This Little Kittie Came to Visit

Once in a while we will receive four legged visitors that are either roaming or lost.  About two weeks ago a gray and white cat was heard meowing near our house.   Our daughter, Kim and her boyfriend Richard immediately made friends with the friendly kittie.   When I approached the cat it immediately ran up and rubbed against my legs.  I knew right away this was no ordinary stray cat but was most likely a lost pet.

We decided the cat was probably hungry so I went down to the feedlot to get cat food we keep on hand for our calico cat named Tonja that lives in our processing barn.  While we watched the gray stray ravenously snatch up each morsel I sent a text to our closest neighbor to see if they were missing a gray cat.  “No” was the reply I received.  

The cat was so friendly that I decided if it stayed for a week and I didn’t find the owner we would give the cat a home and make a trip to the vet for vaccinations.  We live right along a highway so the cat was also going to have be street savy in knowing where not to go.

A few days passed by and another neighbor stopped by that lives a mile away on the other side of the highway.  As I was signing her daughter’s 4-H record books the gray kittie came up by the front door.  As I looked out the door I asked if they were by chance missing a cat.  Mom looked at daughter and they said yes, that did look like a cat they had.  

The gray kittie had been given to them from another friend.  I learned gray kittie was a she and was a mom to a litter of kittens earlier in the year.   There was an issue of a dog chasing the gray kittie around their farm and that was most likely the reason for the appearance of the cat on our farm.   We were amazed at the journey the cat took through a corn field and pasture before crossing a highway to get to our home!

I hope this cat enjoys our morning view as much as I do!

I asked if gray kittie had a name and if they wanted to take her back home.  The kittie had not been given a name and if I wanted to keep the cat it was OK with them.   The cat had lived outdoors for them which was good news because one house pet was enough for my husband.  

Our house pet, Zoey, was also going to need to make an adjustment to gray kittie.  At first Zoey went after the cat whenever possible.  Eventually Zoey gave up and conceded that the cat was a friend not a foe or food.

Zoey keeps my office chair warm when I am working outside.

 

Our gray kittie now has a name thanks to our granddaughter, Ella.   Even though I still say “here kittie, kittie” when I put food out, the cat has the name Ezza.   It sounds a little like something from “Frozen” to me!

Taking care of a pet is a responsibility not entirely unlike much of what we do for other animals on our farm.  We strive to provide good health care with the right food and vaccinations.  We make sure the animals are cared for each day.  The biggest difference is that our dog and cats are companions to enjoy while our cattle are destined to become food for us to enjoy.  

I captured these two steers with their unique "7" markings
standing next to each other one morning while I was walking
pens.  I enjoy working around cattle but they do not give me
the companionship a dog does and I definitiely do not want
one of them warming my chair in the office!

This weekend we hope to see how well Ezza will get along with Ella.  Stay tuned for an update on that!

We'll see if Ezza can handle the same type of hugs
from Ella that Auntie Kim loves to receive!