Guilty!

This evening, as I was juggling the clean laundry to get to my housekey, I saw a cat curled up in a little furball by our side door. When she saw me, she ran away next door and disappeared into the trees and bushes.

It's been raining all day, yet she looked very clean so I suspect she's someone's cat who snuck out. Or maybe they got bored with her and abandoned her. She must be frightened and uncomfortable, and I scared her away from a dry, safe spot.

If I had a bigger place, I'd go downstairs and search for her in the neighbor's bushes, maybe coax her out. But as it is, what could I do with her? She's too big to keep in a cat carrier until I could get her to the local shelter, like I did with little Jeri, the kitten I rescued five years ago.

I couldn't let this cat interact with mine. She may not have had her shots, or she might not get along with other cats. Reynaldo is a senior citizen and Connie has a compromised immune system, and their safety has to be my first priority.

According to the ASPCA, 3.2 million cats enter shelters every year. I can't save them all. I have to remember that.

But I keep seeing her. In my head, I keep seeing her.