Cat With No Name

My mom has two houses, the one we were raised in in Milwaukee, and the one she was raised in at the farm. She has been living at the farm for most of the past two years. This puts the burden of her Milwaukee house on my sister Kim and my brother Tommy. My sister Ellen and I don't do much of anything to help them. Funny they still talk to us.

Mom's Milwaukee neighbor called my sister Kim a few months ago to report that a litter of kittens had been born in mom's back yard and no mother cat was around. Kim and this neighbor went out and bought formula and syringes to feed the kittens and after a couple of days, mom cat showed up. She was emaciated and looked beaten up, but she had made it back to her litter.

Kim sent out mass emails to people looking for homes for the cats. One of the replies, from Ziggie, reminded us of what a goldmine we could be sitting on. He was with us when we were in Santa Monica and paid to have psychic cats tell our fortune. The cats wore little dresses and would pick fortunes as a spoonful of food was held out to them. Yeah, we can do that.

Anyhow, all the kittens have found homes. But mama cat remains. My sister Kim and I are going to split the cost for mama cat to get spayed on Friday. (I'm in Milwaukee for a charity fundraiser.) Then I'm going to take her back to mom's farm. Mom has said she doesn't want it, but we know mom won't be able to say no. (Although once I bought a nest of baby mice for 10 cents from a boy down the street and mom freaked out and made me take them back, so sometimes she does say no.)

This poor cat has no name. But, fear not, both of my sisters will be with me at the charity fundraiser and I think we will come up with something. Who knows, while there, we may even find a sponsor for the cow with the crooked neck. (New Glarus Brewing still has not responded to me.) Last year, my sister Ellen sold the most raffle tickets at the fundraiser, so I know she has the power of persuasion.