September 05, 2014

The Great Kitty Rescue / Charity Cat Anthology Hop

Kyra Lennon created this fabulous blog hop for anyone and everyone to share a story or poem about a cat. The entries for this blog hop will be turned into an anthology and all the proceeds will go to Teignbride and Totnes Cat Protection. I, of course, couldn't pass up this opportunity to help. To read the other stories by participants go HERE.




Kyra, I give you permission to use my work in the book. :D



The Great Kitty Rescue - A True Story

by

Chrys Fey


On a warm September day in Florida, I orchestrated the Great Kitty Rescue.

Most cities in the United States have an abundance of stray cats roaming the streets and taking up residence in neighborhoods. Ever since I was a little girl with golden pigtails, I would fall in love with stray cats and—with the help of my big, green eyes—persuade my parents to let me keep them. As an adult, nothing changed that much. Except for the pigtails.

When a stray mommy cat in my area took her litter and left behind a single kitten with vibrant green eyes, I took care of her by feeding her and leaving the door to my patio open to serve as shelter. Despite the fact that she would venture into my apartment with curious eyes and cautious steps, she remained wary of me. She soon grew up to become a mommy herself and gave birth to four bundles of fur—one black, one gray tabby, and two yellow tabbies. Knowing she could trust me, she led her babies into my apartment, letting them get used to the strange smells and alien surroundings. Her four kittens were a little over a month old when she disappeared. I continued to feed her babies and kept an eye out for her, hoping she’d return. She didn’t.

On the Autumn Equinox of 2013, I woke up to a kitty nightmare; a woman had one of the yellow tabbies in her claw and was using him to lure out the other kittens. Panic surged through my veins like magma. The urge to storm out of my apartment and snap at her in my pajamas, my hair mused, and my breath ripe from sleep was unbearable, but I managed to dampen the sensation. I had seen the woman several times before, which only heightened my anxiety. She had a cat with a broken tail that roamed the complex and fought the kittens’ mom, which was probably why she left, seeking safety and peace. This woman was also the mother of obnoxious twin boys who caused havoc; chasing after the mommy cat and throwing rocks at the kittens’ shelter. For the kittens’ sakes, I couldn’t let her get a single one of them!

But to my horror, the black kitten, a little fur ball that hopped like a bunny, crawled out into the open and right into the woman’s trap. She grabbed the black kitten, frightening him so badly that he fought against her. His struggle freed both him and his brother, and they scurried back to safety.

Determined, the woman left and returned with a small bowl of cat food. She put the bowl down and hunkered low to the ground, waiting for them to emerge. They didn’t. She soon grew tired of waiting and went back to her apartment, but her twins and a group of their friends haunted the area, on the lookout for the babies.

All day long, as I decorated the inside of my apartment for Halloween, I watched the horde of children. With each ghost and skeleton I pulled out of my box of Halloween decorations, I concocted a plan to get the four kittens into my apartment. I tied a piece of yarn around the door handle of my patio door and weaved it through my home to my hiding place.

At dusk, when the babies crept out of their hiding place, I opened the sliding glass door to my apartment, put a plate of food on the floor, and waited for them to come for their dinner. One by one they entered my apartment and surrounded the plate. As they ate, I pulled the length of yarn to close the porch door, and quietly slide the glass door behind them.

With their bellies full, the kittens went to leave and encountered a sheet of glass in their way. The black kitten became frantic, walking back and forth along the track, rallying up his three brothers. Fortunately, their fear only lasted a minute before they started to bat around a pumpkin bell I left out for them to play with. That first night, they slept in a huddle under my kitchen table. By the third night, I woke up to find all four kittens cuddled by my feet in bed. They soon felt right at home and became permanent additions to my family—Cole, Clover, Milo and Otis.

THE END


The kittens' mom AKA Kitty.

Playing with the pumpkin bell.

Their first night sleeping under my table.

Cole, Clover, Milo and Otis today.

About the Author:

Chrys Fey is an author with The Wild Rose Press. She has published two eBooks, Hurricane Crimes and 30 Seconds, and she is currently writing the sequel to Hurricane Crimes to serve as book two in the Disaster Crime series. Her blog, Write with Fey, is dedicated to helping and inspiring writers. She lives in Florida with her four cats.

