The other night, after it had cooled down sufficiently to open the windows and doors, our cats, Leo and Murphy, were acting oddly at the front door.

Now, once the front door is open (screen door locked), that is their preferred place to sit and watch the world go by, and for Murphy to try to wheedle a big bug through the tears in the screen from his constant trying to climb said screen.

(And the big thrill is if Murphy gets the bug through his first act is to grab it in his mouth and head for the bedroom because playing with bugs is a lot more fun amongst the bedclothes – and once Murphy is done he leaves the bug – dead or alive for our later entertainment.)

Anyhow, Murphy was “talking” and Leo was growling.

So Bill gets up to investigate and there is a very young, very pretty calico outside.

Mostly white, and with a fluffy, fluffy tail.

And I don’t think all of the fluff was due to Leo’s growling.

She clearly wants to come in, and Leo clearly is telling her, “Over your dead body, Missy.”

I, of course, cannot resist a cat in need, so I go out to see if she’s friendly and if she’s a stray.

She is quite clean, but her paws are dirty – which to me means she’s probably a stray.

She’s not skin and bones but she’s a little thing; and I asked Bill to bring me some cat food to see if she’s hungry.

Meanwhile, she let me hold her, but she was very hyper, and bitey and scratchy.  She wasn’t struggling, just really really excited.  Also, her ear is clipped, so although very young, she has clearly been neutered.

Bill brought her some dry food and some water.

And she chowed down.

While she was busy eating, I went back inside.

That’s when I discovered my bloody left arm where she had scratched me up – not deep but more like the death of a thousand cuts.  I didn’t even notice when she did it.

In fact my first thought is she had bit me because she was, as I said, very bitey – but not angry bitey – more kitten bitey.

Yes, I washed the wounds very carefully, and they are fine – no sign of infection.

She ate quite a bit of the food, and was gone next time Bill looked.

I said, leave the dish out in case she comes back, and I don’t know if it was her or one of our other neighborhood cats, but when we were ready to go to bed (and bring the dishes in) the food was totally gone.

I don’t know where she went, but I hope she’s safe and I hope in her wandering she finds a forever home.

Now, I have to go put some Bactine on my knee where she scratched me through my leggings.

Little shit.