Bye, Bye Kitty...

The angry cat is gone!  The park is safe!  The cat is safe.  Hoo and Ray!

I gave up on animal control who visited the park twice without ever seeing a cat.  I set out to catch the cat myself.  I donned my thickest pants and my winter coat.  Oh, I knew that cat could still scratch me, but why make it easy for him!  My niece came over to watch the kids.

Half way to the park, I started to worry.  What if the cat didn't show?  What if he ran away?  What if he sensed a trap?  What if he scratched me?  But, it was too late to change my mind as the cat suddenly appeared at my feet.  He followed me into the park.

The plan:  open the tuna can, put can in box, wait for (starving) cat to go for the tuna, hurry and close box before he can scratch me. Perfect.

I set the box down to open the tuna and the cat walked into the box.  Scared he'd scratch me if I put the tuna in while he was already in the box, I just closed it.  Job done.

I taped the box closed, telling the cat all about the safe warm place in store for him.  He clawed at the opening.  His amber eyes peered up at me.  "I trusted you", he seemed to say.... OK, so I dumped the tuna thru the crack in the box.  I'm such a push-over.  (My kids know it, too).

Animal Control picked him up 10 minutes later.  They'll care for him for a few weeks, and then find him a home with no kids.  We figure a kid must've been mean to him at some point.  I'm glad the cat is safe, warm, and fed.  Plus, my kids aren't scared of the park anymore.

I feel like I completed a rl quest!

Bad Kitty!!

Delightful Finch earned a trip to the park today (no accidents, yay!)  We invited a neighbor girl, B (age 4), to come with us.  It's freezing cold outside today!  The kids climbed and chased and swung and played.  Then they found a cat.

I think the cat lives at the park. He has no collar.  He's been at the park the last several times we've gone.  He's usually very nice.  So, I thought it'd be OK for the kids to follow the cat as long as they didn't touch him.  Wrong.  The cat jumped up and attacked B.  He scratched both of her cheeks!  Oh no!!  I felt awful.  We did the Neosporin thing.

I called animal control.  They told me they'd come by but it's super hard to catch a cat.  Yeah right.  I waited at the park for an hour.  Animal control never showed, but the cat jumped up on the park bench and kept me company for the whole hour.  If I'd had a box, I could've caught him and turned him in myself.

I do hope animal control picks him up.  His fur was much thicker today than it was last summer.  Still, it's freezing cold out there.  He kept licking the puddles of melted snow for a drink.  He also kept trying to sit on my lap.  I hope they find him someplace warm...and start feeding him.  He's such a pretty cat and I'm pretty sure he was only mean because he's so cold and hungry.

The kids ate lunch with grandma and grandpa while I sat at the park with the cat.  The kids didn't want to go back to "the angry cat park".  Doh!