Kitty Sitter

 

      Wren arrived a bit after 10 o'clock this morning, two hours after I was expecting her.  I had been looking forward to meeting ever since her human reached out to me. Nena was going on a trip to northern Minnesota and needed some one to care for her six week old kitten. She had planned to pick Wren up from her foster parent after the Independence Day holiday, but it didn't work out. Someone she called looking for help suggested that she contact me.

   I was happy to help. Actually I was downright gleeful. The chance to have a kitten in the house, even for a little while was very appealing to me. C and I spent the weekend in anticipation of our feline guest.

   Monday morning I studied my Scriptures and did my workout on a strict time schedule. Nena would be bringing Wren early in the morning and I wanted to me ready for her. Turned out that Nena was running a little late. 

   Nena finally came bringing Wren in a small carrier. She gave the carrier to me and I put it in the house. There was a bag with Wren's litterbox, food, dishes and litter along with a couple of toys. I talked to Nena a bit. Once she left I started setting Wren's things up. I put the litterbox in the front door entry and put some litter in it. I found a placemat and filled the food and water dishes. Then I carefully opened the carrier. Wren was scrunched up in the back looking a little nervous.

   She crept out of her carrier carefully and started to explore. It was so much fun to watch her sniff at everything. She went into the dining room and discovered the folding chair we had there. She started climbing on the rungs. She looked a little like an acrobat climbing on the rungs of the chair and on the decorative work under the dining room table. She ran from place to place. It occurred to me that she had probably never encountered a wood floor and liked the feel of it.

   Eventually she drank and ate a little bit. Then she went on another round of exploration. C went to the Post Office to mail a couple of things. I watched Wren play for a bit and then went into the kitchen to put some dishes away. I went into the living room to check on Wren. I didn't see her. I got worried.

  I looked under the chaise and under the couch. I checked her carrier. She was nowhere to be found. I knew she had to be in the house somewhere. I went back into the kitchen. When I checked again, I saw her walking toward the paper bag we had set up for her. I was relieved.

 Thirty minutes later, I didn't hear Wren moving around so I went to check on her again. This time I checked the wine glass cabinet in the dining room. I bent down to look on the shelf. Sure enough staring back at me was a pair of kitten eyes. I was glad that she had found a safe place for herself.

   When C came home from his errands, she was still in hiding. A few minutes later she came out. C played with her for a little bit. 

   I was amazed at how empty and lonely I felt without Scamp. I'm equally amazed at how much better things feel with Wren in the house. It feels good to have a cat in the house, even as a guest.

   Once we get new flooring in the basement and return from out trip to Door County, we are going to adopt a couple of cats. I'd like one to be orange and I think it would be cute to have a little grey....