Cleopatra

As I drove up to the red light along with other traffic I realized things were not as they should be. I had 3 cars in front of me in my lane stopped at the light and the traffic turning left into our lane ahead was stopped mid-way. A man got out of the car and ran around just as a tiny thing jumped from the side window to the ground. It darted into the waiting cars and up under the back tire rim of the 2nd car in line to turn left from beside me. Everyone piled out of their cars and tried to catch it and one lady managed to hold one tiny leg of it so it could not go further in under the car. The first man who had lost the animal threw his hands up at it and stormed off in anger, shaking his head and got in his car and drove off. He had clearly given up on retrieving it and did not care to try.

I rolled down my window and asked if everything was ok? “No,” said the lady holding the animals tiny leg. “My hands are too big and I can’t keep a hold on it. Your smaller, you come try.”

I figured I had time and never met an animal I couldn’t deal with, so I got out and looked. “What is it?” I asked as I crouched down to try and see.

“A tiny kitten. I only have the paw because it’s claws are hook on my ring.”

“Ok I will reach in behind your hand and see if I can grab it.” The tiny cries where clear now that I was close and the car was filthy so I knew the kitten and I would soon be too. I managed to twist my hand in behind hers and felt the shelf like bend in the metal where the kitten was sitting. Claws out and trying hard to get away. The poor thing was so scared. I was able to get its head and push it down so I could grab it behind the neck and ribs, letting me get it’s front paws too. As I did I felt it relax just enough and the lady was able to wiggle her ring free from its grasp and she let go.

“Oh thank you, I thought I was going to be stuck for ages. It is all yours now.” As she backed away and dashed to her car.

“Wait, what? I can’t afford a cat.”

“Take it to the SPCA then but traffic needs to move.” And she was off in her car as I realised everyone else was too. I looked at the matted dirty mess in my hands and two dark eyes looked up into mine and it let out a tiny squeak.

“Ok, just for today. You get a bath and then tomorrow we turn you in.” I said as I climbed into my car and drove carefully with one hand. I took the next right and 4 blocks later was on my street. As I pulled into the driveway I knew I was going to get a lecture later about our tight budget and lack of time for the little thing. We had given up our last cat because he was aging and we just couldn’t afford the things and proper care he needed. It killed me to give him up, but I knew he deserved better.

“Now don’t get comfy little mess. My husband will not be impressed with you when he gets home. Let’s get you cleaned up.” I walked into the bathroom and closed the door so no escape was possible. I let the kitten go in the tub while I pugged the sink and got it prepared with warm water and set a towel aside to dry it right away. I looked down into the tub and those little dark eyes were just staring up at me. I lifted the kitten up and placed it into the warm water. Rubbing gently and loosening the dirt and grease from its fur. I removed the worst of it and although the claws were out the tiny thing never tried to get away or act in defence. It was so tiny I wondered if it was even old enough to be away from its mother. But as I turned it over to scrub and inspect I realized ‘it’ was a she. “Well, one mystery solved” I said and turned her back over and grabbed the towel to dry her. I bundled and rubbed and held her close. She started to meow her tiny squeak again and I opened up the towel. “Bossy little…oh!” her face was like a painting. Her eyes looked like a mask with Cleopatra like make-up. “You are so striking aren’t you. Goodness, like Cleopatra.” My heart ached at the thought of having to give her up the next day. I knew it was going to be very hard. “I will make him do it.” I said to the pretty little thing.

A couple hours later my husband came home. I heard him coming in and quickly put the kitten in the bathroom and closed the door.

“You ok? What’s up?” He knew right away I wasn’t myself.

“Ok before you say anything let me tell you what happened.” I followed him to the couch and we sat down.

“Should I be worried?”

“No, nothing bad.” I said and I proceeded to tell him about the kitten and how I was left holding her and the only option of taking her home with me. I didn’t tell him about her painted like face at all. I figured she could do that pretty well on her own.

