The following is a guest story by Erica:
Mercury’s Story
Everything started back in the Fall of 2021 when a couple stray cats came to my front door. They appeared amazingly healthy; just looking for food.
I of course couldn’t resist cute faces, so gave them a bowl of food thinking they’re a neighbor’s pets and would go home. They looked well cared for. I live in the country and it’s not uncommon to have indoor/ outdoor cats.
My cats are all indoors only, so I was careful not to touch these outdoor cats. Needless to say, Fall turned to winter and the two cats stopped by frequently for a meal and I was happy to oblige. I purchased a couple outdoor cat warmer beds so they’d have a place for shelter if it got cold.
I put hay inside for bedding and the cats would sleep peacefully in them. As Spring arrived, I noticed one of the cats appear to gain some weight. Still being an outdoor cat and more than likely a neighbor’s cat, I didn’t think too much about it as she seemed happy to come and go and make her visits to my deck and front porch.
One afternoon, I saw the mama cat, I named her Little Grey, go into the cat bed on the back deck. I offered food but she didn’t come out to eat. Me being concerned, I went to look and see what was up.
Inside, was Little Grey nursing a litter of four kittens not more than a few hours old. I quietly went back into the house. This is where Mercury’s life began.
I would go out on the deck and check on them from time to time and watch over them when mama would go out to do what cats do. Everything went very well until we had some work that needed to be done in our backyard. I did my daily ritual of checking on the kittens, always at a respectful distance and all was fine.
Later that afternoon, a frantic worker came to my door and told me that there was kittens in the yard!!!!! I was shocked and confused! I ran out and here were two other workers holding two tiny neonatal kittens!!!!!
Where were the other TWO?!!!! Little Grey was obviously in process of moving them to a new location due to the commotion out back. I carefully took the two kittens and put them in a soft sided carrier, ran up to the deck and found the others in the cat bed.
I picked them up and put them in the carrier also. I knew it was useless to try to find mama because she wouldn’t take the kittens to a new location at this point and I couldn’t take the chance she would.
I had an idea as up to this point I was acting on pure instinct. I called a friend who owns a local pet store and is experienced in caring for neonates.
She told me to bring them to her and she would care for them and adopt them out when they were old enough. They were barely two weeks at the moment.
Well….fast forward a couple more weeks. I would go in the store to pick up foods and say hello to my friend.
I grew more and more attached to the smallest little ball of grey and white fluff I’d ever seen. After some careful thought as I already have cats, I decided he was meant to be mine.
At eight weeks and a thorough veterinary visit, he became a member of my family. He fit right in and all my cats adore him. He’s a godsend and will spend the rest of his life being a pampered and very loved cat.
E.
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What a wonderful story.xx?