Oscar and Lyla (Full Story) P2
Oscar and Lyla (full story)
To catch those up who might have missed Part 1 of this story. While living in California (El Dorado Hills), an orange tabby started hanging around. He told me he was “Oscar” while trying to locate his owner, but we discovered that he had been in the shelter twice before and adopted out. Both times, leaving his “forever home” to be an alley cat. His last owner wanted nothing to do with him. So, understanding that he wanted to be free to roam. We started to feed him, and he kept his distance but was comfortable with being in our yard and around when we were outside.
One day, on the rug at the front door, a beautiful (but very dead) Canary was laid in offering. I quickly tuned in and told Oscar in no uncertain terms that it was not necessary to gift us any animals he caught. He looked intensely at me and seemed to understand. He never left us offerings again.
One day, we noticed a much smaller (younger) gray cat hanging around with Oscar. She was extremely timid, and we began to treat her the same as Oscar, feeding and crooning to her.
It was in February (Valentine's Day was coming up), and I had a Heart Wreath on the door and a rug with a heart on it. We had a motion sensor at the front door, which would chime in the house. It kept going off, but we couldn’t see anything at the front door. Finally, after several chimes, I actually opened the door and lying on the heart rug was Oscar and Lyla entwined like 2 love birds! Well, wasn’t this a lovely surprise!
It was shortly after this, during Dreamtime, that Oscar came to me and introduced her as “Lyla,” stating that she wished to be an indoor cat, leaving the statement to hang.
I communicated directly with Lyla, stating that she has always been an outdoor cat (I suspected feral). That if I did bring her in, we would inevitably bond, and when I moved (which would likely happen in the next year), I would want to bring her with me. She stated that she could never leave Oscar! I agreed and told her that I would love her and keep her safe, warm, and fed in my yard along with Oscar, and that is how we can have our relationship. She said nothing more, bowed her head, and withdrew her energy. I will assume she wasn’t sure about the plan; it felt like she was fixated on coming in. I began to feed them twice a day, and when they knew it was time to eat, they would come sit at the back door window and watch me move about in the house.
Oscar asked me one day if he reminded me of the cats that I saw when I travelled to Europe. I have always marveled at the hundreds of cats that are clearly loved and taken care of in Europe and the Middle East, many wandering the ancient sites. I told him he did (remind me of those cats). He seemed pleased.
Every day was a pleasure interacting with Oscar and Lyla, and little of it was ever physical. I seldom got close enough to pet them, and once in a while, I was allowed to reach for a tail and hold it while they slowly walked away. They were clearly in love, always frolicking and lying beside each other, when they walked, it was side by side with their tails intertwined – it was unbelievable to witness, I felt blessed. Such tenderness and love for each other, and they were…. Well cats!
It was a few months later that we observed Lyla looking bigger! Gulp….was she pregnant?
I recalled a conversation with Oscar, who had been to a shelter (more than once); he was a runaway. Shelters always spay/neuter their animals, and Oscar was no exception. How did this happen?
We tried to probe, but they weren’t sharing. I would get bits and pieces (probably to spare me) of Lyla being on her own, young, feral, and vulnerable. She was a tiny cat, and so loving. It seems she was “taken advantage of” several times, and that’s when Oscar saved her. He cared for her and brought her to our house, a “safe haven” where he knew she would be safe and loved. She enjoyed her little cushion under a sofa on our back patio, and seldom ventured too far from the food source and safety of our home.
Then one day, we didn’t see her, and I feared the worst! I always believed (my human ego believed) that she would have those babies in our yard and we’d all get to share in their care.
Oscar hung around; he was lethargic and seemed unhappy. We thought of the worst and tried not to think about it.
Then one day I had a visitor who came to my front door and said……” Did you see the sweet kittens across the street?” I instantly knew and was relieved to know they were likely all right. Lyla chose to have them in a quiet spot across the street in dense foliage where there was little activity at the front door. She then began crossing the street to see Oscar and eat. We had noticed that Oscar never finished his food – we thought he was upset! He was actually leaving extra for Lyla, who probably came over during the night.
We watched her go back across the street, sit and watch for cars before crossing, and see how Oscar would try to follow her. She wouldn’t have it! She would lead Oscar back to the curb and get halfway across the street, stop, and give him a look of “don’t even think about it.” He’d stop and have that boyish look of being caught. He would then turn away and leave.
We watched those kittens begin to explore, and I began to worry they would alert the residents of the house, who I know would call animal control! So I tuned it to Lyla and suggested it was time to bring her family to our yard, where I promised they would be safe.
She immediately began guiding one at a time. We had witnessed 4 kittens from a distance, but only 3 showed up. It was several days, and we began to fear that the 4th one didn’t make it. Then one day, many days later, we discovered there were 4 kittens. There were 2 pairs of identical kittens. 2 appeared Siamese in their coloration, and 2 were gray like Lyla; however, one began to show a fluff of fur around the face and body, much like a Persian. These cats were SWEET! We were in love….
The love affair with our family was soon to end as we put the house on the market. It sold in 7 days, and we agreed to be out in 3 weeks. What was I thinking?
My heart sank when I realized that I was moving and my furry friends would be staying… and who would take care of them!
I spoke to the cats and told them the situation. I cried, I was sad….
They were completely nonplussed. “Don’t worry about us, we’ll be fine.” And they would walk away.
Fast forward to an unusual meeting of the folks who purchased the house, and I decided to tell the new owners about the cats and how I fed them. Hoping she loved cats as I now did. The woman told me that she loved cats, but wasn’t interested in getting attached to any at this time. I was deflated.
Yikes…what did that mean? I felt sick……
Our final day in the house came, and the neighbor lady stopped over to say goodbye. She lived right next door. They had a dog (who had passed away several months earlier). They had 2 kids and just seemed too busy to care for animals, and probably cats. (I told myself).
I invited her in and brought her to the kitchen, where I told her to look outside the window, where the 4 gorgeous kittens were frolicking. She screamed and put her hand to her mouth. She was in love! And asked me what I was going to do! I asked her, “What am I going to do?” Then I began to cry! (I tear up as I write this).
I explained how beautiful they ALL were and how I communicate with animals and had been communicating with the orange tabby “Oscar” and the gray female/mom “Lyla”. She said, “We’ll take care of them.”… and to tell the cats and to move over the fence to their house immediately! So I told her, between tears (sad and happiness) while blowing my nose, how the kittens didn’t offer any names so far. Intimating that it might be fun to name them! Almost as a consolation gift for taking on 4 kittens! (and 2 cats).
We left, and a few weeks later, she sent a text and said their son, who was 4 or 5 at the time, was especially in love with the kittens and spent all his time in the yard with them. He had named them, and they intended to keep ALL the cats! She sent a picture. Turns out all 4 cats are bigger than Oscar and Lyla! They were huge!
Oh, what a relief and happy ending! Lesson: We as humans cannot imagine the miracles that are waiting to happen. Instead, we see doom and gloom when trust and faith are what are needed, and will pay big dividends if a person is patient. Oh, and Creator has a way of creating miracles at the last minute…
