Chapter 28
28
I’m at the vet bright and early with Minou for his check-up. The temperamental beast rolls on his back, making it easy for her to examine him. ‘He’s healing remarkably well,’ the vet says. ‘Administer the remaining meds and keep an eye on his water and food intake, but I’d say he’s almost back to normal, albeit with a few more scars to tell the tale. Without you looking after him it would have been a different outcome for Minou.’
‘Merci. I’ve loved having him as a house guest, although I’m not convinced he’s enjoyed it as much.’ I fill her in on his nighttime shenanigans and the destruction around the apartment. The times he goes quiet or the evenings where he lets out haunting meows as if he’s calling for someone, or something.
‘He’s used to hunting, catching his prey at night when the cemetery is empty of people and filled with rodents, so it will take some time for him to adjust to apartment living. You’ve done everything right buying all those stimulating cat toys and taking him out in the cat pack. You could always adopt another cat, although you’d have to allow them to meet and see if they get along first. There’s also the option of fostering. That way, if there are any dominance problems, the foster cat can go back into the shelter. But it’d give both cats a chance to be social and live in a much better environment than the shelter can provide. Fostering is a great way to help strays get the warmth and love they need before they’re officially adopted.’
‘I’ll speak to Guillaume about it. We’re co-parenting and I’m not sure what his thoughts on the matter will be.’ Going from one cat to two before he’s even had his new house guest stay might be pushing the limits, but already the idea appeals to me.
She grins. ‘I love the co-parent idea. Actually, another stray was handed in yesterday. She was found wandering the streets, apparently. We’ve looked her over and are waiting for the cat shelter to pick her up. Would you like to see her? Aside from being dehydrated and covered in fleas, she’s in good shape. We’ve given her flea treatment and she’s been on a drip to rehydrate. She’s already been sterilised at some point, so there’s no need to worry about any of that. Why not meet her while we’ve got Minou here? He could too – to assess if they’re a good fit? No pressure of course, but it will be beneficial to monitor the cats’ behaviour towards one another if you do consider fostering her.’
‘Sure, let’s meet her. What do you say, Minou?’ He covers his eyes with a paw. ‘He can be quite a diva.’
The vet laughs and scoops Minou into her arms. ‘Follow me. She’s in one of the observation rooms.’
We follow her into a small room with a big cage with bedding inside. I bend down to get a look at the stray who has been rescued and brought in for medical attention. What will Guillaume think if he comes back to find the number of cats has doubled? What am I even thinking? I won’t act until I have his permission as this is a co-parent situation.
The cage is dark, so it’s hard to make out the face of the little orange cat who slinks slowly over as the vet coos to her. ‘Is that…?’ I squint at the cat who, like Minou, looks like she’s been starved of her food source for a while. The waif-like cat drags herself to the front of the cage, into the light of the room. I gasp when I see her face. She’s thinner, dirtier, but instantly recognisable. ‘That’s Marmalade!’
‘Marmalade?’ the vet asks quizzically, and at the sound of her name she meows. Minou wiggles to be put down and the vet complies. He pushes his nose to the crate to meet Marmalade’s. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. A homecoming of two lost souls. They purr and paw as if communicating in their own special language. ‘You know this cat?’
‘Oui. Marmalade is Minou’s best friend from the cemetery.’
‘Ooh la la. That might be why Minou hasn’t settled in if he’s been missing her.’
I slap a hand to my forehead. ‘Mon Dieu. I bet Marmalade left the cemetery and got lost because she was looking for Minou!’
‘How sweet they’re reunited.’
The vet gives me decisive nod and a watery smile. It must be hard doing what they do, in their attempts to save every animal that comes their way. ‘So, what you do say? Is fostering in the realms of possibility? I understand we’d need to wait for confirmation from Guillaume, but someone from the shelter will be here soon for Marmalade, and honestly, while the shelters are wonderful and prolong the life of many an animal, they’re not the best environments long term for any of them.’
My mind ticks with possibilities. ‘Fostering means someone could fully adopt Marmalade at any time, doesn’t it?’
‘Yes, fostering would be a temporary arrangement, but full disclosure – sometimes cats of this vintage don’t get adopted very fast. You could be committing to a lengthy foster process.’
‘I think… I’ll adopt Marmalade.’ I look at the two cats delightedly purring at each other and make a firm decision. ‘They clearly can’t be apart, and I can’t take the risk that someone might fall in love with her sweet little face and take her from us. I’m sure Guillaume will be amenable.’ I cover Minou’s ears so he doesn’t hear and whisper, ‘Marmalade is Guillaume’s favourite, so I’m almost positive he will agree anyway.’
The vet’s eyes shine with happiness. ‘Perfect! I’ll let the shelter know you’re going to go ahead with the adoption. Do you want to take Marmalade home with you now and I can forward the adoption paperwork on to you later?’
‘If she’s ready, why not?’ Will this reunion help Minou to settle down or have I just doubled my problems? Either way, I’m sure I’ve made the right decision by the way the two mangy felines stare into each other’s eyes as if they’ve found… home.