“About”

by Kathy Benedetto

Welcome to a blog that is virtually divine, almost true, intended for those who chronically love kitties and the habitat we all share.The Kitty Chronicle is dedicated to the character of Kitty based on the behavior and antics of our cat, Princess Kitty. Since this is a blog dedicated to her stories and poems, I will tell the story of finding Kitty.

“A Backyard Rescue”

Maybe because our backyard had no dogs that we were chosen, but three months before my husband’s retirement a feral tuxedo cat moved into our yard. Kitty Cat we called her; and, of course, we fed her.

Slowly she began to accept us in “her” space. After a few months, we noticed she was pregnant. In June, on Father’s Day, a tiny ball of white fur appeared. Only one kitten. We referred to her as Kitty. A generic non-name so as not to form any attachment to her. This was only temporary. Our plans centered around adopting a Labrador puppy.

We went away for Labor Day Weekend and when we returned things were different. Kitty Cat had been injured in a fight, and by morning she was dead, with the kitten missing.

Too late we learned that leaving out food and water also attracts unwanted predators. I brought in the water and food bowls and cried. The next day, on a hunch, I put the food bowl out once more.

As I sat by the glass sliding door, I looked up and there was Kitty. Small and shaken. Eating while keeping an ever-watchful eye out for possible danger. Poor Kitty. She would run if we tried to help her, so we sat and watched. When she finished, she took off and disappeared behind the back gate.

We looked in the alley but no Kitty. To where had she escaped? For several nights we heard her forlorn and pleading cries echoing throughout our yard. “Mew, mew, mew.” Calling for a mom that would never come. How I wished I could explain to her the unexplainable.

Finding Kitty

One afternoon as Dave, my husband, opened the garage door, across the empty floor scurried Kitty into a pile of stacked boxes. She had entered through a small hole in the garage wall. Dave patched the hole; and put down food, water, and a litter box. Now she was safe from outside danger, but still she cried out for her mom to come and rescue her.

I left the kitchen door opened which led into the garage hoping that she would let her curiosity get the best of her and wander inside. One night as I sat at the kitchen table, I saw a little furry head poke through the door. As soon as she saw me, she ricocheted back into the garage. Still as a statue, I awaited her return.

A few minutes later a very brave kitty summonsed up all the courage she had and once again peeked her head into our kitchen doorway. Back and forth so went the drill. Until she decided to halt and scrutinize me. I didn’t move.

Ever so gingerly I sat at the kitchen table. My feet were resting on the chair rungs. Kitty picked the chair next to me and sprang up on the rungs awaiting my next move.

**To understand Kitty is to know why she would** **drink out of this fountain instead of her clean** **water bowl.**

She picked play over fear

I realized that despite her fear she wanted to play. The next night a little face appeared, and she ever so boldly creeped towards the chair. I rolled a sponge ball at her, and she chased it. I wiggled a toy snake, and she grabbed it with her teeth and paws.

Wrestling with it as if her life depended on it. Finally fatigued she escaped into her garage sanctuary. This scenario would continue nightly.

Eventually I would move deeper into the house. She would venture in and find me.

One night I was in the den watching the Evening News. Arriving early, Kitty walked past the den door and sneaked into the living room where my husband rested on the couch. Ready and armed with kitty treats, he enticed her into a new dimension of closeness.

Our lab morphs into a kitty

The lab puppy we had so dearly anticipated morphed into a kitty. The time finally came when we realized she was a keeper.

**She parked herself** **right into our** **hearts.**

Because of her great love of the outdoors, I decided to buy pet insurance. The first line of the form stumped me. Name? Even though attached, to us she was Kitty. We both had referred to her as a demanding princess. That was it! Princess Kitty was the name I wrote on the insurance form. Popular names for a female cat. Kitty is #2.

Now she was truly ours. The scenario of acquiring a lab puppy elevated into a kitty. Life takes its turns, game plans change, but with creative, playful thoughts and a good kitty the best is yet to come.

Kathy Benedetto, storyteller

Dave Benedetto, editor