I figured this little stinker needed her own post.
Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, Fair Week:
I was waiting at the bus stop to go to my volunteer job at the library, when I saw two tween/teenage girls across the street with a small kitten in tow. Instinctively, almost protectively, I muttered to myself, "They better not coax that cat across the street."
They did.
And my bottled anxiety started here.
Then the cat saw me...or the concrete pad that the bus stop bench is mounted to....and came right over. The cat, a girl kitty, was obviously overheated and needed water. So, while talking to these girls about where this cat came from, we were trying to get her to drink from a water bottle cap that I, in turn, was dabbing water on her mouth trying to get her to lick her now wet fur. Now, not to say anything bad about these girls, but it was obvious that they hadn't developed the natural motherly instinct yet (I have seen it in girls as young as ten, but it is increasingly becoming more and more rare) and had unknowingly bonded with this kitten. So, when the bus finally came, these girls simply left the kitten as if it were a toy. But, this is a living breathing animal that is now bonded with these new friends she just met and ran after the girls towards the bus! Thankfully, I caught the cat in time. I told the bus driver that I was getting on and then turned around to leave this kitten deeper in the nearest neighbor's yard. Of course, the bus made that weird spouting sound that made me panic that it was going to leave me, so I turned around to reassure the driver that I was coming. And since cats are actually a flight animal, I walked carefully back towards the bus while the cat made a big arc around me.........and ran right under the cab of the bus!!! I instantly recalled a story from one of the other bus drivers (who had that route in the morning that week) of when he was still driving semi-trucks across the country, the first time he saw a roadrunner - it hit his front tire. So, I am trying to coax this cat out from underneath the bus with that image in my head. Thankfully, she did have good recall. But, yes, in true cat fashion, she did rub up against the near tire! Once I caught her again, I popped up and the driver said, "Just bring the cat."
I then took a beeline to where the girls were sitting, who were overly excited that the kitten was coming with us on the bus. That's when I found out where they were going: First Dam in Logan Canyon - no place for a kitten! They did want a picture of her, which was fine. But, due to where they were going, I did the adult thing to bring the cat with me to eventually find her rightful owners. This also meant I had to carry a majorly scared kitten down to the library next to a road where people speed up and down all the time. And this time, it even had signs that indicated to drive slowly due to open gravel in the middle of the road. Did they obey? No!! Never!! This is Utah! Down near the bottom of the worst drivers in all of the US!!
Yeah, then walking into the library was interesting enough as it is. The ladies at the front desk said that they've had cats in the library before. So, we found a box to put her in with some water and left her in the kitchen, while I shelf-read (making sure the books are in order). Prior to getting to work, I snapped some pictures and posted on Hyde Park Classifieds on Facebook in hopes to find her owners. This is the only time I have ever had my phone on me while working my shift at the library. I ended up calling my mom (who with my sister was picking me up afterwards to go do fair entry stuff) while on my shift to bring the cat carrier, cat food, and some water. Not something anybody wanted to hear especially when we already have so many animals (mostly black and white ones!) and was looking after my sister's boyfriend's two dogs - one being a puppy still. Well, the events coordinator came out to me to say that the kitten had escaped her box and was touring the office area while she was trying to interview someone for a job. So, my shift that day was cut short.
It gets better.
Just when I am trying to figure out what to do with this cat - my mom names her "Sasha" because she looks like she has a "bob" style haircut with how her facial markings are. "Mom! I'm trying to not get attached!" Next thing you know, my mom is carrying around this kitten during the fair entry stuff, trying to pawn her off to someone else....which didn't work - all she got were compliments on how cute the kitty was! Afterwards, she kept asking me about what I am going to do with this kitten. And I chose the right thing to do: find her owner. Which also meant I needed to buy kitten food, because our cats haven't been kittens in years.
When we got home, I made sure I got a collar on her to make it easier to keep ahold of her if need be. We also had a long, hard nap, because she and I have had quite the adventure that day!
Tuesday/Wednesday, Aug. 6-7, 2024:
Tuesday morning from 11 to I think about 1 or 2ish in the afternoon, I walked up and down Hyde Park Lane (the main entry/exit to Hyde Park) putting up flyers saying, "Found Cat - call this number" with a picture of the kitten. It was a long, hot day. I did talk to an older guy, who said that he recently rehomed a litter of kittens who were apparently dumped.
