It was a dilemma. We could leave her to starve to death on the beach or we could give her a the chance of a better life. The poor starving kitten we'd seen yesterday. We went ashore with food and drink for her and a bucket to collect sand, my blue gingham clothes peg bag and a small towel which were essentials if you are taking on a new crew member. It had rained in the night and the poor little thing was wet through. She wobbled up to us and we debated for another half an hour. If we do take her aboard there'll be no vet visits, if she lives we'll to find her a family home, if she dies it was meant to be.
She came back to the boat wrapped in a towel inside my peg bag (minus the pegs) and with my tilley hat protecting her from the rain, the bucket filled with sand for a litter tray and another coconut. Stepping up from the kayak onto the swim ladder with a nervous kitten clutched under my arm was interesting. If I slipped and fell I'd have a scared cat clawing my shoulders. However, no falls and all back safely.
Poor little thing must have thought her luck was on the up until we produced a bucket of water and a bottle of Johnsons baby shampoo. Little cat, and she is very little, had brought a host of unwelcome friends that we needed to wash out of her fur. Fleas. Too weak to struggle she submitted to being dunked and we plucked and pinched the nasties as they crawled to escape the water.
With combs and tweezers we removed more and finally we were left with a wee drowned kitty whose bones stuck out alarmingly. But through all this she was a sweetie craving warmth and affection.
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