Strays

A few weeks ago I noticed a scratching and clawing under my bed. It sounded like an animal in the walls. At first I thought it might be a squirrel or a mouse. But it was so large sounding. Last week I saw the animal. When the scratching began at 10 pm I looked out the window to see what was going on. At this point I was convinced it was a destructive raccoon that was upset with the weather. Out of the window I saw the house siding cough up a cat.

I'd made eye contact with this stray about two months ago. There have been foot prints all over the yard, mostly around my car. And when the cat comes back to the house at 5am. it is always in the wall by my head. About 3 or 4 days ago the cat came back at 5 and then around 7 or 8 it made multiple trips in and out of the siding. Then all was quiet.

Until last night.

Last night when the house fell quiet the crying began. At first I thought it was still birds out noshing on the seed I left out when the newest snow storm blew through. But then the cries became distinct meows. I search and searched the fresh snow for any sign that this was new cat that hadn't figured out to come to the door. It was not. The cries came from under the house where my housemate sleeps. I tried opening up the floor vents because it sounded like it was trapped between levels. No dice. When the teenager got home we went to the store for a flash light, came back and tore back some siding and there it was rolling around in the dirt.

7-10 days old, hungry, frantic and wouldn't sit still. We brought her in and named her Geordie. Her eyes weren't all the way open last night. After several attempts to feed her, trying to keep her incubated and getting her to poop, we took her to the vet. Vet says that she is fine. Clean, healthy, and full of antibodies... provided she nursed with her mom.

Geordie won't sit still for anything. Not for cuddles, food or grooming. She might have been too much for a stray mom with other kittens to manage. And man does she talk!!!!!! Geordie is a tortoise with a face like an opossum at the moment. So tiny! We've tried the eyedropper, we've used the bottle the vet gave us. But she's still resistant to being fed. Our local shelter doesn't have the staff for it. Waiting on the rescue center to call me back to place her with someone.

We don't have the time for this kind of care. We all work and there is no way for a needy little tike like this to get the care she needs. I am hoping that someone comes through with an answer. I don't want to be the person these guys come to for a good final few days. I can't take that any more.