YOUR STORY

Caitlin Brower

It was twilight time during a fall day in November 1999, the Monday of Thanksgiving week.  I was busy preparing a supper of tuna salad and had past the front door, open to the cooling Florida fall breezes, when I caught sight of a silhouette against the screen.  A kitty was peering in, maybe drawn by the tuna aroma!

“Well, hello kitty – are you hungry?” I inquired but she disappeared as soon as she heard my voice. Thinking that maybe she was a hungry stray, I placed some tuna on a plate outside the door.  Sometime later I went to see if my visitor had returned, she had and had cleaned her plate.

After that evening I always watched for the silhouette of the kitty to return to my door, and she did.  It wasn’t long before started leaving cat food and water out for her on a regular basis and she came, but she was scarred and would leave if I stood too close to the front door.  I would sit on a small bench near the front door, just far enough away to keep my newfound cat friend from running.  After months of regular feeding she let me stand by the door while she ate, another month and I could stand outside. One evening in January she finished eating and started walking away when I ‘meowed’ to her.  She stopped, turned to look at me, meowed back, and then continued on her way.  From then on she would meow at the screen door when she arrived, letting me know that it was dinner time! Then one evening in February she started rubbing up against my leg!  Apparently I had finally won her trust to some degree. 

Another evening, maybe a week later, she was waiting outside the door for her evening meal.  As I opened the door she darted inside!  I watched as she slowly toured the living room, then through the kitchen, looking around as if inspecting the house.  She then lay down on a rug near the front door, looked up at me and purred.  She seemed to say, “Yes, this place will do nicely.”  I was adopted.

I now knew it was time to get her to a vet, get her spayed and vaccinated – even if she decided to stay outside I now looked at her as my responsibility.  That’s when I contacted Audrey at Alley Cat Rescue.  I wasn’t working much at the time and money was tight so I was thrilled when Audrey told me that I could get this kitty checked out for a reduced fee. 

The next step was to get this kitty into a carrier, but how?  I borrowed a carrier from a neighbor and tried putting kitty’s dinner inside.  To my amazement she started to walk inside the carrier!  But then stopped about half way.  I hesitated, should I try to push her inside and close the door?  Would I get her in or scare her away?  I waited just a bit too long and she backed out – I had lost one chance.  Next I decided that maybe I could wrap her in a towel.  Slowly I approached her with the towel, speaking to her gently.  She sat and stared at me and let me approach.  Then I took a deep breath and threw the towel over her, trying to cover her and grab her but just couldn’t quite do it and before I could blink she had darted out from under the towel!  Now she stopped in the center of yard, tail puffed out, and stared at me for moment then ran away.  I went inside feeling awful, fearing that I had lost my chance for good.  Not 15 minutes later, I heard a familiar ‘meow.’  She had come back!  To my utter amazement she came back and was meowing for me at the door!  I went back outside where she started rubbing against my leg as if to say, “I forgive you.” 

 I was ever so happy that she returned, but I was still faced with the same dilemma – how to get her in the carrier?  I was determined to get her to a vet, I knew enough about the overpopulation of pets that couldn’t bear the thought of her having a litter of kittens.  This kitty had to get spayed!

 Perhaps, I thought, I could get her in the garage.  Then I’d at least have her confined and I could figure out some way to trap her.  So I opened the door to the garage, and kitty walked right in as if it was her home.  It still took a bit of coaxing, and catching, but I finally got her inside the carrier – much to her dismay. 

 Audrey came by to pick her up and got her to the vet the next day.  It was then I learned that she was already spayed – and declawed.  To think that someone would let a declawed cat out to fend for herself!  She was going to become and indoor cat from now on.

Today, over 2 years later, Caitlin lives with and is loved by my husband and I.  She sleeps on the screen porch in the sun or on our bed as she pleases.  She is still talkative and meows and purrs.  She chases feathers on a string and loves catnip.  We are hers and she is happy.

Email you own story of how a kitty came to share your heart and life to YourStory@AlleyCatRescue.org

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5830 Hagerman Road
Sarasota, Florida 34232

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