So we arrived back in Penang from Australia and got right back to our routine, Rox off to work, Brenna back to school, and me back to my clients and training. On the first day back to school as Brenna and i walked through the entrance-way and visitor parking area of our condo, we heard a cat mewling...most likely a kitten, but it sounded awful. It sounded lonely, hungry and like it might be hurt...Brenna was beside herself. After I got Brenna on the bus i decided that I would see if it was in fact a kitten...There had been a car parked in one of the visitor spots for sometime and it sounded as though the mewling was coming from under it. Peering under the car. i saw a small skinny, dingy kitten, who quickly escaped my view, up into the engine compartment. I also saw that someone had posted a note on the car that looked rather faded, that they needed to be careful moving the car as there was a cat under it. Roxanne and I decided to see if mommy cat would come back before we would try and coax the little one out...Brenna again decided that was not a good idea, but agreed in principle. 3 days later, no mommy and still mewling...on our walk to the bus that morning Brenna was not going to be told no..."Daddy you have to rescue that kitten, he is so sad and he is going to die..." how can you say no to that...(well I know some of you might be able to, i could not). so that afternoon, i grabbed some tuna from the pantry and put a small amount on a piece of cardboard, and decided to see If I could get the kitten to come out, then maybe I could grab it...Getting it to come out and eat was no problem, grabbing it was another story. Although i tried, little kitten was not having it. Now I think Rox had taken the day as an at home work day, or she had a therapy appointment, either way she happened to be home before Brenna was. I asked to her to give me a hand, i would coax it out with food and she would throw a towel over it, that was the plan. We executed it perfectly and Roxanne had a small bundle in a towel and the Proton Waja, was cat free (The next day the car was gone so obviously the owner did not want to move it and possibly hurt the cat.) So upstairs we brought the small, dirty furry....
We decided it would be best to keep it in one of the shower stalls in an unused bathroom, that way it could use newspaper and clean up would be easy. We decided that we would contact the local shelters and see what we could do. Most of them although kind and concerned, expressed that they were overcrowded, and that it might be best for us to foster the kitten and then see if they could not help us to place it in a good home. So that was the plan...Initially. So "kitten" was given a bath, and taken to the Vet as soon as we could get him there, and although dirty, dehydrated and hungry, he was generally in good health, the vet gave us some de-worming medication as a precaution and preventative, and we would be back in a month to start a series of vaccinations. "Kitten" stayed in his shower stall till we could find litter and litter boxes, and see if it would use them...Kitten took right to the boxes and after about 3 weeks we began to let it venture out in small stages, this is a big place and it was a very small kitten. Despite letting it venture beyond its shower stall during they day we would put it back there at night, after a while though, the shower stall was no longer necessary and "Kitten" had free run of the house. Kitten, who's name has now been changed to "Waja" which Brenna did not like at all. We thought about many names, but he was found under a Proton Waja, and Waja means strength (steel)in Bahasa Malay, and this little guy (we also now know its a male, after his last Vet visit) is very strong to have survived on his own for so long. He has doubled in size since we found him, so he is thriving here. He sleeps on Roxanne's pillow, or under the covers. He loves to play with everyone's feet, including our housekeeper Mrs. Devi... he will spend hours running around the house, and is quite a climber. He also LOVES to chase Brennas hamster, when we put him in his exercise ball. So Waja has become part of the family, we have no idea what to do with him when we go back to the states for 3 weeks over Christmas holiday, but we will figure something out. We have all become way too attached to him to give him up. He will be a living reminder of the experience we have had here in Penang...wonky tail and all!!
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