A kitty mom looks back
The trip I made last year to Lubbock, Texas, changed my life. Although I am a cat person, I had not had a cat in the house for almost two years. I had a serious illness, and when Clint, my companion of 12 years, passed away unexpectedly, I was just not ready or able to care for another cat.
I missed having one terribly, and it would have been comforting to have a furry friend at my side. For quite a while I lived vicariously through my friends’ cats, and thought about what I would do when the time came to get my own. In the spring of 2011, Tamy and Tim in Houston posted “we have kittens.” When I saw the pictures, I knew that time had come, and on July 31 embarked on a road trip to meet two online friends for the first time, and to pick up Yoshi and Oliver.
It was love at first sight. The kittens were part of a feral colony, and Tamy had run out of space for cats in the house. The kittens could be fixed and allowed to stay, or they could go to a shelter and risk not finding a home. I knew how important it was that they stay together when I first saw them.
So I decided kittens would be a fine idea. Besides, I knew the family. But it meant a lot of changes. Breakables had to be stored, curtains had to be rearranged, and furniture had to be striped with double sticky tape. I had a goal, and that started me on a path to recovery. I had babies coming, and I had to be around to take care of them for a long time.
At first glance, they looked very much alike. The only difference between them was that Yoshi had four white feet and Oliver had four black feet. For their first few months, they were named Socks and Shoes, respectively.
As soon as their personalities began to emerge, it became clear that these look-alike brothers were polar opposites. The day they were snatched out of their lives to begin socializing for their new mom sealed the deal. They were halves of a whole.
Tim came out on the deck, and Yoshi ran full tilt into his hands. Yoshi loved people; they gave him good things to eat and lots of love and attention. Despite his mother’s constant nagging to steer clear, he never listened.
Oliver, on the other hand, stood firm. He had listened to his mother and was not going to be fooled. As Tim stood holding Yoshi, Oliver had a decision to make. His mother was on the far side of the yard calling to him, but Yoshi was his little brother, his silly little annoying ADHD brother. He looked back at his mother one last time, turned toward Tim, and slowly headed into the house with Yoshi.
A year and a half later, he still has the role of protector. If I have to take Yoshi to the vet and leave Oliver at home, I hear about it. First he makes sure that Yoshi is not hurt—then he gives me heck for taking his brother away. But I don’t mind. I know that Oliver is just doing his job. Besides, I know his secret. He tries so hard to be a cool, uninvolved cat. But I know when he meows at me, he wants tummy scratches and kitty treats and loving just like Yoshi.
My boys. I don’t know how I lived without them.
Kat Brown of Albuquerque is a lifelong animal-lover, especially of cats. She wears many hats, but animal-lover is perhaps the one that has given her the most pleasure. Share your cat stories or comments at katskorner88@gmail.com.