Sometimes Doing The Right Thing Doesn't Feel Good

My days are usually very regimented. I get up at the same time, make a cup of tea, check my email and then write for about a half hour before having the exact same breakfast I have most everyday. For the most part, I can be quite boring and very predictable.

My day also begins with a list of all that I want to accomplish throughout the day. It helps keep me on track and it also gives me a sense of accomplishment, at least on the rare days that I actually accomplish everything on the list. 

Today was like all others. I made my list and then set out to tick off the items. One of the items was to run over to the home improvement store and purchase plants for my window boxes. I recently had new boxes made and I was anxious to get them filled. What I thought would take about a half hour ended up taking over an hour, so by the time I got home, it was time for lunch. I had hoped to have the boxes planted by lunch time. Then after lunch do a blog post and start working on another project. Rather than put the plants off to the next day, I thought I would go ahead and get the boxes planted. 

I had just finished one box when I noticed a car drive up in the alley. I didn't pay much attention as I thought it was probably one of my neighbors. Then I suddenly heard a cat crying at the top of its lungs. My first thought was that my neighbor's cat had somehow escaped and now that it was on it's own it didn't know what to do. I went out to see what I could do and found a man throwing another cat out of his car. He was dumping the cats! I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I screamed, "What are you doing?" His reply was that his boss had told him to do this. Unbelievable!!!

The first cat that had been thrown out of the car was no more than 6 months old. So very afraid. I was able to get in front of the cat and then knelt down, put out my hand and she came to me. The guy said, "you can have her if you want her." With that he jumped back in his car and started backing down the alley. With the cat in my arms, I leaned into the car as he passed me and I said, "this is the most inhumane thing you could do." He kept saying that his boss told him to do this. I then said that what he had done was no different than if someone had purposely left him in the middle of Iraq with no food and no protection. 

The other cat was older, but still young. He had found safety sitting behind a garbage can. A neighbor came out to see what was going on as she had also heard the cat crying. My mind was racing, trying to think of  what options may be available. I told my neighbor that I had to do something, I couldn't allow them to just be left in the alley. She offered to go and get her cat crate. We put the kitten in her crate and I ran in to get Little Bit's carrying case for the bigger cat. 

With the cats safely in crates, I called a no kill shelter thinking that they would take them. Sadly, no. They said that the cats would need to go to Animal Control, what was once called the pound. But they did offer some hope. I was told to get the entry number that animal control would give them, call them back with the numbers and they may be able to rescue the cats in a few days.

So off I went. When we arrived at Animal Control, the woman who checked us in was so very nice. She saw how upset I was and told me a number of times that I had done the right thing. When I took the cats out of the carriers, they both clung to me which of course broke my heart when I had to put them in the cages. 

Yes, I did the right thing, but why is it that the right thing doesn't feel good? As I drove home, I thought of how many other animals are abused and thrown away. I've flown many animals who came with such stories. The difference was that I didn't witness it for myself. 

For me, one of the greatest human tragedies is that we have the ability to not feel the pain of another creature, be it an animal or a human being. 

These two little souls were with me for only a short time, but they will continue to live in my heart. My prayer is that someone will find it in their heart to love them.