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My Story as a Kitten
May 1, 2007
By Me, Little Tiger
My mom had four kittens, two girls, Midnight and Snowball, and two boys, Felix and me --
Little Tiger. These are names that I gave to them and myself before I knew that we
would be separated to go to different homes because we were up for "adoption", a word I
just learned what it means. I still don't understand why we kitties can't grow up
together as a normal family even though we don't know who our fathers are. Ours just got
my mother pregnant and left us. Shame on him.
Felix and Me
My Sister Snowball (she looks just like Zsa-Zsa when she was little)
But we were lucky that an old gentleman
who saw my mother's predicament gave her food and shelter, and after we were born, put
us all in a room in his house, fed us and played with us. He even took Felix to the
doctor when he had tummy problems. Everyday he would take us outside to his patio where
we played hide-and-seek and chase each other.
Mom watching over us while we play with one of our older brothers
Some big brothers of ours -- we found
out my mother had with another guy -- came to play with us. They were nice and gentle,
licked and hugged us. The old gentleman also would bring us into his den where I met an
older sister and another older brother, and an aunt, my Mom’s twin sister. I heard the
old man called the young cats Zsa-Zsa (the skinny female), and Elmo (the
good looking male), who was nice to us. Zsa-Zsa didn’t like us;
she hissed when we got close to her, and
also our aunt, whose name is Nicole, as the old guy called her. Aunt Nicole didn’t want
any part us, she hissed at us too. But we had a great time indoors, played with Elmo’s
toys and took good naps when we got tired.
Brother Elmo (right) and mean sister Zsa-Zsa
Mean Aunt Nicole
Now comes the sad part of my story. As I write this, I know that just any time now my
sister Midnight, will be gone to the family next door, at least she would be close to
us I thought, and she can come and visit us, but then I overheard our host talking to
someone saying that my other sister Snowball and my brother Felix would be leaving us
too, they are being adopted by one family who live in another town, at least they are
going to be to be together. They were happy to know that, but I know I’ll never see them
again. Why? I kept asking myself. Why can we stay together and grow together?
Felix and Snowball hugging when told they were going to be together
I overheard a conversation our host had over the phone with someone, saying that even
though he liked us and had grown fond of us, as much as he would like to, he just couldn’ t
keep all of us and Mom too. As for me, in about a week I’ll be saying good bye to Mom
and my foster home, because I am being adopted by a friend of Jeanette’s, our host’s
daughter. This has been our last weekend together, playing joyfully not knowing how
we are going to like our new homes, but hoping that our new masters are going to love us
and take good care of us. I know that Mom will be sad for a while too. She doesn’t know
it yet, but she’ll be gone next weekend also. Reluctantly, our host is taking her to an
adoptions agency hoping to find a good home for her and prevent her from having more
children. Poor Mom, I know she'll miss us and we’ll miss her too, but what can we
cats do? We just have to go wherever humans and fate take us.
I envy aunt Nicole, Zsa-Zsa and Elmo. They are living the good life, playing and growing
old together in a nice house under the care of a very nice loving master. But then
again, my siblings and I could also start a good new life in separate worlds being
loved and cared for.
Updating my story, Midnight, whom you see below with me, is now gone to her new home.
The other two brothers outside don’t want the home life; they prefer to run wild,
freeloading on meals and chasing birds. They are what is called feral cats. Poor devils,
they don’t know what a dangerous world this is. Some wild dog could mangle them, or
someone who hates cats could shoot them or even run them over with a car.
Midnight and Me
I dream of a day when all cats and kittens can live, grow together, have families and
stay in a very special place for us, where somehow all us cats can live healthy
lives, but above all, be free to love and be happy. Maybe there is a place like that
for us in heaven.
Yours Truly,
(in deep thought)
Story and Pictures Copyright 2007, Roberto Cruzalegui.
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