New Orleans in the 1970's was a very interesting place to live. We were on the West Bank, just across the river from the French Quarter. It was kind of strange where we lived as it was not a rural area yet there were still plenty of wild growth areas and lots of animals. The grocery we shopped at most often was a very new building and the area surrounding it was still fairly undeveloped.
One day while shopping, a commotion broke out just behind me and a small streak went running past, right between my feet. This was followed closely by 3 or 4 (4 or 3 if you are Cajun) men who were store employees and they were shouting things like, " It got back in!" and " Get a box or something to put it in!". Of course I could not let this go un-investigated, so I followed along right in step with the rest as we made our way straight to the meat counter.
The scene was incredible. Here was a very young kitten, 3 months old by my estimate, and at least 4 grown men. The kitten was in the meat counter, guarding a package of hamburger and behaving like any angry, hungry and frightened cat. This tiny kitten had the four of them clawed up, bleeding and swearing in at least two languages. None of them wanted to go anywhere near her but they knew they had to get her out of the store so they were trying, and failing I might add, to contain her safely in a box. I was about to suggest they just step back and allow me to remove her gently when a female employee showed up, flanking the kitten from behind and threw an apron over her. This woman then picked up the kitten along with her prize and with very little other issue put her in the box and carried the entire thing to the back area of the store while the men were all going for first aid.
Since rabies is a very big issue in the New Orleans area I figured this little kitten's fate was sealed, that it would be sent to animal control for testing. Imagine my total surprise when I went out after making my purchases and saw this same little kitten sitting on the sidewalk in front of the store trying to eat a cheese and peanut butter snack cracker! I knew then it was fate, I had to take this baby home. Somehow she had been spared the certain death I thought awaited her and here she was, it seemed to me, waiting just for me to come along and claim her. If only I had known.....
Getting from the store to home was an experience in itself. It took all the resolve I had to rescue this little one as she had other ideas. She was not in the mood to be picked up and made her disapproval known by wildly clawing and hissing at anything she could see or reach. I figured she would settle down as soon as she knew I was not intending on hurting her, but that was not to be either. My husband drove us while I sat in the passenger seat holding my new reluctant baby by her middle, both hands around her belly and all four of her legs were in constant motion. Front clawing at the carpet and my legs and back rotating like a windmill. Amazingly she did not manage to claw me up, just made it really hard to hold on to her. Looking back, I think that was her plan all along.
At home, I was already set up for a cat, complete with food and water down and ready as I had another gray tabby at the time, Miss Kitty. Poor Miss Kitty was at the vet's having a miscarriage that day. She had come into heat earlier than I expected, so I had not managed to get her spayed in time and the outcome was not good. She was young and smallish. She had gotten out one night as we were taking out the trash and did not show back up, much to the great dismay of my daughter, for 2 days. In just a few weeks after this event she, obviously pregnant by this time, went into labor prematurely and lost the litter of 13 kittens. She was recovering and awaiting her surgery the next day so her dry food and water were still down, just waiting for the arrival of Miss Scarlett.
As soon as I managed to get inside the house with my new little ball of fury everything clamed down. I sat her down and she went straight to the food bowl and began eating as if she had always been here and this was her bowl. No fear, no nervousness, nothing you expect when bringing a new cat into a house where other cats live. This was claimed as hers now and she had all the confidence in the world in her rulership of her new home. Miss Scarlett had arrived and was now in control.
Awwwwww. Great little story!
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