Notes of Concern…
…Jack Blair
Naivete & Pragmatism
I arrived at our cottage on Prince Edward Island earlier than usual this June as I had a commitment to attend the retirement of the president of The University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown. When I stopped at the roadside restaurant of friends I found a picture prominently displayed of three kittens in search of a home. The picture, I learned later, had been taken by a professional photographer, a woman who also had mares in the barn where she found the kittens. She went daily to take care of the mares that were with foals.
It occurred to me that I might be able to help her find a home for these really cute kittens. I contacted her only to learn that not one person had responded to her plea over a period of weeks. She reported to me that she had heard meowing inside the wall of the barn. When she investigated she found four kittens, one not living, right where their mother had “dropped” them between the wallboards onto a bed of hay.
In order to rescue the cats she had to actually take wallboards down. Once she saved three kittens she simply left them in the barn, with mares, foals and stallions and the occasional dog. The doors were open to the fields. The kittens’ early experiences were with other animals and the out of doors.
She got worried that the little kittens would be devoured by wild animals or get caught in something out of which they could not escape. She brought them food each day. She took their picture. And she decided to try to find them homes.
The picture with this column shows the three kittens.
I agreed to take the female (the one in the middle of the picture) and begin a search for a home for her. I took her to the local vet to make sure everything that was needed was provided. I picked up a colorful collar and a leash. I got some kitty litter and some bowls. I had a friend make up posters to place around St. Peters Bay.
Oh boy was I naïve.
When the wife got wind of my project she emailed: “don’t even think I am going to fall in love with this kitten. We have two cats and we do not need a third.”
Ever the pragmatist.
Much to my surprise, the cat took quickly to my two Labrador retrievers and they formed a neat threesome for playing both inside and outside the cottage. The little kitten would occasionally hop up on my chair and fall asleep on my lap as I read or typed.
Boy was I naïve.
I again put out some fliers advertising this cute kitten, free to a good home. With the vet fees and the food and other items I already had about $130 invested in this barn cat. Nevertheless, I was determined I would find more people interested in providing her a home if she was “free” to them.
The emails from the wife were getting a little better and she was vacillating some on keeping the kitten. Then there were some Skype sessions on the computer when she got to see the kitten playing with the Labs, sleeping on my lap, enjoying the heat from the fireplace. But no full out surrender was yet coming.
Hope springs eternal. So does naivete!
My efforts to find a home began to be less each day. Also each day the kitten (unnamed so she would be easier to give away) spent more time on my lap, in my bed, and with my dogs.
When the wife arrived on the island it was really clear I had fallen for the kitten and the wife planned to be pragmatic.
So dear readers, once again nature has proved there are few things more adorable than small kittens; few things more foolish than thinking you could just walk away from one who needed a home; and nothing as naïve as a man trying to help an animal find a home while secretly hoping the home he would find would be his own.
So within three days the little kitten was gifted to our wonderful neighbors, a victory for pragmatics, who were happy to accept her into their home. She now has two boys, another cat, and a dog named Rio to keep her company.
I miss her but only have to cross the yard to see her.
Now I am hoping I can find her two brothers as great a home. Since I know for sure that home will not be with me perhaps it will be easier to work harder on the project.
