Let us begin by the happy ending. Finally this scrawny kitten lay quietly in his box, Big letters on the outside announced "I AM GOING HOME." He was adopted and named "Trouble" by a nice girl that works on the shopping center parking lot.

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE the strategies, courage, strength and defense mechanism of a terrified, starving kitten who tries to escape capture.

It took a group of spectators and SIX firemen to finally get this kitten out of a car engine, where he was hiding from the crowd.

It came out dirty, wrapped in soot, hissing and puffing and the whole works. The firemen brought him to the UPS office and placed him in a shipping box. It was there when I first saw him. Poor thing was scared to death and the adopting girl who wanted to feed him, was afraid of being scratched.

I got my hand in the box and let him smell it. Since I have cats, he quieted down. I placed a can of food, which he gobbled up in seconds and a saucer with milk, which being a wild cat he spilled all over. You could count every rib on Trouble. Obviously, he was almost starving.

I bought him a litter box and the carrier with I AM GOING HOME legend as a present. Despite being terribly dirty, he looked (lion color) beautiful. Later I was told he had to be bathed three times to clean him, but I am sure Trouble won't be in trouble again — well, big ones that is...

Copyright © Ralph Rewes
June 25, 2006

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April 18, 2007 - UPDATE

Trouble was renamed Gordita, little chubby one, because she has gained a lot of weight in the home she is happily sharing with two more cats. Trouble was not feral yet when rescued, and she soon adapted to human environment and other cats.