Lucy and Orange

by Henry B Stevens

Lucy is a stray tabby cat that came by our house April 4, 2002.  I first saw her at the neighbor’s carport. She had moved quickly into a crouch to slink away; this action told me she was a stray.  I could see she was a skinny, young, tabby.  I stood still, she stopped, and after a few minutes of checking each other out we met at my carport.  I got her a dish of water and something to eat.

The next morning she was still on the carport waiting for me.

My wife, Patricia, said I shouldn’t feed the cat and start a problem.  I said I could not see the cat starve.  I made a deal. I’d feed the cat to build her up, next take her to the vet to be spayed, and then to the animal shelter. The animal shelter folks had assured me a young, spayed cat would quickly be adopted.

But by the time I’d worked through my program, my wife said I didn’t have to take the cat to the animal shelter.  The next door neighbor said she’d keep the cat when we went up north. Cat, now named Lucy  moved into our sun room.  In 10 days I took her for her little operation and she recovered quickly.

Lucy soon started having full run of the house and we three became family.

The date April 4 is important for two reasons.  First, it indicates to me that Lucy was a drop off.  That is, she was some one’s kitten when they first came to our seasonal community for the winter, and she was a drop off when the season ended.  Second, it was two months after my heart attack Feb 4.  There is no doubt that Lucy contributed greatly to my recovery.

I met another stray cat up the street a month or so ago.  Whereas Lucy is a blond tabby, Orange was an orange tabby.  As with Lucy, I stood still, and talked gently to her until she came up to me and I could pick her up.  Orange was a little older than Lucy when she showed up, but Orange was pregnant.  She probably became pregnant the first time she came in heat, because she was really still a kitten.  As I held her I could feel that her nipples had started to develop and swell.  I worried that this kitten was now going to have kittens alone with no source of food or help. House raised cats do not know how to hunt or forage.  Orange was not a feral or wild cat because she had come up to me and let me pick her up.

Many of my neighbors feed stray cats but do not let them in their house.  After a while other neighbors call the county which comes in and traps the strays.  If someone was feeding her they may have a plan for Orange and her kittens.

I set Orange back down on the ground and said good-bye.

But as I continued walking I worried.  What should I do?  I couldn’t take in two cats. It was now almost dark. I didn’t have a place to keep Orange until I could do something for her in the morning.  Should I try to do anything?

Life isn’t fair.  Lucy, Patricia and I are lucky.  Orange is unlucky because of her circumstances and because of her gender, over which she has no control.

I finished my walk.  When I came in the house Lucy was waiting for me.  I picked her up and gave her an extra long hug.

Henry B Stevens 4/12/2003 621 words

6400 Taylor Rd Unit 108

Punta Gorda FL 33950

941 575 2470