Cielo Azul Happenings: October 2008

Friday, October 31, 2008

Click on image to enlarge calendar photo for October 2008.

Click on image to enlarge calendar dates for October 2008.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Boo! This little 10 oz. monster is the newest member of the family at Cielo Azul!

While vacationing at Sulphur, Oklahoma for the Capshaw Family Reunion (photos to follow much later, as I catch up!) we were saddened by the many, many feral cats in the vicinity of the lovely Bed and Breakfast we were staying in adjacent to the Chickasaw National Forest. Abandoned kitties had multiplied over the years and in commenting to the innkeeper on why most of them were black, he informed us that predators got most of the lighter ones as they were more visible. We were saddened at the sad condition of the many injured and scarred cats and we told him that if we could catch one of the younger partially white kitties, we would take it back to New Mexico and try to tame it. We really couldn't catch one, but as fate would have it................ A lady who also lives close to the forest had a cat move into her shed and have a litter of kittens. The cat then moved out with the other kittens, but abandoned this one kitten for about two days. After realizing that the momma kitty was not coming back, the kind lady purchased a pet feeding baby bottle and approached our innkeeper who had a reputation for kindness to the feral cats in the area. He told her that he couldn't raise such a tiny cat, but told her about the couple from New Mexico who were willing to adopt one. The Innkeeper, who is a good friend of Aunt Joh's, remembered where the family picnic was being held in the park, and so he drove Sandy (the kind woman who rescued the kitty) out to our picnic site with kitty, box, towels, and bottle in tow. In short, it seemed like destiny, and we got a new family member!

We called our cousins Pattie and Kelly who are experts in animal husbandry from working at the zoo and at animal shelters over the years and they gave us some sage advice on how to feed and care for the little sweetheart.

Once home in New Mexico, we found out that little Mei Toy was fascinated by our little foundling too. She licks her clean, watches her every move and guards her little box!

So, this is our precious new baby! We thought of calling her Chickasaw Sue in honor of her birth place--also the name of an old song and a beautiful iris! Of course, we are notorious for not being able to determine the sex of our cats, so if she is a boy, we might call him Chickasaw Sammy. Another thought is that because of the "W" on her forehead, we might call her Winnifred (Winnie) or Winston. Any thoughts, gentle readers?