rosie

Rosie is laying in front of the woodstove. Sprawled out, soaking in as much of the warmth as she can on this chilly day.

A girl came in the clinic a few weeks ago, holding a tiny 6 week old kitten. The kitty had been wandering in the street, and got scooped up right after almost being flattened by a truck.

Working at a veterinarian clinic has it's ups and downs. People generally think of us first when they find an animal.

And I, being the soft hearted sucker than I am, decided I would take her home with me.  Thought about fostering her until she grew a bit more, then finding her a home. After a vaccination and a treatment of advantage, she rode home on my lap.

Though only 6 weeks old and just a mite of a thing, she held her own against our three dogs, not backing down, but walking right up to their faces. No hissing, no spitting, not even a hair rose from her tail or back.

hmmmm.

A month or so ago, we had to put our old kitty, Sophie, to 'sleep.'  I had already found homes for the 4 kittens I had bottle fed from 2 weeks old. We hadn't known we would be letting Sophie go, or I would have just kept one of them.

My thoughts of course went to lovelygirl.  She is a "cat person" more than a "dog person" and we had planned on giving her a kitten when she got here.

Two different lines of thought bounced around in my brain. 

On one hand, it would be cool for her to pick out a kitty.  She would be able to find one she really liked and have a hand in selecting her very own kitten.

On the other hand, maybe she would benefit from having a kitten already here, one that was waiting for her.  Something she could grasp, and hold onto when she visits, and a solid, real live kitten to look forward to coming back to. 

Animals are so unconditional.

So, the next time I talked to lovelygirl on the phone, I asked her..."If you could have a kitty, what color would you want it to be?"

Not even the slightest hesitation, her answer came across the wire, "Black!"

Guess what? The kitten is black.

So, I told her about how I got her, and I told her if she wanted, we could find a home for this one, and then she could help pick out a kitten when she got here. 

Again, no hesitation, "I want that one!" she announced.

Dilemna solved.

"Of course," I explained, "this kitty has no name, and since she is yours now, you get to name her."

We chatted for awhile, and suddenly she piped up in an excited little voice, "I have a name! I have a name for the kitty!"

"Oh good, cuz she needs a name. What is her name going to be?"

"Rosie."

So, we have Rosie now. She is a sweet little girl, and has no fear of the dogs, or Puddin, our other scaredy cat. She is feisty, but will snuggle up on your neck and purr. I send pictures via email and text of Rosie to lovelygirl.  Something to look forward to, something already here that is hers. Hers alone.

purrrrfect!