In 1993, Peter, my husband, had to go into hospital. He stayed in a ground floor unit with full length windows down one side which gave patients a magnificent view of the river Thames flowing past the hospital. On the same side, a set of double doors opened onto a small terrace and walkway alongside the river.

While we were waiting for an Admissions Nurse, we noticed a little black and white cat sitting outside the unit's doors looking in. It appeared to be waiting for someone. As we watched it, one of the nurses went over to the unit's fridge, took a tin of cat food off its top and emptied it into a bowl which she carried out to the cat. When she opened the doors, the cat meowed, stood up, stepped forward and began to rub itself against the nurse's legs. The nurse bent down and stroked it, then put the bowl down, stroked the cat again and returned to work. After eating, the cat sat down and gave itself a thorough wash before strolling off. We were intrigued and once Peter was settled, I went to find out more about the cat. The nurses told me that they had been feeding it for several weeks and that although it was friendly it would not allow anyone to pick it up. They had called it Lucy. When I first saw Lucy properly, I realised that she was pregnant.

One day, Lucy didn't appear for breakfast. When she eventually turned up, looking very much thinner, ravenous, and anxious to get away immediately after eating, I knew that she had had her kittens. I hoped that Peter would remain in hospital until the kittens were old enough to follow their mum to the unit for food. I also hoped that by this time, the nurses would agree to me trying to find a rescue organisation that could take the family. Luckily, Peter was still in hospital when Lucy's kitten started coming to the unit. Also, luckily, a few days before it showed up, the nurses asked me to try to get Lucy and any kittens she might have into care. They had begun to fear for their safety after discovering that a pest exterminator had been called to the hospital to put down poison to kill rats that had been seen around its dustbins.

I borrowed a self-springing trap from "Cats Protection", disabled it, set it up where Lucy and her kitten fed and began putting their food in it. Within a few days they were happy to eat in the trap and I set it. I caught Lucy first. When I caught her kitten a day later, the nurses stopped putting out food.

Three nights later, as I walked to my car after spending yet another day at the hospital, I heard a young kitten shouting. It was shouting from the first floor balcony of the disused part of the hospital next to Peter's unit. This kitten must also have been one of Lucy's. It would also need to be caught.

The next morning, I climbed the balcony's spiral iron staircase and put some food out. When I checked later, I found it had gone. That evening, I again rang "Cats Protection" and asked to borrow a trap. While waiting for one to become available, I established a feeding routine for the kitten.

A few days later when I got to the top of the stairs with the kitten's lunch, I saw it waiting for me. As the balcony had two walled sides, I thought I would have a go at catching it. I dropped to my hands and knees and slowly advanced towards it, talking softly. The kitten panicked and ran for cover behind a box. As I got nearer the box, the kitten rushed past me and leapt through the balcony's balustrade. I screamed. I'd killed the kitten. Shakily, I got to my feet, walked hesitantly over to the balustrade and looked over it. There was no sign of the kitten. Now, I felt even worse. It must have been injured and gone into hiding. In tears, I went to tell Peter and the nurses what had happened. Peter was convinced that the kitten was fine. .

When I got home that evening, I found that "Cats Protection" had called to say that they had a trap for me. The next day, when the nurses saw me with it, they willingly agreed to keep an eye out for the kitten. No-one saw it that day, nor the next, nor the next. Then, on the fourth day, one of the unit's technicians came hurrying to find me with great news, the kitten was hiding behind the mobile generators stored outside his workshop. Without delay, I followed him and set up the trap. Within a few hours, I had the elusive kitten and, happily, just as Peter had said, it was fine.

Lucy and her two kittens were successfully rehomed by "Cats Protection". Lucy went to live with a single, middle-aged lady with whom she immediately bonded. She became an affectionate lap cat who preferred spending most of her time indoors. Her kittens went to a young lady who lived in the country. They became great hunters. Peter was eventually cured and returned home.

Copyright © Sheenah Large
March 14, 2004