A kitten showed up in my parent's garage.

[Minimus]

It was very skinny, limping, with a flea collar on. They asked all the neighbors but nobody claimed it.

My father, retired Navy officer, and notorious cat hater has really mellowed in his senior years, insisted the kitten get to a vet asap.

Mom took the kitten to the vet, asked them to help her find it a home and she would pay all of it's vet bills. Vet said leg may have been broken but healed on it's own and kitty may always have a limp. The staff did not know anyone looking for a kitten. BTW kitten is a girl.

Mom bought a litter-box, bed, food, etc. but said she was still going to find her a home. She told me it is the sweetest cat she has ever seen. It wants to constantly be held and lays it's head on her shoulder.

Well the Vets office found it a home, kind of a cat sanctuary. A lady has 8 cats and they have their own solarium, cat jungle gyms, the works. Dad said NO, this kitten needs to be in a home and receive lots of human companionship, not just put in with a bunch of other cats.

Dad named it Toes, Mom calls it Twinkle Toes. It is gray with white toes. I guess they now have a cat and I am in shock. I would have bet a million dollars that my parent's would never have a cat in their house. This kitten must be VERY special.

[demnan]

1. This happened to my oldest brother

a cat hater in my youth. A "stray" Siamese mix just moved in one day and took over. "Mouch" has had my brother and sister-in-law wrapped around her little paws ever since.

They have had two other cats since, one was abused and rescued by my niece, and she took it to her house when she married. The other, adopted by the younger niece, is still there. My brother loves his cats.

[Lorien]

6. Heheh, I didn't like cats very much once

I was a dog person as a kid. The cat my sister had when we were growing up was the kind that gave all cats a bad name; she was aloof, grouchy, and only was interested in us for food. Like your parents (and demnan's brother), it took the right kitten to turn me around. I've had cats ever since!:-)

[Rhiannon12866]

14. What gorgeous kitties!

And they all have the most beautiful eyes! I love cats, as well, but lost my girl within the year. All my guys have been rescue, but this was tough, since I rescued this kitty, myself.;(

Catlin

[Mandate My Ass]

2. Yay, a happy ending

It's sweet that a stray is so trusting with her new family.

I also know a story something like that. My former SIL wanted to get a cat because she lived next door to neighbors who didn't keep a clean house and after they moved out, the rodent problem got so bad that no matter how many times my SIL called the exterminator, they were multiplying like crazy behind the walls where he couldn't reach. She tried calling the city, the department of L&I and locating the owners to no avail, it was just a rodent haven and she was tired of dealing with it.

Her husband just loathed cats but even he saw this problem had only one solution -- and it was to get a cat. He said the cat had a week to prove itself and if it wasn't catching the appropriate quota, out she would have to go.

Noel was a pretty, white, female, former stray cat they adopted from the SPCA and she seemed to sense who she had to impress if she wanted to stay in that home. Not only did she catch lots of mice, she bonded with my BIL. Not by being obsequious, he would have hated that, but with her personality. She learned his schedule and met him at the door. She followed him and when he'd chase her away, she'd back off just enough to satisfy him, eyeball him a little, then inch her way back toward him. If he walked into a room, Noel was right behind him.

Soon you could see that he liked her spunk. When he thought nobody was looking he'd pet her and play with her, pretending he was enduring this rather than enjoying it.

Eventually the house next door was bought and cleaned out and despite his previous promise that once the mice were gone, so too would be the cat, Noel got to stay. We tried not to tease him too much because according to my BIL, he was still an avowed "cat hater."


Good for your Dad, he just needed to find the right kitty to turn him around.

[Eurobabe]

3. Awwwww, so they are going to keep it?

Amazing what the love of an animal can do to people, ain't it??

[Minimus]

4. As far as I know. They seem pretty smitten with the kitten.

Every time I call that is all they talk about. Toes this and Toes that, this must be some amazing kitty!:D

[MidwestMomma]

5. That's so cute...that part about your Dad saying NO

Thanks for sharing. It makes me happy when cats find their home sweet home.

[Minimus]

7. Update on the kitten - I can't believe it.

Mom told me Dad has the kitten follow him everywhere around the house. If he goes to the den to watch TV, Dad calls for Toes to come. If he goes into his home office to work, Dad takes Toes with him.

Toes is also sleeping in the bed next to Dad at night.

I still can't get over it. I had cats through out the years while growing up and my Dad just barely tolerated them.

Also, about her broken leg - Toes runs around the house with no problems what so ever, but still walks with a limp.

[shesemsmom]

8. I think that is great

have you noticed that parents mellow with the years lol

[Zuni]

11. It is funny how 'cat haters' can be turned so easily

most hate cats cause they never bothered to get to know them

Sometimes the right cat comes along and turns them in to their pawns

[Eurobabe]

12. I hated cats as a child...

But I think it had more to do with the fact that I had a puppy ripped away from me at age 4 and I never got over losing her, it was a very traumatic loss, my parents got divorced.

I stuck to gerbils after that...and then guinea pigs. LOL.

Then an amazing thing happened when I turned 30. My daughter found a cute kitten in a pet store (ok so I was a bit uneducated about shelter cats then) and we took him home with us. Going on 14 yrs. later, the cat has been an inseperable part of the household, and we got him a brother in 2000.

I could never be catless again. Although I see the day when a doggie makes it's way into the household.....matter of time. (My hubby really wants a dog.)

[Flaxbee]

9. Similar story here -- one of our friends

and his wife had lots of little dogs, no cats. Thought cats weren't friendly, blah blah blah. Well, in walks young "Tiger" one day to my friend's workshop (dogs were inside the house), hops up on the workbench and starts batting at the tools. My friend was immediately smitten and that was that. Tiger's now happily warm and snuggly every night on the master bed, loved and adored. Cats are pretty damn good psychologists, they seem to know exactly what to do!

Toes sounds like a sweetie.

[Zuni]

10. What a wonderful story

I hope your parents get years of love from their new pet. God Bless them for taking care of a animal in need.

I did the same thing with a little stray that appeared outside my home. I fed her once, and she came around again and I took her to the vets, and then took her in. Now she is my little buddy, gets plenty of food and love. I don't know what i would do without her.

[Rhiannon12866]

13. What a lovely story! I'm tearing up!

I also know someone who took in an abandoned kitten, someone who always said "you know that I don't like cats!" Well, that was 14 years ago. That cat is his baby and if the spoiled boy is missing anything in life, I sure can't think of it, LOL! Thanks so much for sharing this happy ending!:-)