Born in an Alley. Rescued in Time.
Monsters come into the alley to haul away the food scraps in the big metal containers that go BOOM when lifted and set back down.
Behind one of these containers was born a feline domesticus americanus. Short hair variety. Female of the species. A gray tabby, perfectly marked. Dinky describes her size.
Early March is chilly in the high desert of New Mexico. There is where a fireman found her. Her mommy crushed to death under the dumpster. The little kitten sat beside the dumpster squalling in confusion and despair.
Her mommy gone, she was taken by the fireman to the Animal Shelter. There, she was put into a small cage on the bottom row, after being checked out by a big guy in a white coat and tube thingys sticking out his ears.
People came and went, but she stayed hidden under a blanket, still afraid of the Monster that took her mommy.
Funny how a dream can cause a person to take action. I dreamed of the kitten and followed my heart to the animal shelter.
There were many rows of cages with older cats. None of them made any attempt to be friendly. But I knew the kitten was there, because my dream was so vivid. So, I kept searching cage after cage.
A faint "mew" came to my ears and I sat on the floor by the bottom cage and saw small whiskers twitch from under a blanket. I sat quietly and waited for a long time, before a small head poked out and her eyes looked at me.
I said, softly, "Hey there. Wanna play?"
Slowly. Very slowly, she came out from under the blanket and brushed her nose against my finger, that was poking into the cage.
A worker at the rescue center asked if I wanted to hold her. Of course I said, yes. In a small, private room I got up close and personal with this wonderful little fur ball.
She wasn't a cuddler, but a climber, exploring my head, shoulders and lap. Once in my lap came her sleepy time. At that point I said to the woman who works at the shelter, "OBKB, this is the one."
"What are you going to name the kitten?" She asked, as she prepared the paperwork for me to sign.
"Kiva," I replied. "She seems pretty soft and warm, kinda like warm bread from a brick oven. The little kitty was small. Real small. One of those "hold in one hand" kind of kitties.
Paperwork signed, Joe drove us home, while I held the newly christened Kiva the Kitty. Funny, she wasn't scared of the car, but her eyes grew bigger than her head, or it seemed so to me, as the scenery passed.
Once we arrived home I put Kiva on the floor. To her it was the biggest cave she had ever seen. It took quite awhile for her to begin exploring, as I told her that this was her new forever home. She looked at me and tried to climb onto sofa.
I boosted her up and she found a soft blanket. Boom! Fast asleep. I guess her quota of newness had waned.
Kiva came to us six years ago. She is bigger and still the sweetest little kitty in the world. Never causes trouble. Ever. Oh, she gets vocal at dinner time and when she wants to express her opinion on whatever Republican is on TV spewing nonsense.
Like I said. Really smart cat!
Some of the things Kiva like to do is play mousey. I have a large tub of small mice I toss in the air and she jumps to get them. She is getting good at showing me the curve!
It was the first summer with us that Kiva discovered blue popsicles. Her favorite any time of the year. I call it whisker sticky time and she sits quietly while I wipe her whiskers and face with a damp cloth.
Don't see Kiva much on Wednesdays. That is the day the monster goes up and down the street picking up the trash cans and emptying them. By evening, she is back out among us and playing with plastic bags or flipping rubber bands, while we watch TV.
Everyone who comes to visit, Kiva is the first to greet them and the first to say goodbye. Of course she gets miffed if you don't put a dollar into her sleeping box. She has saved enough to buy new toys, climbing towers, etc.
There are times she has more money than I do, but we never raid her sleeping box. Of course, she doesn't raid my piggy bank, so everything is always square between us.
Anyway, I want to wish Kiva a Happy Sixth Birthday and to tell her I love her so very much. She is a blessing and a joy.
Best Pootie EVER!!!