Transcript for the Piece Audio version of Tough Kitty Essay w/Short Interview

"Tough Kitty" by Miles Eddy

I was totally unprepared for the depth of emotion I experience when I took a kitten I have know for less than a week to the San Luis Valley Animal Welfare Society. My name is Miles, and you see, I have been house sitting for a fiend who inherited the kitten and was planning to give it away. I knew she was getting attached to the little fellow and knew she couldn?t keep it herself. So when I spoke to her, I volunteered to give him to the shelter while she was out of town.

I called on a Friday to drop the cat off on Monday. I new I would feel sad when the time came, maybe even cry a bit, having gotten attached to the little guy myself. I didn?t know I would be sobbing even before I put him in the cage. The drive over was short, but he panicked to the point of bleeding his nose trying to get out. This of course just made me cry even harder, and I pulled over to comfort him.

?Tough Kitty? is what I called him because he was going to have to survive as an outdoor cat. Neither my friend nor I could afford to take on a kitten, financially nor emotionally. So after learning more about the Animal Human Society, I knew Though Kitty would be placed in a good home, with no chance of being euthanized. This became more and more important to me as I quickly grew closer to this cat.

For three days I was full time caretaker, and I new he would be leaving soon. I don?t know why the heart opens so fast. I feel like I have to take care of him! Even now I thing about going back and bringing him home, despite the hardship it would bring me. Given the choose of letting this cat live outside, with all the dangers of the wilderness I live in, or giving him away, I believe I have made the right choose. This is in no small part because of the work of Auleen who runs the Animal Welfare Society. I first meet her while I was sitting outside the cat room on Main Street in Alamosa, Tough Kitty sitting on my lap and I trying hard not to cry in the public hallway.

We brought him inside where there were about 20 cats, mostly wondering freely. I had seen many of these cats before through the big window on Main Street. I had never though I would be here, giving away the best cat I?ve meet in a long time. Tough Kitty had already calmed down, even being around other cats, some hissing at him. He?s a great cat!

Auleen and I talked for about half an hour about how Tough Kitty would be vaccinated and check out by the Vet. About who she would let adopt cats, and about there no-kill policy. I have now returned so that she can also tell her story to you.

So now my life goes on without Tough Kitty. I got to see him again when I stopped by the shelter, still wanting to take care of him, still not be able to. He is only one of many such cats that need help, but he is the one I fell in love with. Anybody want a great kitty?