The grandchildren brought home a little starved kitty. They found it at a place they intend renting and the little kitten followed after them as they were leaving. As weak and starved as it was he tried to keep up with them. When they noticed him they couldn’t leave him out of pity.

When I saw him my heart ached. How could anyone not take care of a poor desperate kitten? He was only skin, fur and bones. I could literally feel every bone in his body. Since he was so sick I asked to bring him home with me to clean him up and try to get him to eat. I wanted to take him to the Vet as soon as they were open. The children and mom and dad agreed that he should have quiet and tender care.

His eyes were matted shut from infection and I was able to finally get them open after gently wiping with a wet cotton pad. I gave him water with an eye dropper and some canned cat food I keep on hand for my kitties. He ate until he just couldn’t hold anymore. I cleaned him up as best I could and wrapped him up in a soft towel. I sat in Rocky’s rocking chair and held him next to me and rocked until bedtime. He was clean and full and getting the attention he deserved.

I made a bed for him in the bathtub and in the morning we started all over again. I took him to the Vet and he had ear mites, the infected eyes and was full of fleas. I was able to get some of them picked off as I bathed him because he wasn’t well enough to have any treatment for them yet.

Another night passed and the next morning was pretty routine except I was concerned he wasn’t able to eat like he had before. He would take a few bites and then his little face rested in his bowl. I knew if he didn’t eat we were in trouble. I tried until he just didn’t respond to the food……so I let him rest. He died about 1:00 yesterday afternoon in my arms.

It was hard to give him up. At most, he was only six weeks old. Not much time for a little guy who met such terrible odds of staying alive. He was named “little Rocky” by our great-grandson. He said he wanted to name him Rocky but that was grandpa’s name so he named him “little Rocky.”

Jonathan, Becky and I went back in our yard where all of our pets are buried just at the edge of the woods. We buried him with a prayer for God to receive him and to help us as we mourn. He lies next to a little male cat that Becky had and lost when he was young. We like to think he has company now with little Rocky……and LR won’t have to be alone either.

I chose a picture of a beautiful kitty because I know that is how he looks now. Only God knows when it is best to bring a pet back to Him. Perhaps he would have had a terrible end had he lived……but apart from my grief, I can be comforted knowing that he is with God now and we were really blessed to have had him for awhile.

Essentially Esther