Sunday, October 05, 2008

Number five

Well, I'm back after a break of 4days. It has been a hard four days for me and Tetsu could probably say the same just because I threw myself at him and depended on him so much.

The short end to the story is that we have a new cat living at our house. I'm not sure if it has a name or not yet. This makes five cats you know... and it's only been a little over a month since Chip arrived.

Wednesday night I opened the back door and this cat ran into the house. Panic for me but I think the other cats were so surprised that they just froze and watched it wander calmly around the room. In a few seconds it had sniffed out Choco's food bucket and was trying to get the lid off of it. I know enough to realize that if I fed it that it wouldn't go away but it was so skinny and so in earnest about tipping over the lidded bucket. I called Tetsu. He takes everything so in stride.

"Okay. Put it outside with some dog food and maybe it will be satisfied and go somewhere. If it is still around when I get home let me decide what to do."

So I did, but I called my neighbor Mrs. Yano and she came over right away. She is a animal lover too but not quite as unreasonable as I am so she observed the cat that was now under our car and gave her opinion that yes, this was another stray but probably old enough to take care of itself for awhile. Tetsu came home at this point and held the door open for the cat who happily walked back into the house, jumped up on the armchair, rolled itself into a ball and went to sleep. Completely at home!

Actually I had seen this cat at a distance a couple of weeks ago in the neighborhood but had purposely walked in the other direction. As Tetsu and Mrs. Yano debated about whether this was a neighbor's cat or not (it was so at home with people, so clean and pampered looking albeit it too thin) I went to talk with a neighbor boy who had told me last month that he had brought a stray cat back from the elementary school. Yes, it is the same cat. The boy had found it on his way home from school, brought it home, his mother had told him he couldn't keep it so he had left it in the park with some food. In the past three weeks it has lived near the park with 4 or 5 other strays (I never go near the park) and the kids in the neighborhood and an older lady have been feeding the cats. Well, there were complaints and so the feeding stopped and now all these strays have dispersed into the neighborhood looking for food. So yes, I know that this is a stray.


Tetsu thinks this a wonderful cat. So friendly and it loves people's laps. "It is our cat" he says and tells me not to worry about it. Okay. Fine. Now we have 5 cats. I bought it a collar. The English kids tell me they had given it a name. I've put two cat toilets into use.

Whether because of cat stress or just the changing seasons, on Friday I was down with a cold and stayed in bed all day. In the evening I went out to bring Choco inside and there was ANOTHER very small kitten. I completely lost it. I called Tetsu and asked him to come home right away and take me someplace. I just couldn't handle another cat problem.

Tetsu came home, the kitten was gone into the forest by then but even so Tetsu took me out and we stayed away from home for about 4 hours. Yesterday morning again we spent most of the day away again and there have been no repeat visits. You know where this leaves me. I feel sad that I couldn't and didn't help the last kitten but I'm afraid my sanity is at stake right now.

And yes, I am very happy with the new cat. Chip is over joyed because now she has a cat friend that will PLAY and will sleep with her! The two cuddle up in the chair. Velvet is accepting. Cleo and Patora have escaped to the top of the closets again. (It took them a week to come down when Chip first arrived). Choco cannot believe there is another cat in the house and barks furiously. The new cat is friendly with everyone even Choco, and purrs continuously.

I really need to get my head together. Give the cat a name. See if I can find someone to take it? It is such a sweety. You can see though that it seems my life will forever be inundated with strays and pitiful animals. I know there are worse problems in life.

Your love is faithful, LORD, and even the clouds in the sky can depend on you.
Your decisions are always fair.
They are firm like mountains, deep like the sea, and all people and animals are under your care.

Psalms 36:5-6

23 comments:

Quilt Pixie said...

strength. I hope you're able to accept the love these animals bring into your life, and have strength... Hugs and prayers...

Elaine Adair said...

Oh my, what lovely photos of Tetsu and 'new kitty'... there is probably a secret organization among stray cats that say "try Tanya and Tetsu's house - they can't resist a cat." LOL , I am feeling sorry for your 'weak'constitution, but thank goodness, there are folks like you out there, caring for the poor animals. 8-)

Anonymous said...

