KrazyKate

This would be my Katie. Her coming to WI with us was a last-minute decision, as she had not been "technically" our cat. (3m & 7m) The pics suck, but all I have is a cell phone, so bear with me.

The family we were staying with had gotten this ittybittykitty (siamese mix farm kitten) at about 6wks old, never bought cat food, and complained that she "wouldn't hunt". Secretly, I had food for her and a water bowl in the room we were using, because I refused to let this tiny baby starve. I smuggled her out and took her to the vet once too. We were gone 3 hours (had errands to run as well) and the family never noticed "Kitty" was gone. (That's right, she didn't even get a name.) And she brought me a few soggy mice late at night, so yes - she was a hunter.

When things came about that my son, our 2 dogs and I were going to be heading to WI in short order, my son was at first excited. A couple hours later, he was crying. When I asked him why, he said it was because he would have to leave Katie (we were calling her that, the family still called her Kitty) behind and she would die the way they didn't take care of her.

I took the first picture that day as she slept on me as I read. I stared at that picture for the next 2 days, as I prepared to leave, wrestling with what I should do. She wasn't mine, but leaving her - was that the right answer either? As we were getting our clothing and belongings into the car, Katie bolted out the door of the house and ran straight to the car, making a flying leap into the trunk. Not wanting to draw attention to what had happened, I shut the trunk, got my son in the car, and left.

We were about 1/2 a mile down the road when I pulled over, pulled the release for the trunk, and told him to go check the trunk. She jumped out into his arms and he started crying. She rubbed on him and nibbled on his ears and fell asleep a short time later in his lap.

You would think a 1200 mile roadtrip would be traumatic for a cat, but she handled it like a real trooper. She rode in the "big truck" with my ex, my son, and the 2 boxers (he has one, Leo, and I have Lillie). Chomper rode in my car with me. It didn't phase Kate at all. We all slept in the sleeper of the truck (bunks) at night, so she made her rounds between sleeping with the adults and sleeping with my son.

Kate isn't a hunter? She has our mouse problem in the basement eradicated. We had some issues with yellowjackets getting in the house this fall (I am violently allergic to their stings.) and she would chase them - alerting me that they were in the house so I could suck them up with the vacuum. She is a lover and a laid-back girl who plays with the dogs and likes to sprawl in the sunspot on the landing most of the day.

She wasn't too happy with me over the whole spay thing, but I think I am forgiven. She got HER first experience in snow today - I don't think she will be sneaking out with the dogs anytime again in the near future. That white stuff was wet and cold and that just was not acceptable to her. She poofed up and started hissing and bouncing up and down until I grabbed her and put her back inside.