Our Baby

Yes at our age we do have a baby, a four footed furry baby. She came to us in a special way.
Just before Christmas in 2003, my sister-in-law phone us to ask if we could look after a stray kitten they had. It was Christmas morning when they brought her over, wet and miserable looking.

Here is her story.

I was cold and hungry and only about 6 months old. I needed help. A ladder was leaning up against a house and I climbed it. Then I saw a high chimney and felt heat coming from it. So I climbed it to get warm but in my haste to do so I fell down inside the chimney to the bottom. I meowed and meowed and meowed for what I felt was a long time. I couldn't lick myself clean as the stuff that coated my fur tasted awful. When I was finally found I was weak with hunger. I found myself being bathed and fed.

It wasn't until the next day after listening to the noise coming from the bottom of the chimney that investigating discovered a kitten and not birds as had been thought.  She was covered in soot. A pitiful meow arose when she was bathed and it took three or four baths to get the soot off of her.
They couldn't keep her as their own cats would attack it and besides that they were going into Winnipeg to see their daughter so they needed someone to look after this little kitten. 

Here is where we come into the picture. Christmas morning, we get a phone call asking us to look after a kitten as they couldn't leave it at home with the other cats. We said okay and along with the kitten came a litter box and food. She hid under our bed for the first three days only coming out to use the litter box or for something to eat. By the fourth day she was more secure with her surroundings and was coming out from under the bed more and more. By this time, Ron's brother had come back from Winnipeg. We received a phone call asking if we could keep the cat permanently. They would even pay for to get her spayed. I guess we fell for it.

One look at the kitten and she looked at us and we fell in love. Of course we said okay. It wasn't until later would we know how much this cat was going to cost us.

Her immune system was effected and she developed illnesses that we had to take drastic measures with it. Normally cats don't have a lot of trouble with their ears with mites but she has a constant battle with them. A bad strain of mites infected her ears and to get rid of them, the Vet bathed her once a week for four weeks in a solution of some kind. She hated it, but it did get rid of them. She then developed severe gingivitis and for awhile it was held at bay with a steroid solution. Four years later, we finally had to get all of her teeth out.

Did it help? Sure did, from a bit of fur and fluff she is now well and full of energy. However, she now had diabetes and get two shots a day of insulin. What does she give us in return? A welcome home everytime we go out. Lots of love and companionship.

Would we do it all again for her? Yes we would. She is our baby, our four legged furry friend and baby.

Because we got her at Christmas, she is named that. But we call her Chrissy, and the name suits her.