Oh you so have my sympathy, lol. I agree there must be a secret cat network. That new kitty looks SO comfortable! What a darlin'.
Blessings,
Allie

cmorse said...

I wish you were somewhere near the east coast of the United States. We have four indoor cats (and two barn cats) as well as a wide assortment of farm animals (angora bunnies, alpacas, dairy goats, and chickens - and don't forget the four dogs). Nevertheless, the one I do not have and really, really want is a very lovable lap cat! None of our cats are lap cats, and a couple don't even like us. They only let us live here because they don't know how to open the cat food cupboard.

Jeanne said...

Such a cute cat! You have a good heart.

Katie said...

Poor you. It looks like Tetsu and the cat have bonded!

artfilstitch said...

Tetsu and the new kitty look like they belong together...he has a tender heart. Sure is a cute one! Hope you are feeling much better today.

Lazy Gal Tonya said...

Sad there are so many strays in the world. What a sweetie pie lap kitty.

anne bebbington said...

What a gorgeous cat Tanya - we'd have him like a shot and pretend to Nigel that he'd just adopted us :o)

Amanda said...

Oh Tanya, what a bucketful of emotions you must be getting through right now. Five cats is a lot of cat to have around, but what can you do? It's not a problem I've ever had, but at least I know that we have the RSPCA if we did - they will take stray cats and rehome them, and never put them down unless they are ill. Does Japan not have a similar institution?

meggie said...

O I just love the new Ginger kitty too! It has stolen Tetsu's soft heart!
I have been wishing we had a cat, but our dogs are enough I guess.

Clare said...

He's is beautiful. What I find amazing is how he knew that he'd be welcome. It's just as if he'd been watching the houses and picked you. The amount of strays everywhere is heartbreaking. I wish we could home all of them, but DH would leave! A friend of mine takes them in, neuters the boys and gets the girls done and provides a home for them in her barn. I think she's up to ten!

Chocolate Cat said...

Welcome to your new little bundle of joy! What wonderful people you and Tetsu are to take the little cat in. I wish we lived closer, It was only this morning I told my family I was trading them in for cats!! I wanted at least another 3!!!

Mart Bright said...

Tanya,

My husband and one of my neighbors and I are convinced there's an underground cat network and the spirits of our cats who have passed on tell them where to go! You're working up to my number, seven!! Courage--I understand how it is. I'm feeding two strays. They're feral or they'd probably be inside by now!

Vicki K said...

You are just a wonderful person. :-)

sewprimitive karen said...

He's a darling cat. Good thing he found you. I know it's stressful to have several cats. I was absolutely fine with three, then when I got to four, I started to get stressed. But what can you do when they find you? If only all the strays could have homes; your latest looks SO happy.

Nancy said...

This kitty looks very sweet and obviously he and Tetsu are mutually smitten. I think Pumpkin would be a nice name.

Sew Create It - Jane said...

What a sweet looking kitty...your doing a kind thing and you have the support of the husband and the rest of the "family", so it has to be a good thing.

Julie said...

We have a lot of cats in our neighborhood too. I have two neighbors who are real cat people. I love cats too but they all end up with the neighbors because it is cat heaven over there. I once went to the local animal shelter looking for a missing pet and they told me they receive 30 to 100 kittens a week and they only have room for about 20 cats. The cats are put down about two days after they arrive. So sad.

Tracey in CT said...

From the pictures, it looks like Tetsu has already decided that this cat is staying! He looks so much like my Bongo!

The Calico Quilter said...

One of the most painful things that an animal lover has to come to grips with is that you can't save every animal. You have opened your heart to two of God's creatures and that is very commendable. Don't beat yourself up about the other kitten. You are helping as best you can. BTW, Tetsu sounds like the most kind-hearted man I have ever heard of. You are so lucky.

I vote for naming the cat Ginger. Or Punkin (since it's near Halloween - and so much easier to call than Pumpkin!).

And, yes, there is a cat network. Why else would a nearly-starved stray pick my apartment door out of nearly 200 to stop at? Because he KNEW I would help him.

The Calico Quilter said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

The Calico Quilter said...

Sorry about that delete. I hit the "publish comment" button twice!