Jasper's Story
This is Jasper, a little manx kitten I rescued last month. My husband spotted him all curled up in a ball in the grass behind a neighbor's house. He hesitated to even tell me because he knows how I feel about cats; we have two, but he felt sorry for the little guy. He couldn't stand the thought of the little kitten out in the cold night ahead so he told me, and of course, I had to go see what I could do for him. My husband told me the kitten bit the last person who tried to catch him. Did that stop me? "Oh pshh!" I said, "he won't bite me." I walked ever so slowly toward him talking to him calmly and sweetly, stopping every few feet so that he would not run away. We live next to a highway and I feared he might run into traffic and get squished.
He started talking to me when I got within a few feet from him. I talked back in cat language, trying to say to him that he will be safe, and he seemed to understand although he was very leery and skittish. I squatted down near him with my hand out, still talking his language. He kept talking to me and he started to walk towards me and now I was mere inches from him. I stretched farther until I touched his head. He was so soft! He edged closer to me so I scritched him under the chin. He started to purr then, so I knew he was starting to trust me. Just a little closer, please, I thought. He got close enough to where I could grab him by the scruff of the neck and pulled him towards my chest. He curled into a fetal position and I cradled the little guy in my bosom, telling him he was safe now. He seemed to understand and purred even louder, looking up at me with his trusting gold eyes. I melted.
I walked softly back to my house, cradling him, and eased myself down onto the glider on our back porch. My husband came out of the garage then.
"I knew it." He smiled, staying where he was. Talking softly, he said, "We can't keep him, you know."
"I know." I responded sadly. "I really wish we could. He's so soft and so scared. He looks just like our Miss."
"That's what caught my eye. I thought the Miss got out somehow." He said, referring to our oldest cat who is a strictly indoor kitty.
I kept looking down into the kitten's eyes, deep into his soul. I was meant to rescue him. But how to find him a good, loving home? He was a mess, literally. He had waste stuck to his tiny tail. I had to clean him up!
He did not fight me with the wet wipes and seemed to really appreciate my assistance with this task. He purred loudly and kept rubbing his head on my hand which made the cleaning process tricky as he kept moving around.
When I was finished, I wrapped him in a towel and cuddled with him on the glider. After a little while, I found a box and made a little doorway in it and placed him inside and carried it to the little attic space in the garage. I went back inside the house and got two little dishes and put food in one and water in the other. I made some phone calls and a couple texts to see if I could find him a home. I came up empty handed, so I took my offerings out to the garage where the little kitten was very hungry. It wasn't kitten food, but it would have to do for now. I found a small box lid I fashioned into a tiny litter box for him.
He'd take a bite, turn to make sure I was still there, then go for another bite. I wracked my brain trying to think of a way to keep him - I was hooked, but he needed a good, loving home. I refilled the food bowl for him before I left for the night, and gave him kisses on the top of his tiny head. He gave me a head bump in return.
"Lord, help me find a good home for this little guy. I wish I could keep him. In the meantime, he needs a name. He needs a good one." I prayed, standing in my kitchen. Suddenly, so quietly in my mind that I thought it was a whisper, I heard "Jasper."
"Jasper." I said aloud. Perfect!
The next day, I went to check on him and he was all curled up in the towel. As soon as he saw me, his motor started and he got up to greet me. The food bowl was almost empty again and he had finally drank some water. I looked at the makeshift litter box and discovered he had indeed used it.
"Hi, Jasper! How are you doing today?" I asked him, picking him up to hold him close. "I gotta find you a home."
As a last ditch effort to find Jasper a good home, I texted my American Legion commander and asked if he knew of anyone who could take him.
"Pic." was the reply. I sent a photo and waited. I didn't have to wait long for the response.
"Mary says yes." Thank you, Lord! Jasper has a home! I was elated and sad at the same time. I waited for his new owners to come pick him up.
When they arrived and I handed Jasper to Mary, she took him, looked me in the eye and told me she had had a dream the night before that someone was going to give her a manx kitten. Thank you, Lord, for answered prayer!
And the best part? I have visitation privileges! >^,,^<