She didn't go potty until later Tuesday or early Wednesday. But, since we don't have a litter box for our cats anymore, I was very hopeful to try to get her to potty outside. She went in her crate instead.
Our cats weren't too sure about her. She actually did the hissing. which was surprising since our girl cat, Thunder (pictured above) often is the queen of hissing...particularly at her brother, Lightning (pictured below).
I'm still surprised at how well they were behaving with each other. If she were to stay, they probably would've been fine with each other.
By Wednesday evening, I had gotten no bites on the fliers and we started to assume that she was possibly dumped. Which is very sad, especially since even though cats are known to be good mousers, many people dump housecats, who have never moused a day in their life, off at barns or fields to fend for themselves. They don't stand a chance at survival - especially for a kitten as young as this little one.
Thursday, Aug.8, 2024 - Rodeo/County Fair:
Thursday morning I went out to collect all of the fliers, giving up on finding her owner, when on my way back from the Maverick gas station on the corner, I received a call from a lady asking about the kitten. We set up a time for her so that I can make it back home in time. Come to find out, this lady fosters cats as well as go into feral cat colonies to help control the numbers (apparently, there are several colonies in-between Hyde Park and North Logan)....and she works with Petsmart with the cat adoptions - which is where we think is where I have recognized her from.
Now, here's the kitten's story from that weekend before she came to me.
She was found with her siblings at an older lady's barn just the next street over from my house (I meant to go up that road with a flier, but was too tired and stressed to do so). One died unexpectantly, one got picked up by a hawk, and that week (fair week), the remaining brother was going to get neutered, while leaving this kitten with this older lady before getting spayed the following week. Unfortunately, this older lady doesn't like cats in the house. So, she managed to survive all day Sunday with this kitten in the house. But, come Monday morning, she brought the kitten outside to feed her. Turned her back for a second. And just like with a little kid, the kitten is gone. It was assumed that she followed the older lady's husband out to the cattle.
And that's how she went missing in the first place. She was quite the little social butterfly (and a drool monster - nothing was wrong with her, she just drooled and blew bubbles, too).
The Foster Cat Lady was super relieved that the kitten was ok. In fact, she had seen the picture of the kitten on the county's FB group for lost pets (that I didn't know about) that those two girls had posted on. Of course, the girls didn't indicate where the cat went after they took the picture. The lady eventually got a text from a friend, of one of my fliers and that's how she got my number. She actually was hoping to keep this kitten as her own personal pet. I also now know somebody for when I am ready to take on another cat (preferably to do outside adventures with).
After she took the kitten home, my bottled anxiety was so bad that I never made it to the fair on Thursday. I was able to make it to the rodeo, where due to the location of our seats were under where the speakers were...that eventually drummed out the anxiety in my chest.
Yes, that is a horse sitting in a car!
Friday, Aug. 9, 2024 - Fair
While my bottled anxiety in my chest was gone, it just piled up in my head! What didn't help was that I was meeting my friend, Gemma, that morning at the fairgrounds to walk around at the fair. I felt so bad. I was literally walking around like a zombie. After she went home, I took a nap at our tent (my family runs the Cache County 4H Dog Program and it's like tent city with everyone's EZ-Ups crammed into the trees by the canal). Then I took the bus home....after my dad had already left to take my little brother home.
I was still able to enjoy the little things, like my Capri Sun Juice Bag winning 2nd place...
And Valtameri winning 1st in Sculpture! I made that diorama at last minute because I felt that her by herself didn't get the point across that she's an "Ocean Unicorn."
Victoria's crocheted cows got 1st, too!
I had gotten off the bus higher up so that I can collect the rest of the fliers. It rained on my walk home. It felt nice. I'm pretty sure I slept more after getting home.
Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024 - Fair
I surprisingly did not have a headache at all and was able to enjoy the fair without any problems. I had gotten a few goodies including an art print that I have yet to frame (it's of some swans in a pond).
The clouds that evening were absolutely incredible!! I mean look at those sunrays with the clear shadows! And that these are taken with just my phone?! Yeah, super cool!
