The Kitten Who Followed Us Home

Two nights ago, after the heat of the day had left a little, Vince and I took Juno for a walk. There's a neighborhood across the road from our apartment complex, and we often walk her around that loop because it's more interesting and well lit than our apartment loop. As we walked, we heard the distinct sound of a kitten crying. It's little mews cut through the warm night air, straight to my heart. (Anyone who knows me knows what a sucker I am for animals, kitties in particular, despite my allergy.)

Vince told me to go look for it if I wanted, so after about 3.5 seconds of deliberation I did. I used the flashlight app on my phone and searched the tall grass that lined the road. I walked until I couldn't hear the kitten anymore, and assumed it had heard me and quit crying because it was scared, but Vince told me it was back the other way. I looked, and looked, and then there he was. A little gray and white face, staring up into the light mewing his little heart out. I tentatively put my hand down, and he moved toward me, so I picked him up.

Vince and I talked about it, and after much back and forth on both our parts, we agreed that he would walk Juno home, and I would see if I could get the kitten to go back the way it came. I put him back in the tall grass and walked away. Immediately I heard those little mews and looked back. I'd walked almost completely across the road. His little head popped out of the grass, and he bounced its way across the road to where I was...where he promptly climbed up onto my tennis shoe and sat. He then stood, turned, and put his little paws on my leg.

I picked him up and started to cry. 

Vince and I are both allergic to cats, and we have Juno, who freaks out around other animals. I couldn't leave this kitten, who was so sweet, loving, and little alone in the dark by the road. I didn't know what to do.

I called Vince, and he said he would make up Juno's crate (which she hasn't used since Vince and I got married) for it, and we'd figure something out. Despite this, I put him back in the grass one more time, just in case it decided to go home, and walked a different way. Again, he popped out of the grass, and when I stopped he ran to me and sat on my shoe. I decided to walk home, and see what he would do. Of course, he followed me.

About halfway there, he started mewing again, so I picked him up and carried him home (despite my itchy arms and neck). Vince had Juno's crate lined with newspaper. We put him in there with tuna, water, a towel, and a homemade litter-box (a cardboard box and shredded newspaper). He ate a little, drank a little, and after being petted for a few minutes fell asleep.

At this point it's at least one in the morning. I posted pictures of the kitten all over the internet, hoping someone would want to adopt him. My friends Raina and Matt both saw him and started advertising for me, too. I went to sleep hoping I wouldn't get too attached to him, and hoping that we'd find a good home.

Luckily, we did. Well, Vince did. Sandie, my mother-in-law, had been talking about getting a cat for Vivian (our niece), and this one was just about the perfect age, and literally walked into our hands.

After a hasty breakfast, we made sure Juno had what she needed, made a travel box (complete with another towel, some nice, frayed yarn, and a ball with a bell in it) for the kitten, and drove over three hours to Sandie's house.

Vivian loved the kitten, and after we left, Sandie made a big box-house for him to stay in while he got used to his new home. Vivian named him Milo, and promised me she would take good, good care of her new kitten, who she loved very much.

Our plan for Monday had been: Wake up, eat breakfast, maybe go to Purdy's, rent a movie, work out. That drastically changed all because we made the small choice to help a helpless creature. Some might say it was just a cat, but it was a living, breathing, feeling thing that was asking for help. I believe, with all my heart, that we should all be willing to take those few extra steps to help where we can, whether it's a cat, a friend, a stranger, a pup...If we can, something in us tells us that we should. I'm so glad that Vince and I were able to help such a sweet kitten like Milo, and make Vivian happy in the process.