Many Felines / #3

[Many Felines / #1] [Many Felines / #2]

Nutty Fuzzbottom

Nutty Fuzzbottom

The youngest of our indoor cats was a feral kitten of one of the outdoor cats we used to have visiting the back deck. The mother (known as Mama) disappeared about a year after Nutty’s little half-sister and brother were born. Our guess is that she was getting old for a feral cat and passed away someplace in the woods behind our property.

Mama only had this one in that litter. She bring the kitten with her onto the deck for the morning and evening feasts. We would put a small plastic bowl of milk out for Mama while she was still nursing Nutty. After the mother’s fill of food and drink, she’d saunter to the far side of the deck to nurse her kitten. As the months went by, Nutty got so she wasn’t frightened by the giants (husband and me) who kept offering the meals to her, and she would even let them pet her. Soon she was venturing past the sliding glass door, finding herself inside where two other cats lived. She’d stay for a few minutes and wander back out to be with Mama and her half brothers.

One day Mama went gallivanting off somewhere and left her baby on the deck where she felt the kitten would be safe. I peeked out at her several times during the course of that day to find her sitting or laying near one of her older half brothers, Henry or Stubbs. When nighttime fell and the mother didn’t come back, husband and I became concerned. We opened the sliding door and Nutty walk right in and made her way to the master bedroom.

I let her back outside the next morning. Her mother was still nowhere to be seen. Henry and Stubbs checked on her periodically during that day. That night I let her come again and she did the same thing only hopped onto the bed instead of sliding under the dresser.

It was then that we decided we couldn’t let her outside again. Chances were she wouldn’t survive out there like the others because of her young age despite her just being weaned. She still needed her mother, who had vanished, to teach her how to live out there. Her mother did return a few days later hungry and worn out, but it was too late to put Nutty back out there.

Her name was derived from my nick name for her, Nutty, and the name husband called her, Fuzzbottom. She isn’t all that fond of me but she’s tolerant. She still likes to get on the bed so husband will pet her for a longer period of time. Once he falls asleep and starts to snore, she leaves for the ottoman in the living room.

Miya has her trained to do her begging for her when she wants milk. I’ll see them conspiring in the hall. Then Nutty will come into the room where I am and start squeaking. (She doesn’t seem to have a meow.) Miya is waiting at the entrance to the kitchen while Nutty tries to get my attention. She’ll give up after a while and go trotting off in Miya’s direction. Miya brings her back into the room and the show starts all over again. Once I either get the milk for Miya or tell Miya it isn’t time for milk yet, Nutty goes in to the bedroom or to the ottoman.

I wish we could have left Nutty outside with the outdoor cats. I think she would have been happier. However, we feel we did the right for her. Husband and I don’t plan to adopt any more cats. Nutty will probably still be around when we’re in our seventies. Both of us have physical limitations so we know that pets would be a bad idea after that.

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“I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.” – Hippolyte Taine