One night as my husband and I stopped at the "Four Corners" gas station, our headlights shone on a half grown kitten, eating from a milk carton. I asked the clerk if she knew anything about the kitten, and she said it just hung around, and they fed her whatever they could. Soon, with the help of fellow animal caretakers, a feeding schedule was established to get some good nutrition into the little thing. We left a carrier at the station and in a week the clerk was able to capture the kitten. A regular customer took her home and I went to collect the carrier. That's when I learned there was a larger cat, too.
The feedings continued. We felt we were feeding an invisible cat, as we never saw the "big cat". One night those helpful headlights shone on the glossiest big black cat! I approached it slowly with an opened can of food, calling kitty kitty. The cat hesitated, turned to me, and meowed. It just sounded like a male, and I decided to call him Quatro.
The next night I set a live trap for him, baited with canned food. I called the station regularly to ask if he was in the trap, but they hadn't seen him. The following evening, my husband, dog, and I drove over to re-bait the trap. There he was! He was crying and scared. We took him back to the shelter and set him up in a cage. He hunched in a tight ball, eyeing me with distrust. He never hissed, growled, clawed or bit me through the whole ordeal.
By the time I was ready to leave, I was petting him barehanded while his eyes skewed toward me fearfully. Within days he relaxed and settled into the shelter routine. His physical exam showed old scars from barbed wire fence or a trap. He accepted his shots and deworming like a soldier. Soon he showed how lovable and playful he could be, rolling in my lap, begging for attention. I was surprised that the big black tomcat of Four Corners was really a sweet lap kitty!
I wrote a poem for Quatro, which follows. He was a very special kitty, one of many at Washington Animal Shelter. If you want a handsome feline friend like Quatro please call The Washington Humane Society Animal Shelter in Washington, Iowa, and ask for an adoption application. The phone is 319-653-6713
Quatro was a cat who walked by himself,
but no more must this dark fellow lurk,
shunning the day, darting through the night,
for Quatro has a friend and a place to be.
He calls to her when she enters the room,
rolls delightedly, his ebony fur shining,
rough paw pads not yet used to rugs and floors,
purring, loving, green eyes flash with a secret.
What makes him so dear when he's JUST a stray?
MD
Spay and neuter your companion animals.
Leave breeding to responsible, knowledgeable breeders.
Every year approximately fifteen million fine dogs and cats are euthanized in America. This is no way to treat our best friends, so when it's time to adopt a new family member, go to a shelter and SAVE A LIFE.
Thank you for visiting my home page.
MaryAW (Animal Woman to my friends)
We are all in the same boat, both animals and men. You cannot promote kindness to one without benefiting the other. -E.E.Hale
Who says dogs don't have souls? They take a part of ours when they leave. (source unknown)
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Eliminate discrimination.
Zero tolerance for intolerance.
Respect, courtesy, moderation.
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© 1999 Animal Woman
maryaw at mchsi.com
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