A tiny, unremarkable kitten showed up outside the local village shop, as if shed wandered over on her own or perhaps someone had left her there. This little fluff of a girl scurried about, tucking in her paws and shivering from the cold and damp. Her plaintive little meow failed to touch passers-by; her face was covered in scabs, her eyes nearly closed, and her fur was patchy around her neck and ears. No one knew how shed ended up there, but it made for a rather sorry sight.
The shop assistants kindly let the poor mite inside where it was warm and even treated her with drops for parasites, but, sadly, it hardly made a difference. The kitten returned to the shop every single day, like clockwork, stubbornly begging to be picked up and held.
The days grew colder, and with the frosts approaching, it was clear that this little onealready shivering in minus temperatureswouldnt survive the harsher winter ahead. One of the shop ladies recalled that in the summer, wed taken in another kitten left at the same shop, so she reached out to us once more for help.
We arrived at the shop, and as soon as the kitten saw us, she spun round our feet and the cat carrier, as if she understood that this was her last chance to have a place she could call home. She stood up on her hind legs, curled her tail around my hand, and did everything she could to be endearing.
The scabies were obvious from the photographs, but the good news was that it wasnt advanced and could be treated. A few drops of Stronghold on the scruff worked rather swiftly.
Once in the warmth and safety of the foster home, the kitten began to purr like an engine and cuddled endlessly. For the first few days, she seemed to do nothing but alternate between eating and sleeping, making up for lost time.
Her name chose itselfPudding. The little mite was just like a lumpy, misshapen puddingawkward, funny-looking, but unbearably sweet. However, this stage didnt last long; after two treatments, she soon became a bright-eyed, rather charming little lady.
Her fur hasnt fully grown back on her ears and paws yet, but thats only a matter of time. Pudding is already booked in for spaying and is well on her way to becoming a healthy, well-kept, and utterly enchanting cat.
Reflecting on it all, Ive learned that kindness doesnt take much, and sometimes, giving one small creature a chance can make the world of differenceboth for them and for oneself.
