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Kitchen Table Kibitzing 4/26/25 [1]

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Date: 2025-04-26

for those following the story of Harry Kris the cat ...good news.

to recap: we first spotted Kris hanging around back in December. we assumed a neighbor cat. when we saw Kris preying on the many birds in our yard we would shoo him away. we even moved the feeders away from the bushes to further discourage Kris.

this went on for over a month until one day while working in the yard Kris meowed to me from back in some bushes. of course I meowed back. a couple hours later he gathered the courage to come up to me for some pets. under his thick coat I could feel he was skin and bones ...so we began to feed and water him.

I attempted to provide him a place to shelter the heavy rains we were having. drilled a large hole in an old ice chest, lined it with an old towel. but of course he refused to enter, instead found a dry place up under the patio furniture cover.

we posted to “lost cat” groups on facebook, next door, etc… hoping to reconnect Kris with his humans. it was becoming apparent Kris was not an outdoor cat. we decided we’d catch him and take him to a vet, maybe he would be chipped. my first attempt at capturing him failed. it took a few days before he would even come for a quick pet.

then one rainy night from our bedroom we saw him run by ...a few seconds later a fox passed the same direction. of course I ran outside into the pouring rain calling for him. he did not come back. the next morning I brought his food out and thankfully he came out from his usual spot. I immediately grabbed him and brought him into grandma’s room.

at this point we were willing to add him to the family if we couldn’t find his humans. it took a few days before he would allow me to get close enough to get him in a carrier for a trip to the vet. he was so sweet ...so gentle, we quickly fell in love with him.

at the vet we learned he was chipped but not to anybody nearby. the person did not respond to the calls from the vet. he also tested positive for the Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV). heartbreaking news. while he very well could live a long happy life, it is a virus and our other cats would be susceptible to becoming infected. being FeLV+ would make it harder to find him a new home.

we contacted the cat rescue from which we got our cats from for advice. she gave us tips for where and how to best post on social media. also pointed us towards SNAP in Santa Rosa, they specialize in FeLV+ cats. but all their fosters were maxed out and the shelter full. we had some responses from Craigslist and the flyer posted at the local store. they all fell through for one reason or another.

even if grandma didn’t go back east 3 months a year, Kris couldn’t stay there forever. grandma’s wing of the house is probably bigger than apartment he moved to ….but doors. cats appear to have issues with closed doors. our indoor cats seem to know the front door goes outside but they don’t really have any desire to go out there. any other door in the house ...bedroom, closet, the bathroom door ...according to the cats only a monster would close the bathroom door without first inviting in the cats. so whenever grandma is out of the room he could hear her and began crying.

with weeks from grandma leaving for her trip back east, we were beginning to panic a bit. I even built a cat coop outside grandma’s window. thought maybe could take him out on a leash so he could hang out with us outside. not really enough.

but then… three months after bringing him in and almost 6 months after first seeing him in the yard, Kris now has a forever home. his new human came to meet him last Sunday. nobody can resist Kris’ gentle demeanor and wanting looks, he just wants to be loved ...and fed. his human was ready to take him home immediately but Kris had other ideas. he knew something was up, especially when I came in. we all agreed it was best to let him stay another night. I’d catch him in the morning and bring him down to his new home. grandma was more than willing to spend another night cuddling with her friend.

it was a sad drive with grandma the next morning. we know this is best. his human works from home and had already bought food, litter box, a window sill lounge, and had ordered a wall-mounted obstacle course. Kris is gonna be living the dream. still bittersweet.

we will get to visit Kris ...but have little doubt he will be very well cared for ...and happy.

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