September 18, 2008

THANKFUL THURSDAY ~ THE END OF THE STORY

For all who know the story of Our Feral Family, we post here what we believe is the end of the story. For those who are not familiar with the story, but would like to read about our ferals, please go to the sidebar, under Zoolatry Zoo, and click on "Our Feral Family" for earlier photos and postings.
The story began in early May, when a Little Black Stray Kitty Girl made her way into our yard, and into our hearts, and soon gave birth to her little ones in a woodpile by the fence. We watched, we waited. And in time we had the great pleasure of meeting her three kits.
By mid June, they were all regular visitors in our front yard and on our front porch -- having breakfast and dinner, water and treats in between. And toys to play with.
As they grew, our affection for them grew and we named them all: Annie, Bravo, Charlie and Delta Dawn. At the time we planned to trap them for spay/neuter, little Bravo mysteriously disappeared, never to be see again. We trapped the others and soon discovered that Charlie was really Charlotte. And Delta Dawn was really Delta Don... sadly, our Delta did not survive the surgery. But Annie and Charlie were brought back home, whole and healthy, and released back into our yard and woods.
Time went on and they stayed and made this their home, always there at mealtime, napping on the porch throughout the day, bringing us so many hours of pleasure. And creating a great deal of curiosity for Maggy and Zoey who would fight for space on the window sills to watch these "new" cats. Both kept a distance, our interaction was limited to the visual and verbal.
We made plans to trap them again, bring them into our enclosed back porch, tame them and have them become family along with Maggy and Zoey. But we delayed, due to my husbands impending surgery. We felt it could wait until after he was home, and well.
But life has a way of making its own plans. The very weekend before my husbands hospitalization, Annie and Charlie did not come for meals or to play. There was no sign of them for a day, for two days, for more.
The same week of my husbands surgery was the week of Tropical Storm Fay. Distraught over Annie and Charlies absence I posted their picture and description with numerous area vet clinics, shelters and the humane society. And posters went up in nearby stores. While at the hospital, I received a phone call from a woman who had seen them in her yard and had given food to them. As fate would have it, she lived in a flooded area near to us, that no one was allowed to enter (the National Guard stopped all non residents). I took her number and asked her to keep an eye on them. But that phone number (I had no address or last name for her) was on a scrap of paper, hastily written in a hospital room -- and it was lost. I've since searched high and low for that bit of paper with her number, and it is not to be found.
Like Annie and Charlie, lost. It has been one full month now. They've not been seen, they have not returned. I search for them as I go out the driveway, as I drive down the road. I don't go on the front porch without hoping to see them.
What lesson did we learn: do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
What did we gain from this experience: great joy and so many moments of pleasure from them both, two little feral kitties -- kitties we never even touched or held.
Why Thankful Thursday: because we are thankful they came to us, if only for a short time and being optimists we believe they have not come to harm, but found safety elsewhere.
Annie and Charlie, and Bravo and Delta Dawn -- you are loved, you are missed, yet you were Born Free, and you are Living Free.

30 comments:

  1. Oh we so agree with you do not put things off because you never know what direction life will take --

    *sigh*

    And again you never know what the next chapter will be...

    Purrs for Annie, Charlie, Bravo and Delta Dawn


    Abby

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  2. Purrs to you and purrs to Annie and Charlie...
    You were so wonderful to them...

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  3. OH gosh, I am crying!

    Thank you for sharing this. It was sad to read but had some good lessons within.

    They are beautiful , gorgeous kitties!!!!!!

    I wanted to ty you for visiting wlk and welcoming me into kitty blodome.

    I recenlt pulled thru a taco bell drive thru and there was a stray kitten sitting within the bend of the curb. I got out and talked to her, she talked back telling me about her self. But as I reached for her, she backed away.

    I was all set to bring her home.

    I really am shocked I dont have 30 cats yet.

    They are one of the best creations in this uiverse and I wouldnt be the same without them in my daily life.

    Again, thanks for sharing your story. I hope they are all okay and together enjoying the perks of freedom but also having a human to talk to now and then : ).

