How A Coyote Came Between Me And A Kitten
Who would’ve thought that a coyote would come between a kitten and I.
It all began when I caught a glimpse of an adorable kitten whose playfulness pierced my soul through its kennel at a Pet Supermarket.
Within seconds, I decided to adopt Tipsy—a 16-week-old kitten whose white paws were a striking contrast to her silky black coat.
But that furball of cuteness would soon manifest into a failed adoption mission.
For starters, there were no adoption applications left. I lost hope until I found a sign with the phone number of Tipsy’s caretaker.
I immediately scheduled an interview.
Two days later, I bonded with Tipsy’s caretaker over our love for cats.
Then the interrogation began.
Her first question was innocent enough: were my three cats indoor or outdoor pets? I made the rookie mistake of letting her know that I let my cats “run around and stuff.”
That was my first red flag.
Apparently, she believes that my beloved Homestead is a haven for coyotes, stray dogs and pesticides.
In my ten years of living in Homestead, I’ve never heard anyone say they saw a coyote. We may be known for agriculture, but not all of our city is a desolate farm deep in the heart of the Everglades.
After some hesitation, Tipsy’s caretaker asked me what my cats ate. Confused, I stayed silent so she proceeded to educate me on the difference between solid and soft cat food.
Once again, I was left in utter silence when she asked me for my cats’ veterinarian. She wanted to verify their vaccine records. I dodged the question by saying that my mom had that information.
Truth is, we don’t have a veterinarian.
If I hadn’t made enough of an impression on her already, I told her I had two previous cats that died from a mysterious infection.
At that point, I wanted to end the catastrophic interview. I figured the closest I would get to Tipsy would be touching the glass of her cage.
After another awkward silence, Tipsy’s caretaker expressed concern that my cats were outside pets before rejecting my plans to add to my feline family.
It was soon obvious that I should be nowhere near a cat.
But before you contact People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, be aware that my mom is our cats’ primary caretaker.
They have plenty of food, water, love, good health and room to roam in our house.
I’m confident my feline friends would’ve welcomed a new addition to the clan, but I’m sure Tipsy will find a better home.
After all, adopting a cat is a serious commitment that can’t be fully calculated when one is tipsy with cuteness.
