The story of Lucky our gray tom, is a facinating one and one that should have ended with his death. My wife and I had been taking our normal walking path just as we did every night. It was about dusk when we past a section of fence surrounding a large over grown cow pasture. I had been through a pretty difficult week, and highly stressed. I wanted to end the walk early and just turn around for home. However being a persistant and rather convincing person, my wife talked me into completing the two mile hike. Along the way I kept hearing a faint sound, like a child crying, but shriller. I asked my wife, "What is that noise?" She of course couldnt hear anything so without much thought I continued on. It wasn't long that I heard it again, this time right over the fence in the grown up weeds. It was if whatever was making the noise seemed to be following me. After about three times of this, I stopped and began watching the weeds for signs of movement. Slowly, I saw this weed move, then another, and another, every inch closer to the fence. I stopped my wife and we moved over next to the fence. There in the weeds like a tiny gray puff of smoke crotched this furball, dirty, mangled and rather frightened to see us there pearing down at him. I moved closer trying to see if I could reach in, but the tiny creature backed away, tailed tucked hissing slightly. Well I decided to forget it and just go on home, after all I had been through alot and just wanted to take a shower. I honestly had always wanted another cat, but looking down at the poor thing, I felt it would be better if I let the kitten find its lost mother somewhere. There was an old milkbarn about five hundred feet from where we stood, I figured, the mother was somewhere close by and best let nature take its course. My wife nodded and I started to walk off. There it was again, this little meow!meow! Like the cry of a child. I turned and to my surprise the kitten had made it through the hold in the fence and had tumbled down in the ditch. Well I knew if he stayed there, some motorist would never see him, especially since it was getting dark. So with some reluctance, I walked over and reached out to him. He pulled back, but not quick enough to get away. I cuddled the poor thing in my arms, his nose, all bloodied and his neck appearing to be mawled by a dog. At that moment, honestly, I didnt know if he had internal injuries, or a disease, actually I hadnt owned a cat in some twelve years, so I was just as afraid of not providing the proper care for him, as he was questioning who I was and what my intentions were. Never the less, with a roll of my wife's eyes, here we walked, cat in my arms, clawing and teraing at my shirt, wishing to be let down. I knew the traffic was worse this time a night and so I struggled to keep him calm for the rest of the mile and a half journey back to our house.
When we reached the house, I noticed something that made my wife's skin crawl:On top of a terrible looking neck, scratched nose, and dehydration, the kitten had fleas! So I went to checking my arms and legs and the front of my shirt where he'd so unlovingly rolled about. To my relief I had remained flealess, so no dipping for me that night.Whew! However we then had to come to some decision as to where this little one would sleep. He couldnt stay in the house with a boat load of fleas, and at six o'clock what vet would be home. My wife insisted I try to call the vet anyway, which to my surprise turned out to be a good idea. We grabbed a towel and wrapped him up in it. Then off we drove to the vet without a secoond thought. By eight, we had discovered a new love in our lives and a friend. Worming, vaccinations, a bath, flea medicine, eye medicine, ex rays and a butt check, later, the lovable one pound ball of fur now known as Lucky came home with us.
Since that night, we have never looked back, every day he makes the worst days joyful, the unhappiest nights full of laughter, and the severest arguments worthless. In every silly motion, or playful spin, he has touched our lives in so many levels. I had been in a state of depression for many months due to the loss of my mother and a recent uneventful job change. Lucky seemed to charm away every ache and pain, every inner doubt. Whether it was a leap into the blinds, with his helpless glance as if to say, "Oh no, not again!" Or his mean fox expression where he darts from side to side then runs full speed and clings to the side of the bed spread. All these lovable acts brought laughter to our home. I think back and wander how God must have placed this little now three pound angel in that fence row that night for us to discover. He makes me realize the important things in life through his eyes. I hope you are blessed by this article and realize just how special your cat it to you. God Bless, catch my next article.
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