This all started with Halle. Her friend Anna got a new cat and now she wants one. How do I know this? Because Andrea told me she heard Halle telling Anna that her mommy (Andrea) should get her (Halle) a cat for her birthday because that is the only thing she doesn't have (true - she is pretty spoiled). My daughter has ill manners at asking for birthday presents from others - not a shy bone in her body.
With Halle wanting a cat I thought this would be the perfect time to spring it on Chris. His loving wife with batting eyes and promises of kisses and a little princess daughter who can wrap daddy around her little finger. Surely with the two of us asking for one little kitten how could he say no. Actually it was quite easy, he said, "NNNNOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" No matter how we pleaded or begged the answer was still no.
A week or so passed and another opportunity presented itself. Our neighbor discovered that a stray cat had delivered kittens and was living under their shed. She was trying to find a home for the kittens and mother. Again my heart ached for a cat but I had to say no. I felt bad for my neighbor that she had to deal with this situation, but at the same time was glad it was not me that it had happened to.
A few days later my neighbor came over to my house to warn me that she thought the mother cat had moved her and her kittens into my backyard. I searched and searched for them in our wood pile and bushes but couldn't find them. Of course it didn't help that my three very loud children and some friends were over and playing in the backyard. I would have been hiding too if I could.
The next day we saw the mother and her kittens in our backyard. They are definitely wild and not people friendly. Any time they see or hear us they scarper as quickly as they can back down under the wood pile that we have stacked against our fence. It is hard to know that they are there as they are able to burrow down to the bottom of the pile. The only way to get them out would be to remove all the wood - which I am hardly in the mood to do now or any time soon.
The kids had such a great day with their new found "pets." They couldn't believe we actually had real pets living at our house. Every five minutes they would run over to check on the cats and try to get them out. They brought food and water out for them and talked to them. So it was a fun day but I dreaded evening time when Chris would get home and find out what had happened. I hoped I wouldn't have to tell him, that maybe he wouldn't even notice for a while since they were so good at hiding. But as soon as daddy came home the cats were all the kids wanted to talk about. (Never tell my kids secrets!)
Chris couldn't believe it! And just gave me a big "how could you do this" kind of stare. And the only thing he said was, "When are you calling the humane society?!"
But now it is two days later and the cats are still in the backyard using the wood pile as their secret and impenetrable lair. I don't know what to do. It is pretty fun seeing little fur balls run around. It is fun to see my kids enjoy having animals around. But they are wild and not people friendly. And when they are old enough they too will breed and produce more wild cats to live in the neighborhood. But I can't quite get my self to take them to an animal shelter yet. Because then they will be caged up and possibly put to sleep. I guess for now we will enjoy them until Chris gets mad enough to do something about them.
4 comments:
They are cute! Maybe this will soften Chris.
Cute, but so tough, because you already know that you can't keep all of them (or probably any of them). That is sad that they are homeless and wild in the first place. Sigh.
But I'm glad that your children are experiencing the joys of having a pet for a few days.
I can't believe they moved to your yard! What are the chances? If I weren't allergic to cats I would have gotten one for Hannah by now. She, like most little girls, loves small cuddly things.
Can the kittens become pets? Or is it too late for them?
This would be a dream come true for my kids - who all want a cat or dog. However, Andrew's allergic to cats and Natalie's allergic to dogs. You should see the warm and snuggly hermit crab we have! :-)
Post a Comment