Tiger, Gizmo, Katie and Balloo [6]

Boered says: My Jinxie has some new stepsiblings. When I recently went on a spay/neuter mini-marathon, taking five of my ten semiferal barn cats to be fixed, I couldn't take Fat Kitty or her big sister Samantha because they were already pregnant. While I was busy tending to some new foster puppies, Fat Kitty gave birth to one black-and-white boy, one tabby boy, and one tabby girl. A few days later, Samantha gave birth to one white boy. It amazes me how a dark tortoiseshell cat can have a all-white baby! Samantha and Fat Kitty raised the kittens together from the start, taking turns nursing and caring for them. I planned to spay Fat Kitty and Samantha as soon as the kittens were weaned.

Every afternoon, my little neighbor Gina and her sisters come over to my house. Gina usually plays with the cats while her older sisters help me feed the goats. When Gina found out that I was planning on taking the kittens to the Humane Society where they would have a chance to be adopted, she was heartbroken. Her mother had already said that she couldn’t have a new cat, but Gina told me that she would take one anyway… she’d just have to leave it here at my house all the time. I tried to explain to her that wouldn’t actually be very helpful.

When the day came, I called the Humane Society and told the woman who answered that I was going to bring in four kittens. I asked her what was their chance of getting adopted. She said, “Very good, we only have two kittens in the shelter right now.” So I loaded up the kittens and off I went. I hated every second of the drive there. The poor little things were crying and crying. I kept telling myself that they would have a better life with someone else. Oh, I’d always make sure they had food and water and a warm place to sleep, but if they stayed with me, they’d essentially just be barn cats and they wouldn’t get all the attention and affection they need. So I didn’t waver and kept on going.

When I walked into the shelter, there was only a man there. He said that the woman had stepped out for a minute but he could fill out the release form for me to sign and take the kittens. I don’t know why, but something made me ask, “What are the chances that the kittens will be put to sleep?” Without hesitating, he replied “100%.” What?!! I said, "I thought you were the Humane Society!" Then he told me that they are actually just the county animal control shelter. The Humane Society does not have an office in our county, but they occasionally come in to help out and take a few of the animals that they are certain they can find homes for.

I still couldn’t believe it, so I asked again: “You’ll definitely put them to sleep?” And he told me, yes, more than likely he would. So I scooped up the cat carrier, filled with my little kittens, and told him that I wasn’t going to leave them there. Call me silly, but I had tears in my eyes while I was telling him this. I couldn’t help it. I could not be that heartless and just turn the kittens in just to be killed. The man looked at me like I was a bit nuts and said, “Don’t get mad at me, I’m just being honest with you.” I told him that I wasn’t mad at him, I was just surprised because the woman had told me that they’d get adopted, and all I wanted was for the kittens to find good homes. The man softened up and told me that he doesn’t like his job (he’s actually the one who does the euthanizing), but people are constantly bringing in tons of unwanted dogs and cats and the shelter just does not have room to keep them all. He said that last month alone he had put to sleep over 300 dogs and cats. More than 300! In just a month! And that’s just in this county, which is probably the smallest county in our state. And of all the people that walked into the shelter last month, he said only two actually adopted an animal.

So I took my cat carrier, with my little funny kittens, and walked back out of the shelter. On my way I passed the two kittens in a cage, and then about 20 dogs, all wagging their tails ferociously and barking at me. I sat the carrier down and stuck my fingers through the bars of each kennel. Every dog kissed my fingers and looked up at me so longingly. Then I said a little prayer that somehow, some way, each of them would find a good home, and then I took my kittens back home.

The next time Gina came over, she was surprised to see the kittens since she knew I planned on taking them to the shelter. She was so happy to find out that I didn’t leave them there, especially when I explained why. So I guess the kittens will be staying with me forever (unless I can talk her mother into taking one!). With Gina around, it looks like my kittens won't be just barn cats -- they'll get a lot of love and affection after all. Oh, and I think Jinxie likes to have the kittens around. He finally has someone smaller than himself to pick on.