The Newest Addition to our Farm Family

I found this pitiful little kitten on the trail one afternoon - he was following a couple who were jogging on the path. I overheard the man scolding the woman to "put it down - you can't carry it the whole way back!" I heard the woman half-argue that she couldn't just leave it there, but she eventually did. I wondered if that was my cat Cream they were referring to. Funny, Cream doesn't look like a stray that needs rescuing... I walked outside to see if indeed Cream was out there, but on the trail I found this very young and very vocal kitten running after this couple, by now pretty far up the path. It was a sad sight: the kitten not doing a very good job of following after these people; it seemed somewhat disoriented. All the time bellowing in desperation, reminding me of that sad scene from the movie, Shane. I quickly scooped up the kitten to check it out. One look at it and I knew it was in trouble. Both its eyes were really infected, one so badly that you couldn't even see the eye at all; so swollen that the inside parts were outside. Both eyes were surrounded with pus-covered open wounds, perhaps from scratching at the itchy eyes. He was very gentle and sweet and liked being held. The first thing I did was get him inside with some water and cat food. He was famished. Then I called the vet at Old Trail. I told them the story of the cat, and they suggested I bring him in immediately, which I did.

Other than the eye infections and ear mites, he was a healthy boy. The vet figures he's about four month old. I named him Boxcar Willie because of finding him on the train tracks. I went home with plenty of medicine and high hopes of restoring his health. Now, about 4 weeks later, Boxcar is doing very well. He has lots of admirers who come by to play with him whenever they get a chance.

Our neighbor Gretta is wild about all animals, especially kittens! She will come over and carry him all over the place. Boxcar doesn't seem to mind one bit.

Boxcar's eyes have healed almost 100%. The vet said that he is very impressed and amazed at how well the eyes healed, and all that's left is a bit of moisture on one layer covering the eyes - looks like he has a cataract - his own body's way of protecting the eye while he had the infection - and that is expected to go away in time. Boxcar is a kitten full of life and energy and affection for all. He and Cream absolutely adore each other. They love to lounge together and to chase each other all over the yard and the mill. I think that ever since Millie left, he's longed for a pal to play with. Now he has one!