Life does not always turn out as one expects. My new fourth cat arrived a couple of days earlier than expected - but it’s not the new fourth cat I expected…
I returned from work yesterday and ran into my building’s manager; he was glad I did as he wanted to speak with me. He showed me a note that had been thrust under his door. It was a simply worded request to look after a cat. Then he took me to an apartment in our building where I met the cat.
The tenant - previous tenant, now - departed earlier, leaving behind her keys, what looked to be most of her belongings, and her pet. I of course knew why I was being shown the cat. The manager is a cat-person. He has several, and feeds outsider-cats, but I know he is unable to have any more. No one else in the building was going to volunteer. Now I have a fourth cat.
We know nothing about her beyond her name - which will be changed - and her gender. She is a medium-sized black (of course) lady, probably about two or three years of age. It’s unlikely that she has been spayed or even seen a veterinary in her life - though she did know what a carrier was, so it may be that she is familiar with hospital visits. It took about twenty minutes to capture the poor beast, whereupon I put a blanket over her and put her in a carrier.
She is occupying my library. She made some noise during the night but was mostly quiet. She hides from me when I come into the room, but there is no panic in her retreats, and I have seen her twice on top of the short bookcase, looking out the window. She even was on the couch at one point. She is scared but not terrified. She has eaten some food - a big concern with a new cat - and used the litter-box, for both varieties of waste - another big concern. I suspect she has met few strangers in her life, but her reactions to me and the manager suggest that she will come around well enough with time.
The problem with the new cat’s arrival is that Carmella won’t be able to come to my place yet. If this development had occurred a fortnight later, even one week, Carmella could have had her isolation time - which I don’t believe would have been necessarily long - and brought out to live with the others, and the new cat could have taken her place. I could still bring Carmella in, but I won’t do that without giving her a safe-zone, at least for a while, and I no longer have the space for that. My goal is to have Carmella come and stay, but she will have to wait.
In the meantime, I will come up with a name for my new guest.
That poor girl. She's so lucky your manager is a cat-person. Many people would have just turned her out to fend for herself. As for her name..."Mirum" is the Latin word for "surprise!" :)
ReplyDeleteThat’d be a good one, but we’ve just had a Miriam in the rescue-group, so it’s too close. But definitely a surprise…
DeleteEvery day is a new adventure!
ReplyDeleteHope this housepanther wasn't left alone in that apartment for too long; poor baby.
No, her person had just left early yesterday. This little one probably thinks she’s been kitnapped, and is hoping her human will rescue her. Sigh.
DeleteDo you have any idea why this tenant made such a sudden exit--leaving her cat AND her belongings behind? Is she on the run from the law, or something?!
DeleteI’ve no idea beyond the strong possibility that she didn’t have any more money available. Though it angers me that she didn’t try to make better provision for her cat, I nonetheless hope that she is all right. I suspect that it was not callousness that caused her to abandon much of her life, but desperation.
DeleteI wonder if she was running from an abusive bf/partner. More likely lack of money, as John noted, or some other reason (possibly criminal, as Undine commented). But surely desperation drove her, to at least a note.
DeleteThe poor baby. At least the person DID alert the manager that there was a cat in the room thank God for that.
ReplyDeleteSo good your super likes kitties and this one was not left too long in an empty apartment. I know these awful things do happen and the animals certainly do not deserve this.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, a surprise indeed! Poor sweetheart. Yes, at least the person left a note, marginally better than just up and leaving her altogether. I'm really glad the building manager loves cats, otherwise this girl might have been tossed out. At least she is safe with you and will get whatever care she needs. I'm sending LOTS of Universal Light to her! 🙏❤️
ReplyDeletePoor wee cat, her life turned upside down. Thank you for your kind heart and care.
ReplyDeletePoor girl! At least the tenant left a note asking for the cat to be looked after. Normally someone abandoning their pet makes me so mad, but I feel she must have been very desperate to leave everything behind. We know the cat will be well cared for with you, but I also hope her previous owner will be okay too.
ReplyDeleteI have already blessed you many times for the work you do - now I send blessings to your building manager too - that HE did not just turn her out.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a sad situation. But since the previous owner left all of her belongings, it sounds like she was running away from something. I think she cared about the cat since she took the time to write a note asking that the cat be cared for even though she was obviously in a rush to leave. God bless you and your building manager for taking the cat in.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you were able to take her in. I don't know how anyone can live with themselves when they abandon a pet.
ReplyDeleteThat poor sweetheart. I'm glad you are there for her, she really needs some care about now.
ReplyDeleteSuch a sad situation. I do hope there will be a good resolution for the kitty. Thank goodness you and the building manager are cat people Such a pretty kitty wondering what happened to her world.
ReplyDeletePurrs, Julie
Awww, that tenant was surely trying to get away as fast as she could. At least she took the bit of time to make a note...What a providence that the manager loves cats, and knew what to do next.
ReplyDeletePoor kitty. Her life in a sudden upheaval.
Something very dire must have happened in that tenant's life. I just can't imagine leaving my cats behind, they are my family!
ReplyDeleteShe looks like Hector's twin.
You are a true blessing!
ReplyDeleteThat poor kitty. We can only guess how scared and confused she is at this turn of events. Thank you (and your building manager) so much for caring for her.
ReplyDeleteyeow imogen, we R troo lee sorree two lurn bout yur purrson...purrhaps her hada emergencee and will be bak prette soon....pleez noe that ewe iz in de BEST oh homez and care in de meen time....♥♥
ReplyDelete