I miss Yellow Kitty. His full name is Mine Little Yellow Kitty Cat. His life began on a farm. When he was 3 months old, a family brought him to the city to live with their 2 big dogs and their small boy. Kitty didn't like the dogs. They were big and noisy, and he was very afraid. He clawed through the insulation next to their air conditioning unit, squeezed through a 4 inch gap, and found that freedom is a very hungry place. He found us after 3 days of wandering without food or water. He came up to us -skinny, dry and lonely and climbed right up into L's lap! We were living with my Mom at the time, and she didn't want to have any more cats in the house, so we snuck him water and food. He hid under the lilac tree and greeted us every morning. He seemed more interested in loving than eating, and every time we went inside he followed us to the door. One day he just came inside with us. My Mom decided he could stay, which is good- 'cause we were keeping him anyway :p
Several days later L was showing off his new cat, and the boy down the street said, "That's my cat!" L went to give him back, and the boy's mom told us how he had escaped and told us to keep him. "He's obviously happier with you," She said. Thus we got a puffy scruffy kitty cat, and the dogs got a cat-free house back.
Since he was used to being outdoors, we let him travel about at night, until he came home with a hole in his head. Some little bastard had shot him with a bb gun. It went right through his temple into his ear canal. I was mad enought to spit nails. What kind of person shoots a cat? What kind of person lets their kid grow up thinking it's ok to shoot people's pets? (yeah, and what kind of idiot lets their pet out to be shot?...this kind, apparently)
We took Kitty to the vet and got antibiotics for him. The hole healed up, and even grew fur again. We neutered him to curb his need to wander, and he became a total indoor cat. He learned some of our language. Food? meant if you want something to eat go sit by your bowl. Treats? meant if you want cat treats, perk up, meow and stare at my hand. He would come when you called. He would find you if he thought you were lost. He would hop up and butt heads with you to say "hi". He was smart and funny and snuggly. He never bit or clawed. When we moved to our new home, he lost all the fur around his butt and tail. He would look great walking toward you, then he'd walk away and there's this denuded backside staring you in the face. It never failed to make me laugh.