I'll say no more

It's happened three times recently that I've uttered the words; "That's the limit - I really cannot take on more cats." And literally - the moment I've uttered the words - another cat in need has apperead in front of my eyes. But as I've said before... what do you do when a cat in desperate need appears in front of you? Turn a blind eye??

I felt sad and somewhat furious when this precious girl appeared just a few days ago. At first she had me confused because there's a good number of brown tabbys around here. As I sat on the steps to the garden enjoying a lovely sunset with the many new kittens goofing around, this new girl came up to me and walked straight into my lap. None of the other tabbys has ever made a direct approach like that. So of cause I took notice and realised it wasn't a cat I'd seen before - and she was badly emaciated. How could a girl this affectionate be so emaciated??  It for sure was a case of a holiday visitor having cared for her during their summer stay (when she was a young kitten) and then abandoned her when they went back home. First I find infinitely cruel to make  a cat dependant on food if you take on to feed it and then leave it to fend for itself, but secondly I find it so cold and heartless to make it dependant on human effection and to then discard it.

 

Anyhow... she is very weak and will need a good amount of time to recouperate from the emaciation. She is so weak that she doesn't respond to any of the other cats walking up to check out who she is. In fact she walked up to one of the sleeping kittens to snuggle for warmth and had the kitten startled by her seeming audacity. But he realised she was no threat and happily obliged in a warm snuggle. She seems content as long as she can eat or snuggle. Whenever I'm around she follows me for an opportunity for a lap and embracing arms. Yesterday when I was on the ground taking these photos of her she thought I was offering her a place to spoon. So we did just that - and with the curious little looks of one of the new kittens (the white paws in the background). 

Earlier this week I started experimenting with black/white photos. There is something so timeless and poignant about black and white images and I think particularly the top image portrayed here speak volumes of this girls story. The sad and empty look in her eyes captures the story of her heartless abandonment. 

I can't wait to share happier images of this girl but for the moment - when it comes to how many cats I can take on - let me just say; "I'll say no more..." I'm beginning to think that the Great One above has something else in mind!