The Story of Winnie (Tiggy)
There is just something about cats, you either love them or hate them. Only a few people have a mediocre reaction to cats. I was most firmly in the pro-cat camp. There is no greater pleasure than having a contented purring bundle of warmth curl up on my lap. The pure joy when I was chosen, to be their resting place and be needled with kneading claws, I didn't care there'd be scars. I was deemed worthy to be a kitty cat bed, adorned with cat hairs.
Since losing my beloved Oscar I was always wrestling with the desire to have another cat around. But with traveling back and forth to the cabin, it didn't seem fair to the cat. Yes it could travel with us, but keeping tabs on a cat while we were busy on the land, if she wondered off, or wasn't familiar with forest life we would be constantly looking for her. But I still couldn't shake the little voice wishing to have a feline friend again. They could be our adventure kitten growing up used to traveling in the car and exploring the outdoors. I imagined him coming hiking in a little cat carrying back pack, proudly wearing his snazzy harness, peaking out fearlessly. But Dave was against the idea and so far I had resisted.
Until one day, when Dave and I were working on the pumphouse, a little tortoiseshell kitten sprung into our lives. She was oblivious to any hazards and completely fearless. She clearly wanted to help, and was determined to put her best paw forward, clawing up my legs, purring my ear, and kneading a bed on my discarded sweater. Leaping through the tall grasses way above her head, letting us know with a shrill mew if we got too far ahead and were leaving her behind when we headed back to the trailer for lunch. We named her Tiggy, pretty sure she had wandered across from our neighbours farm.
Her larger than life fierce growl when fed little pieces of cheese and left over hotdog, as if we might steal it from under her out sprung claws. She was skinny and used to fighting for scraps. Tiggy definitely made up for her small size with a big attitude.
Tiggys' name was actually Winnie, we found out later. We took her back to the farm at the end of the day, worried she may get too used to staying with us, or get lost trying to find her way home. It was a challenge to leave her at the edge of the farm and race back, glancing behind to make sure she hadn't followed me again.
Each time when we came back, I subtly hung about the pumphouse calling her, when Dave wasn't watching in the hope she'd come over to visit which she did quite often. "Oh look here's Winnie she must have heard us working." I'd smile.
She grew from a skinny speckled tortoiseshell bundle of fluff into a tall, lean, hunter, perfectly capable of looking after herself in the bush. During the spring cabin foundation construction as typical with farm cats her belly grew tight and round she was obviously due to have kittens any day.
Giving her extra food, as she was eating for a crowd, I wondered if we'd still be there when the kittens were born.
Early the next morning as we were mixing concrete to fill the sonotubes, Winnie showed up meowing loudly and weaving figure of eights between my rubber boots. I gently pushed her away hoping she'd get the message, but shockingly realized she was thin again. She'd had her kittens.
"Where are they Winne? Where have you put them?" I took a few steps towards the trees, tapping my leg, trying to communicate the urgency, it was a chilly morning, and they would need her warmth and milk to survive. She shouldn't be here loving us, but should be taking care of her babies. Being a first time mom, perhaps she didn't know what to do. I tried to get her to follow me, and hoped she would get the idea and show me where they were. No matter what I tried she just rolled in the dust, mewing and purring. From my veterinary nursing training it was easy to see it wasn't a contented purr but a sign of her distress. I was forced to focus on the cabin foundation, and hopes Winnie's motherly instinct would override her need for attention.
If you would like to learn more about Winnies adventures her story you'll have to buy the book...
