Is there magic in anniversaries? Sometimes I think so. Today
marks a full year since some higher wisdom placed an abandoned and starving senior
cat on our doorstep. Catsby is no longer starving by human standards—though his
appetite begs to differ.
We’ve done a lot of speculating about where he’s come from,
because this friendly, shiny-coated, declawed, neutered kitty was obviously
loved and cared for at one time. But why his former owners didn’t answer our
ads or check the information we recorded at the shelter is anyone’s guess. Did
their circumstances change? Did they give up looking for him too soon? In
the days before finding him, our area suffered damaging tornadoes and vicious
thunderstorms. We’ve discussed the possibility that he was lost as a result of
those storms, but weight loss like he’d suffered doesn’t take overnight. He had
to have been homeless at least several weeks prior to that.
What is certain is that he was exposed to the elements
during those storms. At the first distant growl of thunder, his ears pivot like
radar and he heads for shelter—shelter being under my bed, where he has spent
the greater part of the rainy season. Even the softest, gentlest of rain sends
him darting for his perceived cover. He has his own little nest set up under
there.
Very early Mother’s Day morning, we got a doozy of a storm.
The unmistakable clatter of hailstones on the roof in the middle of the night was
almost deafening. The human members of the family met up in the family room as
was our tradition since the kids were little. Some of my fondest memories
occurred in the darkness of electricity loss, while the children and I snuggled
together and laughed over the sound of thunder. So as we were discussing the
luck of having our cars in the garage, Catsby came running out of the bedroom
and into our waiting arms, but running in a sort of crouch, like SWAT teams do.
He was dodging the hail. Indoors. It was both hysterically funny and
desperately sad all at once.
But here’s a coincidental little postscript. We had more
storms this morning just as I was working on this…and Catsby ventured out for
the first time. Maybe there’s magic in an anniversary, after all.
And now for more well-timed news: I just found out my piece,
“Super Timmy,” has officially been accepted in Not Your Mother’s Book…On Cats, due out September of 2014!
Life isn’t about
waiting for the storm to pass. It’s
about learning to dance in the rain. ~Vivian Greene
Tammy--Congratulations on both your anniversary with Catsby and your publishing news. "Super Timmy" doesn't sound familiar. Is that a story you kept from the WWWPs? ;)
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like Catsby is getting comfortable and feels quite safe in his new home. Sometimes it takes some time...
Thanks, Sioux! I hope he's getting more comfortable. We didn't know he was afraid of storms for a while because he spent the first few months of his life under my daughter's bed. I don't think you've read "Super Timmy." I don't want to waste your time with stuff I don't have questions about or issues with, and this story is pretty straightforward.
ReplyDeleteMeant to say "his life here."
DeleteWe had a dog like that. Unfortunately for him, he was an outside dog. We got him from the pound as a pup, the runt of the litter, because he hung back when his multitude of brothers and sisters rushed to the gate to greet us. He looked like he needed somebody. We took him home and made him a little pen on the back porch by the laundry room door. There was a thunderstorm that night, and though he was warm and dry, he was a frighted little pooch due to the thunder. He was like that his whole life. To my husband's credit, he DID allow that old dog inside during a tornado warning.
ReplyDeleteAwww! I do know it's fairly common for dogs to be afraid of storms. Even indoor dogs. :(
DeleteCongratulations on your year with Catsby, AND your upcoming Timmy publication. Good work, Tammy, and congratulations to Catsby for lucking out.
ReplyDeleteK
Thank you so much, Kay! He's a very good kitty, though. I feel like we're the lucky ones!
DeleteCongratulations on your story, Tammy! And congrats to you and Catsby (love that name). He's one lucky cat. Our cats don't care about storms, but we used to have a dog who was terrified. She destroyed bookshelves and cabinets and multiple other things at the first sound of thunder, not because she was trying to be destructive but because she wanted "IN" somewhere. She'd empty everything from the lower shelf of my husband's bookshelf in his office and climb in there (she didn't really fit very well), and one time while I was looking for something in the fridge a blast of thunder sent her INTO the refrigerator (again, not a very good fit). Poor little thing. They didn't have the thunder jackets for dogs back then, and something like that might've helped her. It does sound as though Catsby is learning that he doesn't need to fear the elements. Good job on that. You're obviously a great kitty mama. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lisa! I've had several dogs who were terrified of storms, but I'd never heard of a thunder jacket. So glad you mentioned it! Looked them up and they exist for cats, too. Hmm...might be worth checking out if this keeps up or gets any worse!
DeleteHi Tammy, it's Kay again
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about Catsby some more, and am amazed he survived on his own, having been declawed. So glad he made it in the "wild" until he got to your house.
K
Me too, Kay! He's very smart, but it's still pretty miraculous he made it so long on his own!
DeleteCongrats on both counts - your kitty anniversary (and he's adorable by the way) and your story!!!! Not surprising. Can't wait to read it.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Lynn! I'm finding it's surprisingly hard to take a black cat's picture. He hates the flash, but he blends in too much without one. I'm getting better at it, though, and plan to post more pictures later.
DeleteWhat a sweet looking cat. Congratulations on both accomplishments!
ReplyDeleteYour little Catsby has surely hit the jackpot now that he's got a home with you!
ReplyDeletePat
Critter Alley
P.S. Congrats on another Chicken Soup publication!
P.S. Whoops! I meant to type congrats on another NYMB publication! And guess what? I'm in that one, too!
ReplyDeletePat
Critter Alley