I never thought that I would become one of those pathetic old ladies, surrounded by empty cans of cat food, followed by a parade of feral cats who wait daily for her to feed them. I've had dogs and cats in my lifetime, and enjoyed their company, but never could be labeled an "animal lover" and always made the distinction between people and animals. Then, last September, a mangy, exhausted orange cat, with a deformed ear. damaged eye, and terribly distended stomach, parked itself on my front porch and cried for a month. Of course, I began to feed it. Then, as the weather got colder, I scoured the Internet for easy to make shelters, which, after I made one, the cat wouldn't use, preferring to whine on my porch, instead.. Next, I lined a donated doghouse with a Mylar emergency blanket, filled it with straw, and put it on my porch. The cat went in and for a while I felt better. I'm sure you know what is coming next. One really cold November night, as the wind howled and I put the heat up, I finally broke down and let the darn thing in. The cat seemed profoundly grateful, but I noticed that he kept scratching his ears. If he had been a novel, this would have been a great example of foreshadowing.  I couldn't let him stay in the house without worming, neutering, vaccinating, etc. As you probably guessed, he has Feline AIDS. Four hundred dollars later, "Tangerine" had found a permanent home. Three ear infections later, his veterinarian was able to take a vacation, on me. 
    Somewhere along the way, the word got out that there were free eats at Nona Nita's place and now, no less than 3 other cats visit my property daily to see what's on the menu. One has taken up residence on the front porch. Oh, no!
    My point in writing this is not to promote myself as such a caring person. I moan and complain the whole time I feed them. The point is that someone threw these cats away and I am writing to say  "How Dare Them!". They made an irresponsible decision that not only affected themselves and the cat, but also kind-hearted people like me and many of you, who can't sit by and watch an animal starve to death. I totally resent these people. My kids are grown and I should be free as a bird, but now, through no fault of my own, I have to be home before dark to feed the cats. You might say, "Just stop feeding them" or take them to the animal shelter. Well, the animal shelter is overflowing. There is not one within 60 miles who will take a cat. They will not euthanize an animal that you can not show ownership of, and anyone who can sit idly by and watch an animal starve to death has a stronger stomach than I. 
    The saddest part is that many of these "feral" cats are really someone's unwanted pet. They have no idea why they have been discarded and are untrained in how to fend for themselves. When my son and his wife bought their new home, the former owners just left their cat there. Can you imagine? For three months it sat by the back door and they fed it, before they finally found a shelter to take it. This kind of animal and human abuse (because their irresponsibility abuses and taxes the good will of others) happens every day. The family who left that pet had a child. What did that child learn about responsibility and respect for life? I saw where that family moved. It wasn't a financial issue. 
    So here I am, with a trashcan filled with tin cans, and a chorus of meows that serenade me daily. I can only hope that if there is such a thing as Karma, those who abandon pets will get their just rewards by feeling the pangs of hunger and disease in another life. As for me, I'm thinking of getting a shopping cart to push around filled with lots of personal items all shoved into plastic garbage bags, to complete the stereotype.

             TANGERINE



"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened".
                                                                                                           Anatale France

For more on Enlightened Grand parenting visit Nona Nita's Nook
and click My Path Productions for ideas that support conscious living