Mittens

Probably most of you have seen my updates on Facebook about our new pet, but for those who haven't, well....we have a new pet.

A few weeks ago a stray kitty came 'round our 'hood. Neither Phil nor I fed or gave it attention for a few days because Phil is allergic to cats and he didn't want to encourage allergic activity on purpose. We thought kitty would wander back home but before that could happen...

Alas, and I predicted this, my 7-year old, soft-hearted Sheridan came out of her bedroom at 10:00 one night last week. She was sobbing, tears running down her cheeks. I knew what was coming and then it was out of her mouth: " But MOM, the kitty is HUNGRY!".
Me: "Honey, he can catch mice and feed himself, that's what cats do".
Sher: "but MOM what if there aren't any mice around? And what if he gets cold and can't find somewhere to SLEEP?!".

And that was it. I broke like a dam in a flood (a flood of tears that is). He was christened "Mittens" by Sheridan because he has white feet on a black coat. Phil agreed he could be fed but he would have to find somewhere else to sleep besides the garage due to said allergy. Mittens is probably only 1 or 2 (as determined by our cat-expert friend Craig) because he isn't really big yet and is very, very playful and entertaining to watch.

So Mittens has been getting daily meat and warm milk, plus I really hope he does go mousing since we live by a field/woods and could stand to have the rodent population thinned a little. Then the issue of where to sleep came up. Well as it HAPPENED to turn out, Phil wanted to work on his wood-working skills anyway, so, "I'll just build him a little cat box". So Sunday Mittens got a raised cat box on our back concrete slab. He is actually using it every day and night.

Our latest problem? Where to put him when it gets really, really cold outside. (No, Rhonda, he CAN'T come in the house - haha). We'll work on that, but for now the whole family is in love with Mittens, and Sheridan finally got the kitty she always wanted.