I have a “work cat” now. I’m pretty sure she has a home at one of the houses next to my workplace.
I go outside at lunchtime, weather permitting. I have a cozy spot outside of the warehouse where I can read and relax for a bit. It can’t really be too cold for me here, but too windy or rainy sends me elsewhere.
Two or maybe even three months ago, I had a visitor while eating. A black and white kitty had silently appeared in the parking lot and was watching me.
Of course I gave her some of my lunch!
And it became a ‘thing.’ She was very shy, always snuck into view without my seeing what direction she had come from, and would not get closer to me. But she had a great sense of when my lunch break was.
No kitty love? Good thing I’m persistent, and I do have chicken at lunch every day!
At the end of November, I saw her every day for a week. She finally let me pet her and gave me lots of head-butts and shared some drool. Aww. I started calling her ‘Piggy’ when she got very brave and tried to steal the rest of my lunch, too! Then I decided that was a bit mean, so I started calling her Piggy Peggy.
Once she allowed me to touch her, I looked and stroked her all over, to check her health. She was pretty clean, but had burrs in her tail and some evidence of ear mites (brown goo in the ears). It wasn’t a bad case, however – and no sign of fleas.
During the once-over, I felt her belly and found that she seemed to have mammary gland swelling. Oh no! Could she be pregnant this late in the year? This seemed evidence to me, along with the mites, that she isn’t being cared for in the best way possible. Maybe she was a stray after all, or had been dumped and was surviving on handouts.
I got worried when she went missing for over two weeks. I wasn’t there every day, but I looked for her and called for her whenever I was outside. Nothing. Dammit.
Today, she was back! And instead of silently appearing, she walked up to me shouting, ‘Where have you been?’ I was so happy to see her again. She kept her distance at first, but before long I was being drooled on again.
She loves my stinky boots. Except when I’m walking – then she is scared and that makes me sad.
After eating way too much of my lunch (which she doesn’t bolt down like she is starving, by the way – it’s just really tasty chicken my cats at home go crazy for, too), I got in some good loving and when I felt her little kitty boobies? Smaller! So she isn’t pregnant now, but had a litter in September or thereabouts. While I’m not happy that she isn’t spayed, at least I’m not worrying about her having a litter of kittens in the middle of winter with no shelter.
She’s a pretty and affectionate girl, I really hope she gets some proper healthcare.
heretherebespiders 
Awesome and grand. You are such a wonderful human. I wish the world was full of people like you. That feline is so lucky to have found you. So many subhumans who want to be called people are horrible to strays. They try to kick them or hurt them, they won’t share needed food with them. I hope her litter is getting food also and is sheltered somewhere. I am so proud to have you as a friend. Hugs
We had good cuddles today – I figured out yesterday that she is Ok with being picked up. So, I picked her up and put her on my lap! She was so happy, wanted to stay and have warm feet for a while. I was so sorry to have to go back to work (ok I was 10 minutes late, hehehe).
I love it. She needed a friend and she found you. Wonderful. Hugs
How lovely to have company at lunchtime. At least she’s got you keeping an eye out on the health front.
She does look good – fur is shiny, eyes clear. Her white feet are a bit yellowed from being outside all the time. I think it is just the Irish attitude that cats should be outside and not spayed or neutered that is the problem.
Gosh! Me thinks she is lucky to have found YOU!
Linda
She is quite lovely – although she did try to sharpen her nails on my knee today and I bled for a while! Not her fault. Now I feel bad that I’ll be away for the weekend.
I wonder if she would like to live at your place?
Nooooo I can’t afford another cat! Odd numbers are bad, anyway – if have to get two more!
Is there any chance you could take her to the SPCA for a check up or to be spayed?
I’d end up at my own vet, actually. I did ring them and they suggested a back of the neck drop called advocat- kills fleas ticks and ear mites. That will be easy to do.
We just don’t have the money to get her spayed right now. Logistics would be hard, too – I work until 6:30 at night, she only comes to see me at lunchtime!
Bless you, bless you. There’s a feeling that the Universe is spinning rightly when our lives intersect with an animal which trusts us. Thank you for keeping it spinning. (Post your recipe for chicken sandwiches sometime, please).
Odd what walks into our lives and why.
She’s a beauty and you appear to have passed the test and granted the title of “friend”.
Sounds like she’s been kicked at by boots, but is willing to risk you…and chicken.
With luck she’s got a warm spot for wintering.
Bless you for your kindness
It’s gotten better – Friday and yesterday she sat on my lap! Not today as it was miserable cold and wet and windy. One of my mates goes to his car to get his lunch at 1, and both days he told me she was waiting for me. Awww.
Do you think she is being taken care of ? That she has a home? If she is friendly and lets you hold her, she might have a human or two she calls her own. Hugs
She might. Her white feet are very clean – not yellowed like a cat that never has a dry place to clean up. She drools – but her face is clean and not scabby. But now she has started looking for me out front of our massive warehouse, too! She was there at 6:15 pm when I went out to bring in our big truck for the night. And it was COLD. I had frosty windows on my car. Maybe it’s that she has a place, but no loving like I give her?
You are a person full of love. Animals know that about you and come to you. Hugs
Either that, or they know I’m made of food! I have two birds that come to scrounge every day, too. Cat or not!
š you are a grand wonderful special person. I love that I got to know you. Hugs