(no subject)

Today was a lovely day, one of the few we've had in the past month and a half that was below 95, so I went out for a nice long bike ride with Leif at around 5.

I headed out west of town about six miles, as far as the bike path goes. Shortly after turning around to head back, my rear tire went flat.

I knew it was dumb to go out without tire changing equipment, but I love that ride. I can go the whole way on bike paths, and all the farms are fascinating.

So I started walking the bike back. Occasionally someone would ask if I needed help, but all they could really offer was a cell phone, and I'd already done that much myself. Leif got bored of the slow pace, so I let him ride on the bike seat, which slowed the pace even further.

Finally, a woman who actually had some repair tools offered to help, which would have been great, except that the trailer hitch blocked the quick release on the rear wheel, and it just wasn't coming off, so we hooked the trailer back up.

Then Leif peed. He's been in cloth diapers or training pants most of the time lately because it's just been so hot that I feel terrible for him in disposables. He's about half potty trained anyways - he'll pee in the potty if given the opportunity, but won't tell me ahead of time. In any case, he peed, and I didn't have a change for him because he doesn't pee in the trailer and I hadn't anticipated him being out.

Fortunately, there was a towel, so I was able to wrap that around his waist.

Leif was starting to get really upset because he wanted to be carried, but I couldn't both carry him and handle the bike, so he just had to cry, and I felt terrible.

Then I heard a loud mewing from a bush. Searching around underneath, I found a tiny black kitty, probably about 3 or 4 weeks old. No evidence of any other kittens or adult cats around. It fit in my shirt pocket, where I carried it for a ways. At first, Leif was enchanted, but then he went back to crying because I wouldn't let him hold the kitten.

We finally got to the Unitarian church, and locked up the bike there. The trailer doubles as a stroller with a conversion handle and wheel. I'd considered taking the handle off before I left, but thankfully I'd left it on. Leif was still upset, but it was much easier to handle than the bike+trailer together.

Then the kitten peed on me.

We walked the rest of the way home. I was tempted to offer either the kitten or the toddler to everyone who passed.

So now I have a tiny black kitten curled up on me. It's eating breastmilk until we can get it some kitten formula or food (not sure if it's old enough for solids yet) - as far as I can tell, it isn't going to kill it as a short-term solution, and the next best thing we have on hand is yogurt. I plan to call the SPCA or the vet school's orphan kitten program tomorrow. We just can't keep it - koyote is too allergic and Leif is too rough.

It's tempting, though.

I have a feeling this is going to be a very long night. Anyone nearby in need of a very tiny kitten?

(no subject)

The kitten ended up going to the Orphan Kitten Project - a group of vet med students who take in orphaned or abandoned kittens in order to get practice caring for little kitties. They're overwhelmed with kittens right now and aren't technically accepting anymore, but there was another singleton the same age, and they do better raised as part of a litter, so they were actually happy to get her.

So now she has a "sister", and adequate care if she isn't as healthy as she seems, and I don't have to worry about Leif killing her with kindness or koyote dying of an asthma attack.

We have a feeling she may have been purposefully abandoned - she's quite clean, nice shiny fur, no fleas, healthy beyond some dehydration and exposure, and very comfortable around humans. As much as I hate the idea of euthanizing healthy kittens, I'd rather people do that than abandon them to die of dehydration or exposure, especially when they're too young to be separated from the mom and don't have a fighting chance unless someone picks them up.

I also wonder a bit about all the other people who went by and didn't stop. Of course, I didn't hear any meowing on the way out, so perhaps it had only started up recently. Then again, most of these people didn't even stop to ask if the woman pushing a bike with a toddler in the trailer, miles from town, needed help, so it wouldn't surprise me if they had heard but hadn't stopped.

Leif is interesting with the kitten. He wants to love her and hug her and call her George, but at the same time, gets very jealous if I try to feed the kitty. He did the same thing with Alex the dog (who ran away and hasn't been found yet). All in all, it makes me glad we don't have a small baby right now.

I forgot to take pictures before the kitty left.