Hello Nugget!

I am an accountant at a game skin tannery. The Boss's wife came up to me asking if I knew anyone who wanted a kitten. Her husband does not tolerate any animals in the factory and will exterminate them if he finds them. Debbie (the boss's wife) is a kind person so she was desperately searching for a home for the kitten before her husband found it.

I already have three settled cats and I had no intention of upsetting the status quo in the house. So I ignored her pleas regarding the kitten. Debbie was putting down some milk in a saucer then leaving it there in manufacturing. In the evening when the building was empty, the little creature would come and consume the milk. The kitten's mother had disappeared (probably poisoned) and the kitten was actually feral. I got to thinking about this little creature and eventually I decided I would try catch it and tame it. I discussed it with my wife and she excitedly accepted me trying to catch the kitten. My girls were also pleased with the idea and expressed much anger at my unknowing boss. My one child actually describes him as "the man who likes to kill little kittens". I had a good laugh at that but I agree that people who hunt animals for recreation actually lose their sensitivity towards the sanctity of life in general.

I informed the boss'es wife of our decision and she was overjoyed. I brought a cane cat transport box to work and took it to the manufacturing area where various leather scraps were piled up. My one colleague gave me a tin of tuna to try and catch the kitten. Debbie thought the kitten was beautiful and took me to manufacturing to see the kitten. I did not see it the first time we looked for it as it was too shy and distrustful of people (a good thing in my opinion). Later I went back to see if I could see it. The guys in manufacturing showed me where it was looking at us. Such a tiny little creature, all grey from the dust in the factory. I took a picture. Debbie kept asking me if I thought the kitten was beautiful as she thought it was, I didn't agree with her and she was shocked. It was cute as far as kittens go but when compared to Nancy Boy, there is no contest in my opinion.

One of the workers very cleverly used my cat cage to make a trap. He put the cage on its side and a saucer of milk with a tiny portion of tuna on the side. He left the door open but attached a long piece of blue cord to it. The kitten was not stupid and did not fall for the trap on the first day. But hunger drove the creature to go into the cage when the staff member was nearby, he pulled the string and viola! the kitten was caught. The cage was brought to my office in triumph. The kitten was terrified, even too afraid to meow at first.

Time was on my side. I can be extremely patient if required. I put the cage on the side of my desk and ignored its fearful occupant. As I worked I mumbled away and even hummed a bit. The creature was watching me intently. Eventually it settled down. I took a photo.

After about three hours, I decided to try touch the kitten. I was cautious as another lady in the admin office had taken a wild kitten home but when caught, at first it scratched the hell out of Sandra (the lady who rescued it). Her kitten has settled down and rules the roost. So I put my finger in but the terrified little creature could not even bear to look at me. I gently touched the fur on its back will making (I thought) comforting noises. By now the kitten was voicing its fear by meowing, no growling though. I continued stroking the creature but now with my whole hand. After a few minutes of this, I decided to pick it up. Still no aggression towards me. I sat on the floor while cuddling the kitten. I took out the upset plate and cleared out all bits of food with my one hand while holding the kitten with the other hand. I stuck a blanket in the cage and put the kitten back in and closed the cage securely once again. The distressed creature was now attempting to force its head through the door opening. I calmed the creature down and it settled down on the blanket.

Later I took the kitten out and while holding it, gave it some milk on a saucer, which it hungrily devoured even though it was being held. I closed the door to my office and let the kitten go. It bolted away from me, trying to hide. Yet the whole time it was complaining most vocally. I then caught it when it got mixed up in my curtains. Back into the cage.

Time passed, yes I do have to do some work. I mumbled away to the kitten who settled down and slept. Various staff came into my office to see my progress with the kitten. They were impressed with me (why I don't know). Suddenly the kitten woke up and started meowing in a distressed manner. The poor creature had no choice but to have crap on the blanket. It was most unhappy. I took out the blanket, locked the kitten up and went and washed off the turd outside. At least the stomach of the kitten seemed to be fairly well as the kitten did not have diarrhea.

Blanket back in cage, held kitten a few more times, let it run around and placed kitten back in cage with the blanket folded another way to leave the clean dry part on top. Kitten slept mostly.

Then the big adventure of me driving home. Completely alien experience for the kitten. Picked up Michele and my daughter Maeve. Stopped off at a shop to buy cat litter, kitten wet food, kitten dry food and milk. Rushed home and placed the kitten into an unoccupied room, whose normal resident, Kiera, resides at Pretoria University, coming home on weekends when her studies and lifts permit. It must be stated that Kiera is allergic to cats.

Kitten does not have much choice as a avalanche of loving females descends on it. Gender is unknown. Food is given and I am advised that milk is not good for a kitten, only a single small portion daily. The family Whattsapp group is being flooded with suggested names, from "Potato", Aslan (character in Narnia), Noodle, Petal, Baby 2, Nacho, Nemo, Kisses, Tigger, but Michele wins the day with "Nugget".

Not too long and Nugget has started to enjoy the attention. The cat jungle gym is introduced to Nugget. Every night Maeve my youngest, sleeps in the same room as Nugget. Nugget's "undercarriage" is inspected and Nugget is declared to be a male.

The other three cats are horrified at this new intruder. Astro, the older male, is most unimpressed. Much hissing and grumbling and baring of magnificent fangs to Nugget. Nancy, the younger male, just stays outside the house and ignores the bouncing ball of fluff. Stormy, the youngest and only female, hides away and runs like hell. Nugget thinks that it is a cool game and goes charging after. Astro is the most insecure now and insists on sleeping with us, where ever I am. These early moments of contact are carefully monitored, but Nugget is kept safely in the room by himself.

So every day after work, we rush home to Nugget, while trying to console and pay attention to the three existing residents. So injections and neutering await an unsuspecting Nugget.

Pets certainly do add another dimension to our lives, don't they?