Little One (A Kitty Tail with Heart)

 

Soft grey-striped fur. Healing. Love. Peacefulness. So much joy your heart almost can't take it.

A tiny newborn kitten emerges perhaps the first of the litter but the mama cat has never done this before so she moves to another part of the room and delivers his two siblings. They immediately latch on and begin their journey of milk, of mother love, while one lone kitten lays nearby clinging desperately to life that he may not have a chance to enjoy.

The owner, who has never had a litter before finds the tiny kitten and tries to encourage him in what to do while the other siblings are going strong. But nothing happens. Time is ticking and our little kitten is getting weaker.

Another human arrives, one who has had experience with this before. She helps the little lost kitten drink from a tiny little bottle. She cradles him and loves him, and then gives him over to his mama. Now he knows what to do. He finds comfort in a mother's love, and the feel of siblings nearby. They begin to grow as the weeks progress, yet he is always the small one, the one who almost didn't make it.

As more time passes, the kittens find joy in every nook and cranny of their home. They delight in their mother's touch, play time, human love. And then it's time for someone to receive one of them.

Which one to take? There isn't any doubt. The young man falls for the tiniest one. He knows the kitten's story. He knows who needs him the most--but he hasn't realized yet, that he will be needed as well.

First day in a new home brings a little nervousness, a little worry over how long it will take for a new kitten to feel comfortable. Will he cry all night long? Will he hide, only to emerge when nobody is around?

Then the kitten does something. He climbs onto his new best friend, the young man who already loves him with his whole heart. He reaches a delicate paw toward his master's face, almost a caress, almost a whisper of "I belong here with you."

Their first night together brings a bond that can't be broken. For the kitten now loves and is loved. His purr is that of a mighty little tiger; his little paws always reaching, reaching for his new best friend.