HAPPY ENDINGS ~~  

This photo of Amanda was taken two days after her capture.  She was being dried after a much-needed bath.  Needless to say, she was not very happy with us for dipping her in water.  She is very happy, however, in her new home.  

Amanda at approximately six weeks.  She was very ill and underweight when we took her home.  Her mother had taken excellent care of her until she was about five weeks old.  Life is so difficult for them and their mother was having great difficulty surviving herself without having to worry about caring for two young kittens.  She began wandering regularly, looking for food, etc.  She wasn't feeding her kittens as well as she should and they were far too small to get into the fast food dumpsters to get food for themselves.  What food they were able to find around the edges of the dumpster was in very bad condition.  Amanda picked up a bad case of coccidia in addition to being malnourished.  No quicker than she had eaten her food than it managed to run right through her.  She was getting little to no nutrition.

One evening while I was out feeding the feral colony, Amanda climbed into my car, sat in the corner and pleaded with her sad little eyes for me to help her.  I had a spare cardboard box in the van. (Rule number one in rescue work is to never risk being injured.  The car in motion might have scared Amanda, causing her to panic and injure either herself or me.)  I put her inside and closed the lid.  She didn't move about in the box, even though it was totally dark.  When I got her home, I put her in a cage with a litter box and warm bedding.  Gave her a small amount of cat food mixed with kitten milk replacer and left her so that she could get used to her new environment without fear of being harmed by anyone.  Amanda responded quickly to our care.  After a trip to Heritage Animal Hospital, with appropriate medication and attention, she grew quickly.  She was very loving and playful as most kittens are.  

I had a pet sitting client who had only one cat.  This client worked and was out of the home daily as well as a number of field trips away from the area required by her occupation as a geologist.  We had discussed getting a second cat to keep her Princess company.  On the chance that she might consider taking Amanda, I took her by one day.  Well, little Amanda snuggled up in my client's lap, rolled around putting her paws playfully into the air and purred.  Who could resist?!!

We needed about three more weeks to allow Amanda to go through all of the medical screenings and finish the antibiotics and immunizations.  During that time, we took Amanda over for a few visits so she and her new human companion could get to know each other.  Amanda still had a bit of loose bowel movements, too, which were controlled by putting digestive enzymes into her food.  These enzymes were needed for a short period, but then were discontinued completely when no longer needed.    After all of the medical processes were completed, Amanda moved to her new house.  We kept her in her confinement cage for the first few days to allow her and Princess to "sniff each other out" without being able to harm each other.  When we first let Amanda out a short while later, she and Princess got along quite well.  

As the pet sitter of Princess, I had noticed that she was extremely lonely when left alone for long periods of time.  When I began sitting for both Princess and Amanda, it was very obvious that they were great companions and that neither was particularly troubled by their companion's time away.  Sure they missed her and the attention she gives them (spoils them rotten -- isn't that what we're supposed to do).  They played and did just fine, however, in her absence.  

This past summer, 1999, my client decided to make another addition to her family, little Cliff from our feral colony.  Little Cliffie is one of the most special kittens I have ever seen.  It is so nice that he went to a home where I can see him regularly.  It is also great to see how well the other cats adjusted to his being there and how much pleasure he brings to his companion.  More on Cliff in his section.

Amanda's  brother, Squeaky, resisted capture and was hit by a car on Halloween, approximately two weeks after I took Amanda home.  It was obvious from the manner in which we found him that he had been intentionally hit. He was a beautiful dark gray kitten who looked very much like Winston in the "Happy Endings" section.  He was very playful and had an adorable little voice.  I had hoped to win him over and take him out of his harsh environment.  I cried and ached inside for days after I buried him.  It still hurts when I think of him. 

I have seen many from this colony on the streets after being hit by a car and each one causes me much pain. I do the best for them, but their numbers are such that I cannot do all that I want to ease their suffering. I have a little verse I say to myself each time I leave.  I do so because each time I leave I feel like I have failed because I cannot do more.  I also feel so guilty because I know that each one of them would make a great house pet and I hate that I am able to give some a new life while leaving others behind to do their best to survive.  Pretty much the verse that goes through my head is:

    I've come to feed you my little friends. 
    I wish I could do so much more.
    I've kept you from starving,
    but not from feeling much hunger until I return.
    I've kept you from freezing,
    but have not been able to keep you warm.
    I haven't been able to ease your pain much,
    but I've at least shown you there are good humans as well as bad.
    I've tried to let you know that someone cares.
    I've shown you my love,
    but as you struggle each day, you cannot possibly feel loved.
    The excitement you display when I visit you, however,
    Lets me know there's been at least one bright spot in your day.
    That's why my human friends refer to you as...
    "Stephanie's cats".
     In my heart, that is always what you will be.
                                With much love,
                                 Stephanie Phillips