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Our Stray Cat

Late last fall, the skinniest little cat came into our backyard and meowed at me.  It seemed like she was asking me for food!  I didn't know what to do exactly.  I didn't want to adopt a cat--neither my husband or I wants a pet, although our children do.  I was afraid if I fed it, it would become our pet.  But the poor cat was so skinny and winter was approaching, so I decided to put out some tuna fish for her.  And my two little girls were very interested in feeding the cat.  So we did and the tuna disappeared but we didn't see who ate it.


 A few days later, she came back and Mindy decided to feed her some raw bacon and she ate it.  I even went out and bought some cat food and started putting it out.  But not long after, she completely disappeared.  I was really worried about her.


And I worried more during the very snowy winter we had.  I didn't see how a homeless cat could survive by itself.  But about a month ago, she showed up!  We were out working in our backyard and she came meowing around.  So, once again, I got out some tuna and she lapped up a little of the water, but she didn't want to eat it.  I went out and bought some cat food but by then she had disappeared.


Then, a few days ago, we were again working out in the backyard and she came around again.  (I think she secretly likes my husband who is not so fond of cats.) This time I was ready.  I put some cat food in a bowl and another bowl for water.  She sniffed it but she didn't want to eat it.  She hung around for a while and followed us around the yard.  She would pounce and chase on any kind of movement she saw or heard.  It was a little startling!  She's obviously a hunter and that must be how she gets all her food. My theory is that she has never eaten cat food from the store so she doesn't recognize it as food.  The food disappeared over the next few nights but I suspect it was the fat neighbor cats who ate it.


So I wonder, thinking about that little cat, how often does someone offer me something that would help me but I don't recognize it as help?

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