We've done something we've never before… a Shown Family first... we adopted a kitten! Our 4-H Cloverbud leader had some kittens she was trying to find home for. She told me her cat (the kitten mama) was a great hunter - including gophers. So we thought we'd take a chance and see if a cat can help us with our gopher problem. Wesley and I are both mildly allergic to cats so this fellow will be an outside "farm cat".
When we got back from our WI vacation I send 4-H leader Molly an email and asked her if she had any kittens left. She said she had one orange boy left. So that evening (June 5) we stopped by Walmart and picked up some kitten food and then went over to her house to pick him up. She said he was the most shy of the kittens and he proved it by hiding. Her daughter finally caught him and I carried him out to the van and placed him a box. He didn't appreciate that and clawed his way out despite Wesley keeping his feet on the box. Thankfully he didn't freak out, climb under the brake pedal, or pee in the van - which were all my concerns as we drove him home.
We followed the advice of a neighbor (and an internet article about farm cats) and put him in a dog crate with food, water, and a make shift litter box for a week so he could learn where home is. We played with him, cuddled him, and fed him generously. A week later we opened the door and let him out. He hasn't run away yet!
In fact, the shy kitten is no more. He comes when called and seems to really like our company. He is so great with the kids even letting Annabeth carry him around. I have always said I am not a cat person, but this little guy is so cute and has a good personality to boot. After the kids go to bed, Jerry and I usually go out for a swim. He loves to sit by Jerry and I, either on the deck or the table right by the pool.
I give him a bit of wet cat food each morning. He knows it's coming and waits by the door. When we can't find him we call "Kitty" and he usually comes yawning and stretching out of the irrigation tube that runs under our driveway.
We were stumped when it came to giving him a name. We got several good suggestions. The boys wanted to call him Stampey after a video game character but when we got him it just didn't seem to fit him. I suggested Morrissey which Jerry really liked but that didn't seem right either. My sister suggested Carlo because she has a cat named Monte or Tom because we already have a Jerry.
Jerry took him for some shots last Saturday. Knowing we'd have to put something down on the paperwork we decided Annabeth's name made the cut. She loves the new PBS kid's show Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. The main character is a little tiger named Daniel. From the first time she laid eyes on him she called him Daniel.
We called him "Kitty" for 3 weeks before we decided on a name so as a compromise we named him Daniel Kitty and the first time he brings me a dead gopher I will love him forever!
