Feathers Fur and Fins Part 5.

Living in Willeton was a time when our family changed. Kitt Katt still chased after those nine lives.

She took a liking to crossing Collins road to roam around the park that was adjacent to our house.

Collins road was a very busy road, and no matter how many times I tied to persuade her not to, she still took the chance and crossed .

One night, I opened the glass back door as per usual at around 6 pm to call “the girls” inside for their dinner. I tapped the can, and in the darkness I could hear a tinkle of a bell, then a set of yellow eyes. Ebony came merrily up to me, smooched my leg and proceeded inside.

I tapped the tin again, but no Kitt Katt.

With Ebony around my ankles I kept peering into the darkness. But she was not there. AJ scoffed at my concern, saying she would be fine. And to try again later.

Reluctantly I did, and proceeded to feed the dog and do some other chores.

It was around 9:30 when I tried again, but still she was nowhere to be seen, I went out the front, scanned the road as the cars went past, but could not see any trace of her.

AJ again reassured me that she was fine, and that as always she would be back the next morning.  I decided he may be right, and went to bed.

In the morning, AJ was up early getting K his juice, and getting ready for work. He went out to the car to get his sunglasses and came back inside with a grey expression on his face.

I knew as soon as I saw him she was gone. I slowly walked out the front door and looked at the busy road, my heart sank. And I closed my eyes.

“Its ok, I’ll fetch her, Ill sort it” AJ said quietly. And I turned and went back inside.

I knew that one day the car would win................

It was also around this time, a stray dog joined our family, we named her Gypsy, and she was a Doberman Sheppard cross and bonded with Keltic as soon as they met.

She also bonded with K who was now around 3. They played army crawl in the grass in the garden and they chased the bad guys around the peppermint tree. She watched his every move, Keltic how ever was more content to just sit by my side and watch.

We were out walking one night, just me, AJ and K on his little red trike. And as we rounded the block near the park, a small tabby cat sprang out at us. She was wild and gangly. And had huge green eyes. She sidled up sideways to K on his trike and then took off up the street in front of us and up a verge tree.

We all laughed, and kept walking, but noticed after around 4 houses that she was still following us. “Ignore her” I said as K was playing with the little bundle of energy.

We continued to walk, and AJ chased her briefly to discourage her from following us.

We looked back again, and she was nowhere to be seen. I was Sad to see her go, but happy as she had returned home.

As we walked up to the front door, which had two huge bottle brushes in front of it. I pulled out the key, turned the lock and opened the door.

K had left his trike in the car port and stepped through the door. And as I went to follow him, I felt something push past my feet. I looked down and quickly stepped back to see that small gangly tabby cat walk through our front door after K and into the kitchen.

AJ and I looked at each other, and went inside.

We walked into the kitchen, and there she sat on the floor licking herself.

Ebony walked up to her, and sniffed, hissed and walked away.

From that day onwards she stayed with our family. AJ called her Tranzam because of her speedy race way antics in the house.

And she is still with us now, the oldest standing four legged member of the house. She’s a little slower now, and chubbier, but still has that wild side and plays with the claws out.

She’s had her fair share of run ins. She’s had her tail “de flocked” by me unfortunately shutting it in the door. she’s been in many a back yard cat scrap with the neighborhood felines and even took on the family car and gained a broken pelvis. But she’s still going. And still has the same attitude that she joined us with.

Gypsy stayed with us for a few years, but her size and her love of guarding proved too much for us. We ended up giving her to one of our dearest friends who was in need of a guard dog after his house was robbed twice in one week. Gypsy and her new owner bonded instantly and as he was a bachelor at the time, he spoilt her with T Bone steak for dinner and a loving home.

Although we missed her, we knew that she was happier doing what came so naturally for her. She was born to be a guard dog. And with P she got to be what her breed meant her to be.

Collins road also nearly claimed Keltic . He also took on the road and its traffic and fortunately he won. He lost some skin, and had a nasty wack, but after a vet stay returned home.

That accident was also the pre limb to us moving, I wasn’t happy at this stage to live on such a busy road, especially now, that my second child CH had been born. The landlord forced our hand in weeks to come, as the owners decided to sell the house. And this was the event that lead us to retuning to my childhood home, family in tow until we could regain our footing and strive out alone again. Sometimes, taking a step backwards to regroup, means a stronger step forward in the future.