Speaking of Companions ...

Meet Loki ...

This handsome young fellow was retrieved from the wheel well of the Executive Producer's car on Sunday. I'd been out working in back and heard plaintive mewing coming from under the car. Thinking that it was our part time cat, Sweetie Pie, who belongs to a neighbor but resides in our garage due to their other cat's bullying, I was surprised when I couldn't see her anywhere. The mewing continued unabated and I was brought up short by the sight of this little face peering at me over a tire. After a few minutes spent prying him from his perch, I carefully carried him inside and roused my sleeping daughter to take charge of him, warning her that we'd have to find him a home or take him to the vet to do so, since I'm allergic to cats.

I took some antihistamines, then visited with neighbors and called several friends in an attempt to find a taker. By that night, no one had expressed interest and Hayley was already thoroughly enchanted by him. After a night of his sharing her pillow, I resigned myself to taking daily doses of Allegra and called the vet to ask when we could bring him in for them to check him out. We were sobered to learn that he'd have to be sedated for blood work so they could rule out feline leukemia and HIV, as well as heartworms. Both of the former would require his being euthanized. Happily, he tested negative for all three problems and we were allowed to bring him home on Wednesday morning. We'd been referring to him as a her until we learned otherwise from the vet ... which necessitated some rethinking on the subject of names. Since he's going to be Hayley's cat, she had the final say. I'm hoping that he will NOT live up to his mythical namesake, who is said to be crafty and malicious, associated with magic and trickery.

Annie the garden terrierist is feeling a bit threatened by this interloper but we are pleased that she's not been in any way hostile to him and hope that they may eventually become friends. Here's Hayley reassuring Annie that she's still top dog as Loki keeps an eye on the garden.

I was told by a neighbor that she saw three kittens climbing a fence last week, one of them striped like Loki. It is my fervent hope that the siblings have found other victims ... er, homes.

Comments

Tina Poe said…
This warmed my heart, Congratulations on getting a new garden companion!
beckie said…
You have such a soft heart. I am sure you will be rewarded for your kindness. I learned something today-HIV in cats?? Glad he is okay and by now I am sure he has the run of the house. :)
Monica said…
What an adorable kitten. I had a Loki once and he most definately lived up to the name.

He looks like he'll be a long haired cat. If you start now you can train him to like being bathed and brushed, which he will surely need to help you and your allergies.
Oh he's really cute! I like the way he's looking up at you in that 1st photo, probably saying thanks for rescuing him.

Love your Lemon Amaryllis btw!
LindaCTG said…
Oh, I'm joyful! What a sweetheart (kitty & you). When semi-feral cats adopted us and I became a cat mom, I was so highly allergic to cats that brief exposure was bad news. But to my surprise, in 2 weeks, no allergies and now other strays have joined our happy home. Our last dog quickly fell in love with the first kittens and they became best of friends.
Cindy, MCOK said…
Thank you, Tina! He's an adorable little guy for sure!

Beckie, I haven't given him the run of the house yet but he's quite at home upstairs and is learning his way around the garden.

Monica, I suspect our Loki will live up to his name, too!

Jean, I may have rescued him but he's very much Hayley's cat!

Linda, I hope my allergies will abate over time. It would be pretty cool if Loki and Annie become pals!
Carol Michel said…
He looks like a sweet kitty. In no time at all, he'll have you trained!