Our New Baby (cat)

Some of you may know that there's been a new addition to our family, in spite of my resistance. A few weeks before my sweet 15 1/2-year-old kitty Clementine died, a Mama kitty and her kitten appeared at our house. They were very cute and very skittish...running away every time we went in or out the door. I didn't pay them too much attention. After all, the kitten had her Mama to take care of her and they were doing just fine on their own. (I should mention that we have a flashing neon sign above our house that only animals can see that says, "Calling All Strays!" It came with the house since Tom's grandmother erected the sign.) I didn't want any more strays to worry about....I had enough with poor, sick Clementine, Hannah, our other cat, who was feeling a bit neglected because of all the attention Clem was getting, running around with the children and everything else I had going on.

But then, a few days before Clementine died, the kitten was still here, but not the Mama. So, fearing that she couldn't fend for herself, I started to feed her. She was so skittish that I knew she'd never come close to me. But, after a week or so, she wouldn't run away when I went outside. Then a week later she came a little closer to me. By the next week she was letting me pet her and then even letting me pick her up. Pretty soon she was trying to get into the house! All this time I was trying to find a home for her, but with no luck. And then Jessalyn named her. She wanted to call her "Rudolph," but after I explained that the kitten was a girl, she decided that "Clarice," Rudolph's girlfriend's name, would be a good second choice.

On December 7, Clarice watched us drive away to go to church. After we returned home I called for her, but she didn't come. I kept looking for her, but she was nowhere to be found. We left that afternoon to go to the Christmas tree farm and several hours later when we got back she was still gone. I was so upset. I knew something had happened to her. Tom encouraged me to put food out for her even though she wasn't responding to my calls. I peeked out the window ten minutes later, and there she was! So I took her to the vet the very next day to be sure that she didn't have anything she could give to Hannah. She got a good checkup and has been inside ever since.

I can't believe how much the children enjoy her. Jessalyn has declared that she is Clarice's Mommy, carries her around like a rag doll and talks to her like a baby: "It's ok, Clarice, Mama's here." "Oh, look at my little darlin'!" Lee runs around like a wild man with ribbon trailing behind him and giggles with delight as Clarice chases him. He calls her "Kee Kee." Hannah is warming up to her, but would probably still prefer her to be outside. Clarice wants to be Hannah's friend so badly and wants to play all the time....she just worries Hannah to death! But most of the time they are cordial to each other and every now and then they touch noses. They can often be found napping near each other (Hannah settles down, Clarice follows and settles, Hannah doesn't object).

I think this little kitten is going to fit in just fine. And in the end, I hope that Hannah will love her (well, at least like her) as much as the rest of us do! :)