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  4. We are sorry they never came back, but at least you know that you gave them a good start in life and that they won't be adding to the kitten population since you had them neutered.Maybe one day they will turn up on your doorstep again.

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  5. Awww. That is a little sad. I am trying to be the eternal optimist and believe that they have found a forever home because of the love that you showed them.

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  6. we hopes that Annie and Charlie haf moved on to a wonderful new chapter in their lives, but we will also be forever sad that we will never know. we can only hope. No matter what happened or happens, you showed them love and that is all that matters

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  7. Being feral is tough life. Living free not all it cracked up to be. Would not have liked to be outside in that storm last night let me tell you. Sad tale, put perhaps theys will return to you one day.

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  8. That is a little sad end to the story. I too,hope they have found a safe place.
    You gave them a wonderful start!
    Purrs Mickey

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  9. You did everything you could for this little feral colony. Maybe the lady who called you has adopted Annie and Charlie. You can only do so much! Please know that you are only one person....one person who is already overloaded with things to take care of!

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  10. We're so sad, but it seems better to take the more optimistic approach and say that the reason that they have not come home to you is because they are far too busy and happy in their new forever home.

    Purrs,
    Pearl, Bert and Jake

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  11. Oh we are so sorry to hear about the feral family. We think they were just little cats who were there for you for a few moments and not for forever. Maybe they found someone who needed two feral kitties to love?

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  12. Mommy and I are so leaky-eyed over your Feral Family . . . we grew to love them too and miss them.

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  13. I'm sowwy they didn't come back. But I'm puwwing and puwwing that they've found a gweat forever home!

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  14. Okay...now you made mom's eyes leak...we hope that they are safe somewhere...at least they were able to experience your kindness...and you never know, they may make their way back to you someday...

    Wally, Ernie & Zoey

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  15. Very sad, but hopefully they are doing fine elsewhere. You had them for a while, and showed them love and kindness. Never give up on them, you never know.

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  16. I had been wondering about your little feral family. I'm so sorry to hear that they have moved on. We have had several kitties come and go here at our house and like you we are thankful to have had them and hopeful that they are happy elsewhere.

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  17. We are optimists, too! Wherever they are, you know you gave them a much brighter start than they had.

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  18. Thanks for letting us know about Charlie and Annie! We miss them, too! We purrr that they are loved and happy in a new home! And maybe one day they will return! That is great lesson and so true, caue we never know what tomorrow may bring!
    ((((((Hugs from our house to yours!!)))))
    YFF,

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  19. Oh, man. We are so glad that they had you to take care of them, if only for a little while.

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  20. Maybe someone is looking after them. We feel sad for you that you don't know where they are though.

    Purrs
    Fat Eric

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  21. We are so sorry to hear that Charlie and Annie went missing. Maybe some loving person like yourself found them and gave them a home. You brought them this far and they moved on to their next adventure.

    Purrs Goldie and Shade

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  22. Thank you Zoey for voting for my crazy hair on the black and white competition on topcatrules!

    Took

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  23. We meet, we love, we lost. That's life, but always remembering 'Never put off to tomorrow what you can do today'.

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  24. Oh my, that's so sad. But keep them in your mind, maybe they are in another yard with caring people who feed and play with them and they are having a happy life, free but still together. You have done a lot for them and maybe one day your paths cross again. I wish this would happen... for you and for them! *Hugs*

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  25. Hey, I have an idea!!!
    That nice woman saw your flier in the store, right?
    Put up another one asking her to get back in touch with you!!!!!!!!!
    You're welcome.

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  26. Thanks for sharing this story with all of us - we like that you're choosing to be optimistic, so we're with you on believing the best possible outcome for your little feral family. Thank you so much for helping the little kitties, 'cos you gave them a great chance they wouldn't otherwise have had. Still purring and purraying for a miracle...

    Purrs

    Gypsy & Tasha

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  27. That is such a sad story, the poor kitties who are lost! Purrs, we hope someone is caring for them wherever they are!

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  28. I'm sorry for your sadness. I think they are on someone else's porch though, making them happy.

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