“OK, so where is she?” And that’s when he heard her cries from the bathroom. “You know we can’t keep her right?” He got up and went to let the kitten out. As he opened the door she walked out looking up at him. “Oh man is she ever tiny and so pretty.” He reached down and lifted her to his chest. She gave him a sniff or two and mewed and then snuggled in to his arms against his chest. “Oh this isn’t fair, you play dirty. Both of you!” He came and sat beside me again.

I gave him a questioning look and shrugged my shoulders. “I didn’t plan any of this. It is all her.” I point to the little ball of greyish fur nestled into his chest. And she started to purr soft and gentle. “If you can take her to the SPCA tomorrow, I won’t fight you, but I am not doing it. I balled my eyes out while there when I took Spunky. I am not going through that again.”

I got up and went to the kitchen to get dinner. I brought a plate to my husband a little while later and the kitten was still sleeping on his chest. As soon as she smelled the food though she was up and looking for something. I had opened a tin of fish and put some well cooked rice with a bit of fish and the juice in a dish for her. I placed it on the floor and she ate it up quickly. We were still eating our dinner when she was done and she proceeded to climb up my husband’s leg and head for his plate. We both laughed and tried to entertain her while we finished our meal.

That night she slept on the bed with us. Perched on the pillows by our heads. I woke the next morning to her dangling from my breaded hair. She must have been playing in the night with it and had fallen asleep curled around the braid with her claws holding tight. It wasn’t hard to release her and she was warm and sleepy eyed. We couldn’t help but laugh at her.

Two days later the kitten was still with us and we had decided to call her Cleopatra, Cleo for short. I was home getting dinner ready when my husband came home and as soon as he was through the door she came running from the bedroom straight up his leg, torso and up onto his shoulder. She was so fast he barely had time to react. My husband laughed and as he scratched her chin he said, “Oh look at you excited to see Daddy.”

I stopped what I was doing and looked at him with wide eyes, “Daddy? I guess she isn’t going to the SPCA then?”

“We both knew it wasn’t gonna happen. I can’t make you take her and look how cute she is. I can’t say no to that face. She’s home and she knows it.”

It was true, Cleo did know she was home. She grew to be the best cat we ever had. I was the only one who could ever bath her and my husband was her best friend. She always greeted him at the door and often tried to share, well steal his meals.

One day my husband had made himself a pot of Kraft dinner and as he walked back into the kitchen to get another serving, there was Cleo on the stove, face down in the pot eating all she could get a hold of. She lifted her head and meowed at him. Cheesy fur and all and still so tiny. How she got onto the stove was a complete mystery being how tiny she was.

She often tried to share his food thinking it was her right, “friends share don’t they?” always seemed to be her reply. Unless it was the muffin wrapper, for some reason she was very defensive about muffin wrappers. She would growl if we tried to get it back after she stole it. This tiny grey fluff growling like a dog with a muffin wrapper the size of her own head hanging from her teeth.

When I was pregnant with our first child she would sleep on my legs and her chin on my belly. She would jump when my belly moved and get offended if the baby kicked her off from within. When our son was born she took a while to get used to him but they got along. Later when I was pregnant with the second baby she was more prepared and seemed protective of me. She slept close to me each night and got up to walk with me when I couldn’t sleep. She was friends with our daughter right away and they played together when our daughter started to crawl. When we adopted 2 more babies she was gentle and kind with each one. She would play with them as they dragged a string toy for her and it made them laugh to see her do so.

My days were never lonely with her around. She would hold conversations with me. Meowing in answer to my query of her actions or push for attention. She would keep me on schedule with feedings both for her and the babies. If I dawdled at getting to the baby when it awoke she would run up to me meowing and try to hurry me along.

She lived to be 18 when cancer finally took her. That was over 10 years ago and we still miss her. She was like one of our children. We are busy with four teenagers still at home and my husband and I agree that we don’t have room for another cat yet, but we will one day. We will go to the SPCA and find one that will pick us like Cleo did. One that fits with us so we can enjoy them as much as we hope they enjoy living with us.

(Note: Being Canadian we have the SPCA instead of ASPCA)