"Give me your tired and your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free
the wretched refuse of your teeming shore
send these, the tempest-tossed to me
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
I've always liked this poem, it's message; give me the ones who no one wants, I will take care of them. The reason that this quote is up there is because of what happened today.
The Fruit Bat and I went on a afternoon shopping trip, carried her groceries into her dorm and walked back outside. I looked over and saw a tub, a plastic storage tub, which had been there for a few days. There were flies buzzing around the top of it- and I commented on it to Sarah. Just as I did we heard the cries.
Within the tub were three kittens, very young, wailing for someone to feed them. There was newspaper on the bottom of the tub, and it was scattered with kitty litter, which was full, they sat in their own fecal mater. A bowl held dirty yellow and brown water, an empty food tin stood to the side.
How can someone do this?
The strongest of the kittens, a longhair gray with blue/green eyes, tried to climb out, and I picked him up. Fruit Bat and I stood there, discussing what to do, until the roomate of the person responsible came out to talk to us. We called the office- they didn't do anything, so we asked the R.A.'s permission to take the kittens to the Animal Shelter, this was granted and we went.
The animal shelter was closed and wouldn't open until Monday, so we discussed our options as we fed the starving kittens. Now Fruit Bat is taking the kittens home, and I'm glad that they'll have somewhere safe. They slept on my lap for three hours- so yeah, I'm attached.
The gray one, who we think is male, is called Squall. He's the kitten that the person had the longest, the first one that he pulled out of the bushes, seperating him forever from his mother- one of the many feral cats on campus. We don't think that he is realated to the other two kittens. Squall is quite vocal and affectionate- I already adore him.
The other two are girls, we think, who look like twins. Tawny and striped black, both with clouded jade eyes.
Leo, (or Leones) is the lighter of the twins, more yellowed in the face, and thin. She is the least active of the kittens, and slept most of the time. She attacked the food the most voraciously, and cries when you pick her up- none of them have any fat, so it hurts them when you handle them. She was very sweet-natured, and gave Squall face washes- she also cleaned her sister's paws.
Tigrhi is the darker of the twins, her facial fur more brown than tawny. Tigrhi was the middle road in activity, she wasn't as active as Squall, but moved around more than Leo. Tigrhi was scared, and wanted someplace to hide- unfortunately we couldn't let her find a hiding spot because she might get stuck there- but we did the next best thing, letting her hide under the Fruit Bat's jacket. Once she was covered, she settled down.
It was heartbreaking to hear them cry so hungrily, and then fall asleep from exhaustion, not crying any more because they knew that no food was coming.
I love these kittens, I would love to keep them- but here is the important part- I KNOW BETTER.
I know that I am in a dorm, and pets are not allowed.
I know that I am a student and have neither the money nor the time to properly care for a pet.
Would I love them?
YES.
Would me keeping them be good for them?
NO.
The evidence of this is plain- the kittens are dehydrated, tired, starving, you can feel their bones, they have ear mites and maybe fleas. They're probably sick from sitting in that fetid box for days.
I love my kittens. That's why they are going home with Fruit Bat, who can care for them until they can go to an animal shelter and find a good home.
It really doesn't matter if they forget me.
I won't forget them.
