I've been on the hunt for a kitten for awhile now. Mama went from being totally accepting of any new cat that I brought home, to hissing and hiding from any adult cat I brought home. I think the change happened right after Luna. But she accepted MJ after Luna because he was still a kitten.
Right now, in clinics, I have 12+ hour days on a typical week. I leave around 6:30am and get home past 6pm. When I get home, Mama is all over me, needing attention that I'm too tired to give. She's become increasingly restless and frustrated with me being gone or asleep all the time. So I knew I had to get her a companion.
I've been looking at kittens for a few weeks now, and just not bonding with any of them. The one time I did have a connection he had already been adopted. So I resorted to something I never do: Craigslist. *shudder* I know, I know. The person in me who has worked as rescue volunteer and foster for nearly 10 years feels so ashamed. But I really wanted to get this done quickly, and none of the shelter kittens I looked at seemed the least bit interested in me. I won't adopt unless I feel that special instantaneous connection.
I had a lady come over last night who was advertising a litter of kittens for adoption for a "small rehoming fee." He was the last of the litter, and at 10 weeks was starting to lose the tiny kitten adorableness. She was pretty desperate to get rid of him. I immediately started a mini physical exam on him the moment I got my hands on him. He reeked of cigarette smoke and had flea dirt all over him. And he went completely boneless in my arms and started purring, and I felt that tug of instant bonding I hadn't felt with the other kittens I'd looked at. Of course the fact that I had no intention of sending him home with this woman to get even more parasites and inhale chain smoking was also a big factor. I know she'll keep breeding. I know I haven't actually contributed to the well being of her animals. Trust me, I know, because it's the lecture I give everyone.
So I paid her to go away, immediately gave him a bath with dishsoap to kill the fleas I could, and then shoved him in the bathroom to run to Meijer (it was after 9pm, and Petsmart was closed) to buy kitten food and Frontline Plus.
Last night he slept cuddled up against me the whole night. He won't leave my side, and has to be touching me. Mama's cautious about him, but not hiding, so that's good. I feel confident she'll get over herself soon. I'm trying to squeeze him in at a clinic today to get FIV/Felv tested, a kitten vaccine, and dewormed.
Without further ado, everyone meet Castiel!
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