My Followers…

On my way home one morning Charlie come dashing up the lane to great me,

“I’ve already been on my walk,” I told her leaning down to rub her ears as she nuzzled my pockets for the biscuits I’d already given away.

“Sorry, I don’t have any treats for you!”  She wagged her tail and followed me anyway.

I looked up and saw animal activity at one of the rubbish bins on the corner of Ballinlough that cuts through a neighbor’s property…

as Charlie and I walked closer I saw it was two kittens,

Kittens

“Those must be the kitties my friend asked me about almost a week ago,” I remarked to Charlie who ran to investigate.

“Well at least they’re still alive,” I murmured to myself as I bent down to stroke them, relieved that coyotes or hawks hadn’t nabbed them in the five days that had elapsed.

They were very friendly and allowed me to pick them up for kitteny cuddles, purring loudly and snuggling into the crook of my arm.

Both Daughts and her Hubs stopped and rolled down their windows to ‘coo’ and ‘aah’ over the irresistible little mites before resuming their commutes to work.

I put them down and jogged along the lane towards Footlights accompanied by Charlie who seemed to be herding my two latest followers!

Kittens2

They leaped and loped steadily down the gravel hill, apparently happy for the company.

As I walked up our driveway Hubs and the three house-cats watched from the front porch shaking their heads at my little entourage.

Once home I gave Charlie a biscuit and Hubs climbed into the attic for a large crate while I filled two bowls, one with water and one with food.

The kittens made themselves at home,

Kittens3

and something caught Charlie’s eye…

She was off in a scrabble of paws, after a road runner or a cottontail, into the creek and up the other side…

Kittens and her favorite human forgotten for the day.

After more cuddles I put them both inside the cage and they made a loud clamour before settling down to eat their scattered food.

“I suppose we’ll have to text the neighborhood to see if anyone is interested in adopting them,” I said to Hubs regarding them fondly.

“Failing that we’ll be taking them to the animal shelter later,” he said.

Our day was gradually unfolding before us.

I sighed and called my neighbor who had originally asked me about the kittens to see if she’d ever found out where they’d come from?

And surprise, surprise they belonged to Charlie’s parents…

“Figures,” I said and we both laughed.  I hadn’t made the connection earlier but it made sense…

they were used to Charlie and humans so they couldn’t have been just common-or-garden wild-cats!

I hung up and looked at Hubs,

“No wonder Charlie was so good with them apparently they sleep on her at night!”

I texted their owners and they responded that they’d be over in an hour…and…

“Thanks for keeping them…”

Four hours later Mum arrived to claim the babies who were fast asleep by now.

“There are three of them,” she explained, “these two like to get out with Charlie, the other one isn’t so adventurous and stays at home.”

‘Home’ was outside in an enclosure of sorts.

“Well, how do they get out?” I asked having visions of flattened kittens along Rigsby Lane.

“We check that they’re locked up before we leave,” she offered, “but sometimes…we can’t find them all…”

By now they were awake and eagerly awaiting freedom with those ‘aren’t I adorable’ eyes!

Kittens4

She proceeded to tell me of a time she’d found a kitten huddled under the van when she’d stopped for gas several miles away!

And her husband had found one when he arrived at work, in the bucket of the cherry-picker on the back of his work truck!

“The children use food and treats to entice any stowaways out of the vehicle but it doesn’t always work!” she told me.

Unbelievable!

“They’re young,” I said to Hubs later in their defense.

“Great!” Daughts said when she heard the stories,”now I’m going to have to worry about running over a kitten on the lane and dodging Charlie!”

Whole flocks of feathered livestock have been lost recently to coyotes and hawks.

I only know this because I ask when the rooster goes quiet!

I hope the kittens are more quick-witted than chickens!

 

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