You can find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ChrysFey 


38 comments:

  1. Glad they got in their safe and sound, that was sure using your imagination. They can still make a big cat pile today haha

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    1. So am I, Pat! I was really scared for them. And they so do make a big cat pile. lol

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  2. I'm so glad they're safe now. What an awful woman though - I've never understood people like that, but at least they're the minority. They are so gorgeous :-)

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    1. Thank you, Annalisa! I couldn't believe what she, and her twins, were doing, but I'm so glad I got them first. :)

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  3. Aww...what a sweet story, I'm glad they're now safe in a good home. Thanks for sharing :)

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    1. You're welcome, DRC! And thank you for reading. :)

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  4. YAY!! I'm so glad this had a happy ending!! You had me worried there for a minute. I don't even want to think about what could have happened if that nasty bunch of kids got a hold of those precious kittens.

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    1. That day was crazy, Jaybird. I was worried it wouldn't have a happy ending, but I'm blessed that it did. My four babies are blessed, too. :)

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  5. I'm so glad this had a happy ending too! I love that pictures of all of them sleeping together in the chair.

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    1. I'm glad you liked the picture of them today. They are so big now compared to when I got them. :)

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  6. You're a hero, Chrys. What a great story. You had me on edge, but, like the others, I was grateful for a happy ending.

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    1. Thank you, C Lee! I definitely did feel like a hero that day. :)

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  7. I'm glad you rescued them from that evil woman, and that you kept them together. I often wonder if animals really ever get used to being separated from their parents and siblings when they're young, or if we humans just think it's normal because we enforce it so often.

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    1. I wonder about that, too, Carrie-Anne. I could actually see the effect their mom leaving them so soon had on them. They would suck on each other's fur, as if they were nursing. It took a long time for my to break them out of the habit.

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  8. Loved reading how you rescued them! My father has never turned away a stray animal in his life. (We have a farm back home in Oklahoma, so it's easier to house lots of cats there. And they keep the mice out of the barns, etc. so everybody wins. :) I'll confess, I'm more of a dog person (we've got two mutt-shelter dogs). But I've never met an animal I didn't love and respect. :)

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    1. Your dad and I have a lot in common. I'll never be able to turn away a stray either. Thanks for reading my story, E.J.! Even though you're more of a dog person. ;)

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  9. Awww, so nice that you got new additions to the family. We've adopted a couple of cats, but unfortunately, my husband is allergic, so we couldn't keep them. He loves the furry beasties though.

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    1. I'm sorry your husband is allergic, but it's nice that he still loves them. :)

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  10. Ahh, this story had me gasping! So glad you got them into your apartment and gave them a good home. They're adorable!

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    1. I'm glad you reacted to my story, Sarah. And thank you! :)

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  11. Nice! My cat Thomas approves...he was a San Antonio Humane Society cat.

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    1. Yay!!! I'm glad Thomas approves. My four cats are saying "hi" to him. :)

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  12. What a horrible woman and it looks like she taught her children to be cruel. I'm glad the kitties are safe.

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    1. The whole family was a nightmare! Fortunately they moved out a few months ago.

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  13. I'm pip hellos to the stray cats in my neighbourhood all the time. Glad the kittens are safe in your story, Chrys. Well done!

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    1. Thank you, Claudine! I have a huge soft spot for strays. Always have. :)

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  14. What a sweet story! I'm so glad we got the visuals as well.

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  15. You have a heart of gold, Chrys, for taking these four cuties into your home. I can't understand how anyone can be cruel to animals. So cute how they still cuddle into each other - my parents' cats (two sisters) are 13 now and don't spend much time together compared to when they were babies!

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    1. I can't understand it either, Nick! It's terrible! They do love to cuddle and it's the cutest thing. They put their heads together when they sleep and everything. :)

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  16. Okay... I could have sworn I commented on this yesterday!

    Good on you for taking care of those kitties! Thank for being a part of the bloghop!

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    1. Well, thanks for stopping by again to make sure, Kyra! I appreciate it!

      I'm happy to help with such a great cause. :)

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  17. Aw. How adorable! I love kitties. My 9 year old daughter was telling me the other day that when she's old, she wants to be a cat lady. (No idea where that came from.) It's a good thing we haven't come across any strays, or we'd probably already be overrun. :)

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    1. HAHA! Your daughter is adorable. I bet I said the same thing when I was her age. And it still may come true. haha ;)

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  18. Oh my gosh, how precious! So glad you were able to get these sweeties out of that woman's clutches and now they have such a wonderful life with you. The pics are so adorable and I also love their names! :)

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    1. I'm glad you liked the story, the pictures, and their names. :D

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  19. Such a cool rescue story. It's too bad I didn't know about this blog hop at the time. I have at least three poems involving cats I could have shared.

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