I think I finally took the cake of events- yes that phrase is a lie, but I have been making great cupcakes!- at the Public Library this summer. This story doesn't exactly start with me, so let's back up.
My director has dogs. They sound a little high-maintenance to me, but she adores them and so she goes for long strolls with them. On one particular stroll, she walked by our library and was met by two strangers- a couple. They asked her if she had a flashlight, of which she said no and wondered if this was a mugging or scam in progress. They then began to explain how they believed there was a kitten by our library and they were trying to see it so they could catch it. Not thinking, and still not fully believing them, she handed them her phone, using it's flashlight app. She followed them and the couple started meowing to a cat that was unseen. As they rounded the building, they heard it, and looked down into the stairwell, low and behold, to find a very tiny kitten. My director went inside, grabbed a shirt to toss over it, and called one of her friends to help. By this point it was almost midnight. Her friend came, and they almost got it, but reached just shy as it darted under a shrubbery.
The next day, my director told everyone at the library about it and we kept on yellow alert. We speculated why it was so young and outside but if my experience with Arya the week before had taught me anything it was that we could only guess at the unknowns. We didn't fins him that day and so pulled in our food dishes so nothing larger than the kitten would be attracted to the library.
By the second day we had forgotten a little more about yellow alert and spent more time indoors. I need stamps and to mail a resume, so I went downtown. When I headed back I was on hold for the umpteenth time with enrollment services and out of the corner of my eye I saw slight movement. I looked and saw a tiny, fluffy gray kitten darting away from me. My first thought wad I could go after it, but he was headed for the old folks back yard- and then he went to the Baptist church and that I could do. So I frantically called my co-worker and asked her for help. Along the side of the church, he hid under the bamboo-like shrubs and I could hear him crying but he wouldn't come out. Eventually we saw him and confirmed he was small with handsome tawny eyes. Try as we might, he worked his way out quicker than we could and around the building. My co-worker's vet husband arrived and we found the kitten under the wheelchair ramp off the church. By then, my lunch was over so I left the endeavour to my friends.
They put towels around him so he could only come out and into a 'have a heart' trap with kitty food. By nightfall, nothing had happened.
In the morning, my co-worker rechecked the trap and it had sprung with no kitten. So she changed the food, reset it, and waited a minute before it shut again- this time with the gray kitten. Then we took it to the vet downtown and, as of now, we are waiting to see what the verdict is. We don't know the age, gender, or which librarian- not me!- is taking it home after. I may have an update in a few days.
My director has dogs. They sound a little high-maintenance to me, but she adores them and so she goes for long strolls with them. On one particular stroll, she walked by our library and was met by two strangers- a couple. They asked her if she had a flashlight, of which she said no and wondered if this was a mugging or scam in progress. They then began to explain how they believed there was a kitten by our library and they were trying to see it so they could catch it. Not thinking, and still not fully believing them, she handed them her phone, using it's flashlight app. She followed them and the couple started meowing to a cat that was unseen. As they rounded the building, they heard it, and looked down into the stairwell, low and behold, to find a very tiny kitten. My director went inside, grabbed a shirt to toss over it, and called one of her friends to help. By this point it was almost midnight. Her friend came, and they almost got it, but reached just shy as it darted under a shrubbery.
The next day, my director told everyone at the library about it and we kept on yellow alert. We speculated why it was so young and outside but if my experience with Arya the week before had taught me anything it was that we could only guess at the unknowns. We didn't fins him that day and so pulled in our food dishes so nothing larger than the kitten would be attracted to the library.
By the second day we had forgotten a little more about yellow alert and spent more time indoors. I need stamps and to mail a resume, so I went downtown. When I headed back I was on hold for the umpteenth time with enrollment services and out of the corner of my eye I saw slight movement. I looked and saw a tiny, fluffy gray kitten darting away from me. My first thought wad I could go after it, but he was headed for the old folks back yard- and then he went to the Baptist church and that I could do. So I frantically called my co-worker and asked her for help. Along the side of the church, he hid under the bamboo-like shrubs and I could hear him crying but he wouldn't come out. Eventually we saw him and confirmed he was small with handsome tawny eyes. Try as we might, he worked his way out quicker than we could and around the building. My co-worker's vet husband arrived and we found the kitten under the wheelchair ramp off the church. By then, my lunch was over so I left the endeavour to my friends.
They put towels around him so he could only come out and into a 'have a heart' trap with kitty food. By nightfall, nothing had happened.
In the morning, my co-worker rechecked the trap and it had sprung with no kitten. So she changed the food, reset it, and waited a minute before it shut again- this time with the gray kitten. Then we took it to the vet downtown and, as of now, we are waiting to see what the verdict is. We don't know the age, gender, or which librarian- not me!- is taking it home after. I may have an update in a few days.
