I guess now it's time to tell Mama Kitty's story. Ah, crazy Mama...
About two and a half years ago, Mama Kitty(which then was known as Boots) and her female sibling were adopted by a family, residing in New Jersey. Then the family moved to Vermont and fell apart. The woman didn't want them any more and was going to drop off Boots and her sister by the side of the road. I'm not exactly aware of what happened to the sibling kitten, but Boots was saved from abandonment by the woman's former husband. So...this is how Boots appeared on Jon's farm in New York and was affectionately called Kitty. She was grateful to her savior and became a great companion. For about a year she remained mostly an inside cat, then she started to get outside more often. She absolutely loved to explore the fields and catch some wild mice in there. Last summer we suddenly realized that her belly started growing. Yes, we were excited about the kittens. I've had cats as long as I can remeber myself, but I've always picked male kittens, because I couldn't deal with a disgustingly cruel tradition of drowning unwanted kittens, since sterilizing and neutering was not as common of a procedure in Russia back then. Therefore, I have never seen newborn kittens and was anxious about Kitty's pregnancy. In August of 2006 Kitty had 4 kittens, they were so cute. We were surprised how Kitty was protective of her firstborns, she would only leave them for a brief few minutes a day to eat. It was amazing. She hid them in the closet, and when we made a comfy little "nest" out of a carton box for her and the babies and placed the kittens there, she stayed in the box with them till we left the room and then carried them one by one back into the closet. That's when she became a full blown Mama Kitty. After she was done nursing them, our friends took 2 of the kittens and we kept the rest. Female kitten was named Fluffy, she was born with a flattened rib cage and was quite slow getting on her feet. We didn't think she was going to make it. But...she is doing alright, very friendly and is still with us. Other kitten was male and he was extremely skiddish and avoided human contact by any means, that's why we named him Scaredy. Unfortunately, one day past winter he escaped outdoors, and we haven't seen him since. Needles to say, I was quite upset with the situation. But I have to go on with Mama Kitty's story. So... we had Fluffy and Mama Kitty. Mama was getting out, but wasn't staying outside for long. Well...the kitty turned out be very prolific, cause in February of 2007 we've noticed the familiar swelling just around her ribcage. In March she had 3 more kittens in the same closet. And this time we didn't bother taking the kittens out of the closet, she was a great Mommy once again and spent a month in the closet, nursing her babies. I used to take the kittens out once in a while and carry them in my pocket, to keep them nice and warm. Till one day, when Jon camehome and Mama was hanging outside of the closet, which was very unusual. He hurried to see ifthe kittens were still there, but...found a big mess. Only one of them was alive. I wouldn't go into the details, we still aren't sure what happened there. I pretty much adopted that kitten, he was a bit skiddish at first, but became a little friendly ball of fur. We named him Bobcat for his black fur, fluffy tail and grace of a wild cat. At this point we were concerned with Mama Kitty's frivolous behavior and decided to get her sterilized. Little did we know, that while we were planning an appointment with the vet, she became pregnant already. We were shocked, Jon's farm was turning into a cat farm. The thing about Mama Kitty was, that once she became pregnant with new kittens, she would become too hostile towards her previous ones. She would be hissing, growling and attacking them. So we tried to keep her away from them. It was getting warmer, kitty was turning into one huge belly ball. I didn't mention before, but Moma Kitty was a tiny creature with beautiful round eyes. So when she was pregnant, her belly was twice her own size. Anyways, this time kitty decided to have her kittens outside the house and we couldn't hear/see/find them till they finally crawled from under the front porch in June. There were 5 of them. And they were wild. Sometime in Mid-July I decided that we better tame them if we wanted to give them away. It was a crazy night. I would omit the details of the kitten hunt, but no one was hurt...except myself. I still have scars on my hands from those tiny extra-sharp nails. Anyways, they all were in a huge dog carrier, with plenty of food/water and a litter box. But they weren't happy. You couldn't stretch your hand in their direction, they would hiss and scratch/bite. After 2 long days and lots of thinking I realized that it would be better if I let them out and try a different taming technique later. In the meantime kitty was finally taken to the vet and we didn't have to worry about her surprising us with another load of kittens. Mama Kitty was staying on the closed veranda with the kittens and sleeping there with them at night. She would come in for loving and some bits of human food a few times a day and rush out back minutes later. By now, only 2 kittens are left, the others have disappeared. I don't even want to think about what happened to them. Well, when I came to the farm this weekend, I grabbed Mama Kitty for a hug, and realized that her belly was suspiciously larger than two weeks ago, when I saw her last. We freaked out - how the heck did she become PREGNANT now? Well, it would be a mystery forever. And no more kittens from her ever again.
I went to get mail this morning (I don't ever do that at Jon's place) and saw something black on the side of the road right next to the mailbox. It wasn't moving. Mama Kitty. Scream. I ran up and grabbedherShe's already stiff. I movedthe body to the lawn and ran inside the house sobbing, unable to speak. Jon came running after me, not knowing what's going on. I sat by the kitty on the lawn, unable to stop hysterical sobbing. Then I started yelling and cursing. Then I collapsed. Jon quickly dug up a grave and we buried Mama Kitty. I remember only bits here and there. I can't find words to describe what I felt then or what I feel now.
WHY? HOW? WHO? 2 years...and she was fine. Coyotes, dogs, whatever...and nothing. Wild Mama Kitty. I realize that it was our fault partially, she should have stayed an inside cat. But...it is not my house, unfortunately not everything turns out to be the way you wish it to be.
The worst thing is that we were watching TV last night and we've heard a car going by and then I've heard a quick "bump" noise. We looked at each other, I said: "The dog." The electric fence was down after the lightning somehow hit the transformator. But Jon said there was no barking or any other noise and we just disregarded that thought. It was Kitty. That asshole had not tried to avoid the hit, slow down or even stop after to check. How fast was the car going and how hard was the Kitty hit, if her eyes popped out of the orbits?! There was very little blood on the road and she didn't seem to have any cuts or external bleeding. I hope she passed away instantenuously and didn't suffer even a tiny little bit. I pray for that. And I wish that the asshole that hit her has nightmares for the rest of his/her life. Too crazy and vindictive of me, you'd say...I thought so too for a while. Accidents happens, you'd say. They do. I understand. And they advise you hit the animal on the road rather than trying to sverve, but...there were no other cars on the road, road conditions were fine also. Hitting and running - that I don't understand. It was just a cat you'd say. Yes, a cat, our cat. I loved her. But it could've been a human being in the place of the Mama Kitty. Then what? I'm sad. And angry. Hoping that she's now in Kitty Haven, looking over her kittens and if the cats do have nine lives, I hope she gets a better destiny next time..she deserves it. I love you, crazy Mama Kitty. I'll miss your purs, your cozy little body on my lap, even all the hissing and growling. And...I'm sorry that I let this happen to you.