Before we start, I know it isn't a very creative or original name. She was an unplanned adoption and by the time I thought up a name, she answered to Kitty - as did everyone else, they still do. Whenever I want to gather the cats together, I do the kitty call, "KITTY, KITTY, KITTY, KITTY, KITTY!" They all appear from wherever they were hiding with expectant looks on their faces.
It was towards the end of 1994 when Kitty first appeared. No, she wasn't a stray who just wandered in and made herself at home, she was a terrified black and white bundle who materialised on my doorstep in a box. It's no surprise she was so scared, she was far too young to be away from her mother. At least she was 'given' to me though, rather than abandoned somewhere more dangerous.
Kitty spent her first few weeks clinging onto the front of my sweater, totally refusing to be put down. Although she did eat a small amount of cat food, she was fed mostly on formula until properly weaned.
Life was pretty uneventful for her first few months, but then she took everyone by surprise and came into season. I had absolutely no way of confining her and she was too young to be spayed, also I had just found out I was pregnant so was a bit more emotional than usual. Kitty chose herself a big black tom cat. He was the scruffiest cat I had ever seen and I just could not understand how she chose him, especially as there was a very handsome tabby boy showing interest too. But, when the kittens were born I could see exactly why she had chosen the scruffy boy!
There were three kittens, two boys and a girl. They were all light grey with darker points, almost like Siamese. The most amazing kittens I had ever seen! As they grew it became obvious that they all had different coat types, The first born boy was shorthaired, second born boy was very fluffy and longhaired, the girl was semi longhaired. I named them Benny, Gremlin and Cheyenne - she had light grey stripes up her cheek bones, just like war paint.
They were a very close family so we decided to keep them all, but when they were ten months old... finances changed and we were forced to find them new homes. Benny and Gremlin went to live on a farm together, I kept in touch with them for well over a year before letting the new owners 'off the hook'. Cheyenne went to a family who lived a few miles away, but was very sadly killed by a car a few months before her second birthday. As far as I know, the boys are still very happily living together.
Kitty-Kat will be eight this year (2002), she's a bit of a hermit and very bad tempered - but we love her. :)
