Well, that happened.

[conuly]

I want to insert something here. I am, I'm told, actually pretty smart. I don't usually say this, because there's no reason to, but other people sometimes tell me that. Never know how to respond, but they do. (At least nowadays, they say it in a good way. When I was a kid, they said it in order to criticize me for not doing my schoolwork.)

But I'm the one saying it now, and I'm saying it so you know not to judge me too harshly for the events in this story.

I was walking home from the grocery store, laden down with two very heavy bags (among other things, each had a six-pack of snapple), when I saw my chance to nab one of the two tortie kittens I've been worried about. Not the sicker one, the friendlier one!

Turns out this kitten is friendly enough so long as you don't act like you're trying to snatch her. This is unsurprising - apparently, two of her five siblings got picked up in just this way. (A third died. You can see why I want to TNR Mama.) So I waited until she was very close, and then I grabbed her nape. Well, kittens will settle when you do that, but she wouldn't let me hold her close, and I had no way to pick up my groceries!

As luck would have it, a family was walking towards me right then. I have always depended on the kindness of strangers, and had no hesitation whatsoever in asking them to help me with my bags if they were going my way. They dropped me off at the corner and I ran home, stashed the kitten in the front entryway, and ran back to grab my bags and the antibiotics from my neighbor.

Naturally, after having been isolated for five minutes in a strange place, the kitten decided that I must be her best friend. I've encountered this before when rehoming semi-feral kittens. If you'll excuse the armchair psychology, I figure it's some sort of Stockholm thing. They're away from everything they know, but you're familiar and you haven't actually hurt them, so you must be a friend! She purred up a storm and let me hold her properly to put her in a larger room with food. (FOOD!) There was medicine on the food, which is the important thing, but not what she cared about. (That medicine is crucially important - this kitty's eyes are better, but she's sniffling. Sniffles + eye troubles = bad news for kittens.)

Then I got a little overawed with my own mad skillz, and decided to get her sister. Guess what I forgot? Yes, I forgot to bring a carrier. Like I said, I'm usually smarter than this, so don't judge me! Her sister's eye is much worse, and looking at it, I'm not sure that there isn't any permanent damage. But at least it's only one eye. This kitten was not so friendly, and smart enough to avoid me after my first attempt, so I had to enlist the man who's been feeding her. Smart kitty - she wanted the food, but she was wary of approaching any human with me still right there! He wasn't clear on what I meant by grabbing her neck either, but between the two of us I eventually did manage to grab her nape and lug her home, so now she's ensconced with her sister. (This was the third not-so-smart move on my part. I should've isolated her for half an hour first, and then had her warm up to me before putting her in with family. Well, I don't care that much.)

I'm tentatively calling the one with the bad eye Kid Blink, so I guess that makes the other one Nellie Bly.

Comments

[batwrangler]

Yay! You got the job done without access to a trap! That counts as pretty darn smart in my book.

[conuly]

Yeah, and I didn't get bit, so I really am counting this as a win!

[batwrangler]

Not getting bitten is a huge win, especially when dealing with unvaccinated ferals (I had a nerve-wracking ten days once...).

[conuly]

Luckily, rabies isn't common in NYC, but tetanus is always a risk, and cat bites are always serious anyway.

[batwrangler]

Rabies wasn't much of a problem in NH when I was growing up, but that's changed and there have been confirmed cases of rabid animals biting people in my town. :(

I was lucky in the that ER doc was sympathetic about me not wanting the kitten tested and there hadn't yet been a local confirmed case, but I did get a tetanus booster and antibiotics.

[conuly]

Oh, no. I can understand why you wouldn't want kitty tested!

[chanter1944]

OHHHH tortie kittens! :D Good on you, all decisions included, for catching, feeding and medicating these babies. <3

If I were in NYC, I'd be sorely tempted... Gosh darn distance. Oh, and Nellie Bly is a perfect/purrfect name for the friendlier kitten. :D

[alatefeline]

>> :D Good on you, all decisions included, for catching, feeding and medicating these babies. <3 <<

So very much agreed.

I boosted the signal for people looking for kitties.

[kyrielle]

That seems like it worked out pretty darned well! Especially for the kittens.

[flexagon]

It sounds to me like you did extremely well, carrier aside. Yay kittens. :)

[luscious_purple]

Yay for rescuing kittens!

[conuly]

Nice icon!

[conuly]

I just hope they soften up a bit (and get better) so they're better candidates for adoption. I really can't keep them, so either they get rehomed quickly, or they go to a shelter, and I don't know if the shelter wants to take the time to socialize them.

[conuly]

They really are sweeties, even if they aren't very people-oriented.

[conuly]

Thanks :)

[conuly]

Definitely not shipping them to the midwest. If I knew somebody who was going in that direction, maybe.... :P

(joking-but-not-really)

[konsectatrix]

Aw, kitties. I'm in Central Jersey--I don't know if that's too far, but if I get good news from the prospective job come Monday/Tuesday I might be able to help?

[conuly]

I have no idea how far away Central Jersey is from me in train-hours. But if you want them, I can possibly inveigle my mother to drop them off next time she goes to Pennsylvania to a casino with her friend.

Good luck on the job! (You have no idea how hard that was to type with crossed fingers!)

[flexagon]

There are plenty of people who do foster care for kittens, which usually includes socializing the little jerks...

[conuly]

Hopefully, my neighbor can hook me up with one of them tomorrow.

[konsectatrix]

I could probably figure out the drive, but yeah, I can't in good conscience adopt or foster while we're unemployed. Thanks!

[chanter1944]

Darn darn. Ah well. No kitties in my apartment building (double darn), so I'm out of the running. My total sweetheart of a landlady would a) melt, but then b) object, because company policy boo.

*pets the kittens* Especially the friendly one, Ms. Nellie Super Reporter Bly. :D

[conuly]

Aw :(

Well, it's a long commute anyway :)

[ironed_orchid]

Good work and good luck finding a permanent home for them.

[conuly]

I'm feeling really, really hopeful about them now that Kid Blink has warmed up a little.