Speaking of stray girls.....
Couple of months ago, my 'crazy cat lady' next door neighbor got my wife me involved in a mid- day witch hunt..... OK, a mid-day kitten hunt. Seems one of the strays she feeds 'dropped a litter' and was around someplace. Mom (cat Mom) and kittens were holed up on my side of the fence and crazy cat lady succeeded in disturbing them enough that Momma cat took off and kittens scrambled. But they were too small to run and I watched one going around the end of the fence, called to the crazy cat lady (yep, my own fault) and she caught it. Next thing is it shows up in my living room in my wife's arms and she asks me if we want a cat.... Nope, we are in no place or condition to have pets wandering through this mess of a house.
Kitten was about 4 weeks old and not weened, still had blue eyes. Crazy cat lady takes it to two different vets to "drop it off", and of course both vets. explain that that is NOT WHAT they do (duh) and so the crazy cat lady ends up with a kitten, an eye- dropper to feed kitten and a new mission in life (hehehehehehehe).
Flash forward about 2 months:
I picked up my wife tonight (not the first time either), we ran some errands and got something to eat. Got home and I helped Gimpy into the house (had foot surgery two weeks ago, currently wearing a 'boot built for three' and using crutches), then went back to the car to get some of what we bought. Brought in the first load and just pushed the door shut behind me but it did not close, just swung so it was about a foot open. Put down purchases, turned around and there it is, a half- grown cat (kitten really) standing there looking at me. Hmmmmmm. Dark gray, solid, well- groomed, not wet and perfectly healthy at first glance. Hmmmm. So I say 'hello' to the little fella' and it walks toward me, singing, and rubs my hand. Hmmmmm. OK, not a feral cat and not old enough to hunt and feed on its own so must be a neighbor's cat. Anyway, get rest of purchases, come back in to find cat wandering around, crying and singing like mad. Wife sees kitten, thinks of name and chats with kitten. Hmmmmmmm. So I get a small saucer, pour some half 'n half in it and put it on the floor- cat sniffs and has zero interest. Must not be hungry. So for next 1/2 hour or so, kitten walks around, singing like mad, occasionally crying and loving both of us up worse than a cheap French Wh......, er, 'Lady of Ill Repute'. If one of us gets up and talks to the kitten, it runs to us (like a dog). I figure this thing MUST be hungry and grab a piece of sliced American cheese..... kitten sniffs it and rips 1/2 of the slice out of my hands. OK, so I feed kitten the rest in small pieces and it eats the cheese, the end of my fingers, and anything else near the front of her head. OK, very hungry but did not want milk / cream. Kitten walks around for a few minutes, climbs up on a couch, makes itself comfortable and does what kittens do best- falls asleep.
Took a flashlight and looked.... well, you know, and my wife named her Lola (just in case it is really a boy, the name will still work, at least according to the Kinks).
So now I think it IS a feral cat and maybe Mamma cat has disappeared and kitten could not fend for herself. Not sure what is going to happen but it is 11:00 PM, Andrea is in bed (with door open so kitten can visit), kitten is fast asleep on couch and I need more wine. No cat food (though more cheese and that seemed to go over in a really BIG way) and no litter box (but kitten is confined to tile floored area) at least until tomorrow. I think when she cries, I will let her out and see how it goes...... if she comes back and is again willing to trade "personal favors" for a slice of cheese, we may go buy a litter box.
BTW: beautiful kitten. All very dark gray, light green eyes, a very slight lighter gray mask (sort of like a lion) and fearless or at least hungry enough to overcome any natural fears.
Did not want pet. If forced to take pet, wanted GSD dog. I do not believe in anything not easily explained by physics but it sure does seem like this Kitten picked US, just like my last two (and only two in my entire life) dogs.
Brian
P.S. Oh yeah, kitten already very well versed in the game called 'chase the lump under the blanket'.