Orange Kitty

Quick annoucement: My Corner of the Web has moved out. Why don't you just check out our two-named renter, Suzanne/Keadamna, one last time. Or even more than that. You can go back as many times you want. It won't hurt my feelings, in fact, it will probably cheer the old girl up. She's feeling a bit "BLAH" today- her word.
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We all know a few famous felines. (Say that three times fast without slipping in "fuck") There's Morris, Garfield, Smelly Cat, Tom, or is it Jerry? Anyway, I got one of my own. Orange Kitty.

Orange Kitty is sort of a raggamuffin tramp. Last Summer, my son Jack and I were opening the door to play outside when out of nowhere he appeared. Jack was excited because he was friendly and would let him pet him. But I was worried. Here was this poor lonely pet without a collar or a home I assumed. He was so sweet and hungry and kept trying to slither his way into the house between my ankles and the screen door. But since I already have two cats of my own, I wasn't having any of that. Adult cats do not take to new roomates kindly. So, we'd pet him, give him a snack, and water outside. And outside he stayed.

I told John about him. I was getting concerned since he'd started coming around every single day. He'd just sort of hang out and sunbathe on the patio, much to my two indoor cats' disaproval, I might add.

"What if he's homeless? Should I try to trap him and take him to the vet? Maybe I should post 'FOUND: ORANGE KITTY' flyers around, what do you think?" I asked.

"He doesn't look too skinny, I'm sure he belongs to one of the neighbors."

Then I had a brilliant idea, I was going to make a collar for him. I grabbed a piece of thick elastic and sewed it into a collar- I didn't get too fancy, and then I wrote in marker: Am I lost? Please call 123-456-7890.

Then next morning I strapped it around his neck and he went off with it. It was kind of exciting, it felt like I was sending a message off with a pigeon. What if he was from Alaska? Who knew how far that collar would travel?

At around ten o'clock that night, we got a call...from down the street. He lived just around the corner.

The owner apologized, but I told him it wasn't a big deal I was just wondering if he was a stray. The guy said the cat, who's name was Tommy, just showed up on their doorstep all skin and bones about a year ago and they've taken care of him ever since.

So Tommy kept coming by the house, but I had stopped feeding him. My son and I would pet him and let him hang out with us while Jack played outside.

Then one Sunday shortly after, John had come in from running. He had come across Orange Kitty on the road. He'd been hit by a car. I was so sad, and I felt guilty, and I was pissed at the owner for not keeping a better eye on him or at least strapping on a collar. Then I thought maybe John was wrong. Maybe it was a different cat?

But we never saw him again. That was last September.



About two weeks ago an orange and white cat came stolling onto our patio and layed down to soak up the Februrary sun. I looked out the window and couldn't believe it, it was Orange Kitty. I went outside and he ran up to me, purring and rubbing up against my leg like no time had passed. Jack was so excited.


We don't know what the real story is behind the other cat. But he's been on my patio every morning like clockwork. Orange Kitty's back.