Kitty at the window
I am a fortunate kittie. In the 10+ years since my family brought me home to become their indoor kittie, many neighbourhood cats have come to visit. One day last fall, a new shadow appeared at my window. Little did I know then, that this kittie would turn out to be as special as me.
 It is not unusual for all neighbourhood cats to come visit on our deck. During the hot days of summer, mummy leaves fresh water every day some food and sometimes, for those kitties we know very well – a little something special. All neighbourhood kitties know to come during the day, but never at night, because we don’t leave treats out. Kitties have homes and need to go home for the night.
When this new cat came along peering through the blinds, neither mummy nor me thought anything of it. Â Just another new cat moving into the neighbourhood. Kitty’s visits became so routine that we christened him “Deck Cat;” DC for short. Not very original but it was a name none the less.
Mummy never gave Deck Cat’s visits much thought until the day the thermometer dipped well below zero Celsius and she noticed Deck Cat curled up in the sunshine trying to keep warm in the wind.
This was a worry, although very cold out, the snow had not yet come to our deck. Did the people who owned DC not realize that winter would soon be upon us and no cat should be left to wander in the cold?
She cracked open the deck door, slowly whispering her classic “Sweetie Pies”.
A startled DC bolted from the warm and safety of the deck, down the stairs, and vanished! Perhaps Deck Cat headed for his home? We found out later that more likely, DC bolted under our deck.
A startled DC bolted from the warm and safety of the deck, down the stairs, and vanished! Perhaps Deck Cat headed for his home? We found out later that more likely, DC bolted under our deck.
Working against time and temperature, Mummy made several attempts to capture DC before the cruel winter weather set in – but to no avail. Deck Cat eluded her, but always returned
for a little water and a treat. As the weather turned colder, mummy set up a box in a high place, out of the wind and she continued to lure Deck Cat into a cat carrier without success. DC did not like people… not even my mummy!
One particularly cold wintery night we noticed our back neighbour puttering in his garage workshop. Although nothing to do with Deck Cat, Daddy was happy to see this fellow up and about again – since we had not seen this neighbour since his accident last fall. Our neighbour went to his workshop almost every cold night, followed by his dwag. The workshop light was bright and the chimney puffed great floofs of smoke – it must be a very warm workshop indeed. And Mummy secretly hoped that DC found a way in to that warm garage.
Deck Cat survived winter; he visited our deck daily!
 
 He ate and drank what mummy left out for him and Mummy kept two wind-block boxes outside – one on the deck in a high spot, another under the deck where we all assumed DC retreated to when it became unbearably cold.
We last saw DC on the fence, just before a very bad spring storm, the hail was so loud I put paws over my ears while hiding in a closet! Mummy was so worried about Deck Cat – what if the hail hit him? What if he was too scared of the thunder? What if something really bad happened? Mummy was so upset, when the storm stopped she asked Dad to help look for DC. They looked for two days… nothing. Mummy calls “Sweetie Pies, Sweetie Pies..” Nothing. Food went untouched, the new blankets in the wind-block boxes void of cat hair. Deck Cat was gone. It wasn’t until daddy asked the “garage guy” neighbour why he was taking down a trampoline that we found out exactly where DC went!
Over the winter Deck Cat befriended “Garage Guy.” It began during that first cold snap in November, DC found his way through the pet door in GG’s garage. Garage Guy just let DC be that first night. The next, GG brought some food and water to the garage and left the cat flap open for DC to come and go as he pleased. Â That’s how it went over the winter and into spring. Then one day, DC jumped up onto the workbench and rubbed against the Garage Guy’s hand. That’s when Mrs. GG decided they should adopt DC and loaded Deck Cat into a his very own cat carrier and off to the rescue vet they went, to have DC checked out – and to make sure that indeed no one owned him.
In between his visits to the rescue vet to make sure DC didn’t feel abandoned, Garage Guy took down the family trampoline and put up a cat enclosure.
Today, Deck Cat – now DUDLEY, came home – to his forever home. Never to wander between our houses looking for food and shelter, never to feel lonely – but then, neither will Mr and Mrs. Garage Guy!
Sent from my tuna tin!
Written by Elwood is my name @MynameisElwood