The Black and White Kitty

It's hard to remember the first time that I noticed the black and white kitty hanging around Police Headquarters. I recall seeing him when he seemed relatively healthy and happy. I remember once time watching him roll around on the pavement in the sun, as if he didn't have a care in the world. He didn't seem homeless. He didn't seem feral. He seemed shy, but sure of his surroundings, as if he had been there a while. In truth, I have no idea how long he really had been there.

I remember taking my breaks and going for walks. I would always look for him. Something about having a work kitty made my day a little better. I enjoyed going outside and looking for the elusive black and white cat, but I hardly ever saw him! Occasionally, I would notice him sleeping under a bush. He would look at me as I talked to him, but he wouldn't run. If I got too close, he would scamper away. Months passed where I only saw him occasionally, but I heard he was out a lot at day. Swing Shift and Graveyard informed me that they saw him, so at least I knew he was okay. I missed seeing his face, but knowing he was still around was what mattered most.

I remember seeing him for the first time after a few weeks, possibly months. When I saw him, I could hardly believe he was the same, once healthy looking kitty! He looked absolutely terrible. Foremost, he could barely open both of his eyes, as they were both infected and possibly injured. He was super skinny, dirty, and his fur had lost its shine. But, more than all of that, he was now walking with a very bad limp and not putting any weight on his back hind leg. When my co-workers and I saw his deteriorated condition, we knew that something had to be done! I was suddenly worried he might lose an eye to injury or even a leg! So, my friends and I devised a plan. My friend Dotty and I would be the ones he would start getting used to. We would start providing him food and water and hope to gain his trust. We would feed him at the same place every morning and on those days when we were off work, another co-worker would step in. Our priority was getting this boy fed so his body could fight any infections. He was really beat up and ragged and I found myself thinking about him at night when I was at home. I found myself looking forward to seeing him and feeding him in the morning.

It took some time, but he started to realize where the food was and he also started to realize that we weren't going to hurt him. He was making his way closer and closer to us, getting to know our voices, our scents. We didn't try and push ourselves on him and we let things progress in his own time. Coaxing him with food took months, but it finally paid off. One day, while he was eating in front of me, I decided to try and touch him. Much to my surprise, he didn't back away. He let me pet him and I felt my eyes swell with tears. I knew now, more than ever, we had to get this boy trapped. He needed medical attention and he needed to be neutered. It was at this point that I reached out to FieldHaven Feline Rescue, an amazing organization that I have been volunteering for since 2008. And if it wasn't for FieldHaven, the black and white kitty would still be living at Police Headquarters.

(To be Continued...)