Once upon a time in a strange land called “Ohio”, there was a beautiful brown tiger girl named “Wee Babe”. She found the porch of a kind couple who provided twice daily meals and warm places to sleep on the porch.
Wee Babe had already brought up five boys to learn the ways of the outdoors and taught them the kindness of the couple and the safety of the porch. She, the five boys, and a tom cat stayed there every night, until one day Wee Babe did not come for supper. She was gone even the next day.
The couple strongly suspected Wee Babe had had yet another litter of kittens. Sure enough, four weeks later, Wee Babe brought a tiny little tiger, who looked just like his mama, to the porch. Eventually, Wee Babe also brought two more little ones, both all black, one with gold eyes and one with green eyes.
Soon after bringing all three to stay the night on the porch, the weather turned quite sour. The couple worried after the three babies and Wee Babe, but she was a wise and skilled mama. She cared for the kittens, slowly teaching them the ways of the outside. The weather, however, did not cooperate and these three little ones were unable to learn about daycamp, hunting, road safety, and other important lessons. The kittens remained on the porch nearly all day, every day, where there was warmth and safety.
One day, in November, Wee Babe left for her morning exploration. The tiny tiger and one of the black kittens went with her. The other stayed behind. A whole day later and still Wee Babe and the two kittens were away.
The little black kitten that was left behind was lonely, scared, and seemed sick. The couple could not allow this little one to remain alone outside in the nasty weather possibly ill. So the lady went out and scooped up the little black kitten.
Sumatra Lightning got to visit a doctor that helped. The virus continued, despite the medicines, and did not do kindly to Sumatra. That virus eventually left her with a scarred eye that the vet assured she could still see out of.
Wee Babe later did return with the two kittens in tow, and the couple continued to care for everyone who visited the porch. Sumatra would look out the window and play with her brother (the tiger) and her sister (the other black kitten) through the glass, but she still needed the medicines to get better. The couple decided that even though it was hard to see Sumatra pining for her siblings, it was best she remain indoors and join the Foundling Clowder.
Days passed and turned into a few weeks, then the bitter Christmas storm of 2022 fell upon Ohio. The lady of the house went out to check the well-insulated and heated huts on the porch to see if anyone was staying over. Inside one, the lady found the tiny tiger and his sister cuddled together, shivering.
“That just won’t do,” said the lady. “These babies will freeze if they stay out here.” The lady called for the fella of the house to come help bring in the two little kittens. She quickly grabbed one, handed that one off to the fella, then snatched up the other kitten. Inside went the two little, freezing babies, now to join their sister as part of the Foundling Clowder.
Breve Lidar, the tiny tiger, and Kona Breeze, the petite black kitten, were thrilled to see Sumatra Lightning but uncertain about living inside. It was such a big, strange world full of cats they had only seen through the window glass.
Over the course of the next week, Breve and Kona settled in with Sumatra and the rest of the Foundling Clowder. While neither Breve nor Kona committed themselves to being cuddle kittens like their sister, Sumatra, they love the other cats of the clowder and especially their half-brothers, The Council.
The Coffee Kittens will be turning a year old 25 September 2023. This is their true story. This is how three kittens joined our family.
When we first starting caring for Wee Babe, we never anticipated one nor two litters. Area rescues were already stretched thin and unable to help in her capture or spay, until one came through like a miracle right before we were to leave Ohio.
The manner in which Sumatra, Kona, and Breve came into our lives was unplanned but not unwelcome, just surprising. Our clowder grew in a matter of weeks. Three months later our clowder increased yet again when we began to keep their half-brothers, The Council, inside permanently in preparation to move from Ohio.
If we had that winter to do over again, would we do anything different about taking in The Coffees? No, not at all! Well, maybe we would have brought Sumatra in a little quicker and gotten her on meds sooner, but hindsight, right?!
Please join us in celebrating the wonderful day of The Coffees’ first birthday and the amazingly beautiful lives that have joined the Foundling Clowder.
Happy birthday, Sumatra Lightning!
Happy birthday, Breve Lidar!
Happy birthday, Kona Breeze!
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