First and foremost, all of our furbabies have been rescues, beginning in the 1970s. They see us coming from a mile away, turning on the charm and reeling us in from afar.
Half-Pint was a different and much more disturbing experience. On Father's Day, 2016, my husband and I decided to drive up to a local lake to take in the spectacular spring beauty. Living in a very rural area of the Sierra Nevada foothills, there were plenty of back roads from which to choose.
About a third of the way up the road, we stopped at a favorite photo op location. Very quickly we heard what sounded like a small, wounded bird. We didn't see anything (and were looking in the wrong direction) then I looked down. There lay two adult felines who had died recently and a very tiny kitten, nestled in some weeds. How long she'd been there was uncertain. Drop-offs on country roads are not an unusual occurrence.
In sad shape and looking very sick, we picked her up and raced down the road to a local country store. A can of food and some water were the first order of business but she was too weak to eat or drink. The mornings had been cooler than usual with a late starting spring and she sounded congested as well.
We bundled her up and took her home, hoping to save her. She finally tried to eat and drink but her eyes were matted shut and her breathing difficult. Off to the vet she went, coming home with antibiotics and eye drops to hopefully take care of her physical ills. She did fine for a couple of days then started crashing. Back to the vet for stronger antibiotics, which this time did the trick.
Since then, Half-Pint has flourished and grown into the most beautiful feline I've ever had in my home. When my husband died last year, she was lost for awhile but has since decided that I rate her attention and affection. She's been by my side, giving me comfort in the worst of times and being quite the good friend.
And she's much, much, much bigger now. People tell me that maybe Half-Pint wasn't the best name but I haven't come up with a better one and she seems to like it. We'll stick with each other as long as possible and keep the name, too!
DOYLE, CA
