfort.
What a wonderful thing for a family to share. Helping a homeless kitten is a nurturing experience I wish every family could experience.
As all this work was taking place, it was obvious a love connection was happening. And before I knew it, Kayla named the kitten Willow. She talked with affection about how the kitten seemed to be responding to her, knowing she rescued her from the side of the road out of the woods. As the kitten was being dried I saw daughter looking up at mom an awful lot, and mom looking at her daughter and the kitten…..
The kitten found great comfort in Kayla's lap.
Willow clung to Kayla and burrowed into her lap. Our conversation wove gradually into them fostering the kitten for Safe Haven and then the word adopt came up. They have things to consider. They don’t want to stress out their older cat with cancer, but they would be considerate to her. Willow did everything right. She seemed to know what was going on…she got cuter and more cuddly with Kayla- I swear!
Willow was so happy to be flea free!
Before we knew it…Kayla was looking at mom and mom was looking back at her holding that sweet little kitten and they were discussing adopting the kitten. I try not to jump up and down too much in my excitement when things like this happen. Just think….today, this kitten was hungry, scared, flea infested and ready to be lunch for a hungry predator come sunset, and now….thanks to Mother Nature, Saint Francis and some animal loving guardian angels, this kitten has not just a name, but most likely a home!
Willow sleeps in Kayla's lap. This is a match made in Heaven!
The kitties thank you!
This is the kind of story we live for and LOVE to hear. I thank God for guiding me to a yard sale one day, and the next I knew, I was vounteering for Safe Haven. This is a marvelous, caring, and most of all…LOVING group of people I’ve ever met. No matter what I do as a volunteer, it is so rewarding. I dried towels to warm & dry babies during one rescue and I really felt wonderful. I had a part to play and it was fabulous.
Volunteering at Safe Haven…one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life.
I LOVE this story!!! Kayla and her mom are WONDERFUL people!!! We need more of them in this world. 🙂