A Tale of Two Kitties

A Tale of Two Kitties

Another Rescued Success Story

by a big fan of Erin, Kris, and their wonderful store

“Mew. Mew. Mew.”

Plaintive cries sounded from the other side of rescued’s basement door.

They were coming from two five-month- old kittens that had been saved from an

abandoned burning building. Erin and Kris were fostering them in the cellar but feared

they were feral and too old to bond with humans.

Feeling sad for them, I decided to try socializing them and making them adoptable.

They needed to be around people, and I wanted to be around cats. The death of my

sweet, loving Whitey eight months before and my landlord’s new no-pets policy had

deprived me of the joys of kitty companionship.

After putting toys on the floor, I perched halfway up the basement steps and started

reading aloud. I wanted to accustom them to a human presence and the sound of a

human voice.

Shortly after, they came out of hiding and began playing. Laughingly, I watched their

comical antics for almost forty-five minutes.

Not knowing if our orphans were male or female, we decided to call them Boots and

Socks, gender-neutral names that fit their markings.

The next night I sat on the floor in front of the open stairs, wiggling a toy tied to string.

They chased and batted at it from the other side of the steps.

I visited every evening. While I was removing my jacket the sixth night, Socks headed

for the stairs and looked at me as if to say, “I’m ready. Let’s play.”

After a couple of weeks, Socks let me pet her and even settled into my lap.

A week later, Boots lay across my ankles and accepted neck rubs.

Although the kittens had befriended me, they still hid from other people. Erin and Kris

didn’t think they’d fare well at the animal shelter and asked me to take them.

Adopting them had never occurred to me, even though our relationship had improved

the quality of my life. My landlord forbade pets. Besides, I usually adopted older cats

and only one at a time.

After much thought, however, I decided to make the three of us a family. Kris found an

apartment where we could live together -- and even helped us move!

Our experience shows bad things can be blessings in disguise. Because of a fire, the

kittens ended up at rescued, where Erin and Kris cared for them and found them a

loving, forever home.

My landlord’s no-pets policy forced me to move to an apartment I like much better.

Boots and Socks seem to like their new digs (once they overcame their initial fear and

emerged from their hiding places in a cupboard and behind the stove, that is). They

thunder up and down the hall, climb and sharpen their claws on their cat tree, watch

“kitty TV” (look out the windows), romp with their toys, frolic in Von Maur shopping bags

(which they prefer to brown paper grocery sacks), receive petting upon request, and

sleep wherever suits their fancy when the urge to nap strikes.

Thanks to Erin and Kris, “A Tale of Two Kitties” has a happy ending. Let’s help provide

happy endings for other pets in need and the people who love and benefit from living

with them. Please support rescued by donating gently used items and shopping there.

Urge people you know to do so, too.

“Purr. Purr. Purr.”

EPILOGUE: Rescued is currently fostering an extremely sweet, affectionate orange

tabby named Jack, who will make someone-- maybe YOU-- a wonderfully loving friend.