This is the tale (pun intended) of Opossum Kitty.
She adopted us a few months ago and until recently has been too scared to come very close to any of us. AL can pick her up when he feeds her in the mornings but she's been afraid of me and the girls, even when we're just looking at her through the window. She befriended our other cat, Shortcake, and they became fast friends. Shortcake would come in the house and lay around and let the girls pet her and drag her from room to room without much fuss. When she was tired of the attention, she would go to the patio door and sit until I'd let her out.
Then one day Boy Kitty came to visit. AL and I knew perfectly well what was going on in Hattie's "tree house" between the three of them but we pretended not to notice. Soon, Boy Kitty went on his way and we thought all was well. We were wrong. Shortcake started taking long trips through the field and would be found sneaking up the driveway at night in our headlights. Opossum Kitty was doing the same but we thought she was too young to be very interested in "boys".
Then one day, disaster struck. Shortcake made a trip too far out on the highway and that was the end. I just couldn't tell Hattie so neither AL or I have mentioned her and Hattie (until yesterday) seemed not to notice that she was missing.
Now on to Opossum Kitty. She's put on her winter coat, which is very fluffy. She's a pretty cat normally, with white and black fur, but her new coat makes her beautiful. And fluffy-did I mention that? Early this week, AL mentioned that she was getting rather fat and must be hunting out in the field along with eating all of her cat food. Really? Fat? Hmmmmm, maybe there's a reason? It never occured to AL that she might be PREGNANT!! Yes, friends, our little stray cat, that won't let anyone but AL touch her, is going to have kitties. In the snow, in the dog house that is outside under Hattie's "tree house" swingset. Great.
The new plan is to catch her while AL feeds her, put her in the cat carrier, move her to the laundry room and keep her there until she's tame enough for me to get near her. We've done it with other cats but they were little and didn't know any better. I hope it only takes a few days as the laundry room is our only way to the garage. I know HJ will be quiet and help with Opossum Kitty but the little one is a problem. She loooooves the kitty and screams in a high-pitch voice when we see her outside.
It's going to be a long weekend. Watch for future posts of the scratches that will undoubtably be inflicted on me in the following days. Anyone want a kitten???
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