Tallulah was born under the house next door to my studio on Peachtree Street in Nashville, Tennessee. There were a few stray cats that my next door neighbor, Aubrey fed. One was a kitten who, at a week or two old in April, had been carried to Aubrey's back door by an older cat. By fall, I decided that the strays should at least be fixed and vaccinated for Rabies before winter and Aubrey agreed to split the bill.
The kitten was more interested in food than being shy so was the easiest to trap. As she turned out to be a female, her recovery time from surgery was at least a week. Aubrey's son loaned me his dog's carrier.
The kitten had to be isolated and tested for Leukemia at three and again at six months. I had two healthy cats in the house and the original plan was for the studio to be a cat free zone. Well, I thought, okay. Six months. She sat at the front door and watched for her parent cat for weeks.
But here she is still at large, scrawny and nipping at fleas.
Tutti has always been a good sleeper but these days she sleeps many, many hours on end and very deeply. She is on medication for high blood pressure, supplements for arthritis, and eats home cooked meals prepared by yours truly.
We have had quite an adventure together and are hoping for another good few years. Happy Birthday, Miss Tallulah! | Contribute to Tallulah's Old Age Pension here. |