Kitty Heaven at Laurie's

Well, we finally got her. Jessica's birthday present. I arrived home from the last Critique Group to find this little grey and white ball of fluff in my daughter's arms mewing away. Jess had a beatific look in her eye as if she'd just returned from a vacation at the Pearly Gates. A corner of her bedroom was all decorated with a paisley cat bed, scratching post, and wine colored feeding bowls. But the kitty wouldn't eat. She hadn't been weaned yet. By the next morning she seemed weak and listless. I drove to the Feed Store and asked, "What should I do?" The gal at the counter suggested that we use milk replacement with a bottle, and slowly mix it into her food. We had a heck of a time with the tiny bottle. I didn't know how large to cut the holes in the nipple. So I first tried poking a few with a needle. Nothing. I tried larger holes with a bigger needle. Barely a drop. Finally I trimmed off a chunk of rubber with nail clippers. Now our kitten could drink. Jess propped this green eyed baby up in her lap and fed her with the bottle. Little by little the kitten got some white nourishment. Then Jess poured some in a bowl. It was lapped right up. "What are you going to call her?" I asked. "Apple, because she's the apple of my eye." I looked into my daughter's hazel eyes. Sure enough there was a shine there that would make any apple farmer proud.