Saturday, December 27, 2008

Not Planned...

I buried a kitty in my back yard today.

No, not one of mine. But a neighborhood kitty that lounged in my backyard, especially in the mornings. My brood watched her from behind the fortress of my kitchen window, while our guest would watch them and then roll in the freedom of my lawn.

Not sure what neighbor the kitty belong too. Sure looked like no meals were missed. A roly poly, long haired tortiese shell kitty. My guess, maybe a girl, since few calicos are male. Just a few weeks ago, I watched as she drank from the water bowl I have set for the birds. Scared me the first time I spotted her-a big bundle stretched out on the lawn.

I'd just been in the house a few days and thought "How could a possum survive with all these dogs around here?" Then the kitty stood up. I went outside to try and make friends. Ms. Tortiseshell wasn't feelin' that. Yet, she would be back often and have a stare contest with my brood.

This afternoon, as I step out my front door to leave, I saw her. Curled under my chair--sleep, I thought-no biggie. Been there before. Then I got scared when she didn't move as I came all the way out. I knelt down and looked her. I could still see some of her pretty Spring green eyes. She may have still been with me as we looked into each other's eyes. I think she died right then.

I came inside and called animal control to come get her. I was on hold. I had no idea where she lived exactly. I'd seen her walk across the street, then other times, I would see her on another lawn as I drove home from work. But which lawn? There was no way I would go house to house with a dead cat in my arms. I didn't fathom the thought of traumatizing some child along the way.

Then I realized, "You have a back yard. She would visit, so now let her stay here." I wrapped her up in some piece of no longer worn clothing and carried her to the back yard. She was limp , not all the way stiff when kitties pass away. I had her away from harm for the little bit I planned to leave. I prayed when I returned, she would be like Lazarus and rise up.

Didn't happen. Her body was now very stiff and the pretty Spring green eyes were shut. I wonder if a car hit her and she made it to my house. We'd had some rain and she was wet. Or a dog, or maybe somebody put her there. I just know she wasn't there last night, when I turned on my porch light.

I could be typing here, as I'm doing right now, with my cats are looking out the window, just like now--at something. It could have been her. If I'd known, may I could have saved her.

In my back yard, there are rocks that circle some plants, not far from the bird's water bowl. Her grave is among the plants. Her rest will be undisturbed. Also the kitty will help the plants bloom in the Spring Such a pretty cat. I hope there's a 'Lost" sign for her. I would call her humans and tell them where she is.

Don't let your cats roam the neighborhood. It is their instinct to prowl, yet a car, dog or just a jerk of a human won't care.

2 comments:

Ed Darrell said...

Thanks for your comments about our Meow, and thank for looking out for the strays in your neighborhood. Your advice is sound: Don't let cats wander. In most of Dallas, cats also are under assault from coyotes and birds of prey, owls and hawks.

It's not a nice place for a cat to roam unprotected.

LL aka Lisa-Lin said...

Thanks Ed, for commenting on my blog. I've been a cat lover from way back and use to let my cats roam. Then when I moved to Dallas, one contracted feline leukemia and that was that.

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