We have a visitor...

This morning I woke up with my bear (Preston the cat) at the corner of my bed per usual.  He's as loyal as any dog and probably smarter.  He greets me at the door everyday when I come home from work (and even talks to me from the window as I'm walking up to the porch).

He plays fetch with his favorite toy mouse.

He hangs out in his house.

And he's the best snuggler ever.

He's my bear.  I've told this story before, but my mom found him four years ago as a newborn in someone's lawn by himself when she was going for a walk.  At the time I worked right in town and each day on my lunch break I would come home and check on him to bottle feed him, change out his hot water bottles and make sure he was able to go potty (newborn kittens can't "go" on their own, they need help by having their mother lick their belly, or in this case have a wet cotton ball on their belly).  He IS my baby.  As my friend Ashley said in her post today, I'm not his owner, I'm his momma.  I've had a lot of furbabies (mostly cats, throw in a hamster here or there in college) in my life, all of which I've loved dearly.  The Human Society commercials make me cry and I think there needs to be way more people like the man who runs Caboodle Ranch in the world.

Anyway, Preston came with me when I moved out of my mom's house and left behind his buddies.  I personally think he's fine with being "king of the house" but sometimes I go back and forth on if I should get him a friend.  I don't believe my landlady would have an issue with me getting another cat because well...I'm a good tenant, I pay my rent and Preston doesn't dig at the carpets or walls (just my cheap Craigslist couch).  However, I've never taken the plunge for a few reasons.  For example, two cats is more litter box scooping, more cat food purchases and another cat to have to worry about and ensure is not digging at the apartment.  Life is cozy for me and Preston as it is.

Until today.

Preston and I were going about our usual morning routine (yes, he has a morning routine) and while I was microwaving my Canadian Bacon for my faux Egg McMuffin I hear meowing, crazy meowing!

I peeked out the window and a small cat, about 6 months old was wandering around the apartment porch crying.  Preston jumped into the window to check things out and as a naturally passive cat he just kind of watched and sort of batted at the screen while the smaller cat kept reaching up to the window.

I was speechless.

Where did this cat come from?  Was it lost?  How come I hadn't seen it before and why this porch?  What led this cat here?

In an effort to feed the cat, but not wanting to give it some of Preston's food as I didn't think it would stick around - I cut up some bologna and put it on a plate for him.  He was super thin and SUPER hungry.  He also tried to come into my apartment!  Talk about aggressive!

I left to go to work hoping that he would move on because, what was I going to do with him if he didn't?  I really don't want another cat and I don't know anyone who is in the market for a cat.

I came home and I could see him running on the porch before I even got out of my car.  I didn't know what to do, so I got on the phone with my mom.  One of my mom's good friends is a crazy cat lady.  Literally.  She has 40+ cats, all that have been rescued.  Since all of my mom's cats have also been rescued, Nancy (the crazy cat lady) takes the cats to have them checked out, fixed and takes care of any vet expenses.  She will do ANYTHING for cats and ANYTHING for anyone who has a soft spot in their heart for them.  Nancy said, "Give him food, water and a place to sleep, but don't let him inside.  We'll take him to the vet tomorrow if he's still there"

I had a difficult time getting a picture of him (her?) because every time I would go out it would circle my ankles or run over to its food but here is one from inside, after it having a full and happy belly:

And while eating....

Don't hate me because I had leftover styrofoam plates that I use in situations just like this. ;)

Anyway, I'm concerned for this kitty.  It looks sick, it looks like it belonged to someone at some point (it has indentation on it's neck where a collar would be and came running to the door when it heard food hit Preston's dish) and it bothers me that he just randomly showed up.  Did someone just drop him off?  If so, why is it already so skinny and sickly - and who could do that?  If it was lost, why did it find THIS porch to come to?

As much as I want to say I can't take this cat in, I can't help but think it arrived on my porch for a reason but I definitely can't turn it away.  So for now it's just visiting, laying on the table on my porch (even though I gave it a super cozy box and blanket to sleep in!) and content to have some food and a bowl of water.

I'll be sure to keep you posted on any updates as they happen!