PRINCESS KAILA - LIFE AT THE HAVEN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

No one knows exactly where she came from or when exactly she first appeared. She just was there one evening, small, afraid, alone sitting in the sideyard tent at Kailo Haven shelter. Some think a former resident brought her there and left her seeking shelter from the storm.

She is black and white, has green eyes and a pretty face that warms your heart. She is absolutely beautiful, affectionate and a survivor.

She is our princess. I call her Princess Kaila. Other residents and staff have their own pet names for her. She is about 2 years old now. And we share the same birthdate.
The Princess is a formerly stray street cat who has graciously allowed us to adopt her. We brush her fur, feed her, tickle her chin, feed her again, stroke her hair, and feed and water her when she needs it.
We also have a long-time house cat called Muff, who looks like Kaila’s mom but they all say she is no relation.
At first Kaila stayed mostly in the tent, content to come inside every so often, but she liked her freedom.

Last year she had her first litter of 4 cute kittens. One died within a week but the others survived and eventually grew strong enough to be adopted by loving staff members. We see pictures of one – Blue- who has apparently just taken over the home of a Kailo Haven staff member with a style that would make his mother proud.

This past March, the Princess decided to do it again. She had another litter. Five little breast-feeders this time. 3 females and 2 males.
We brought the whole family temporarily inside because of outside predators where they could be watched. A love affair began. The growth of the Kailo Five became a major project.
Within 10 days their eyes opened. They began tenative walk movements, often stumbling around, feeling for their legs. They were washed by mom, soon learning to wash each other. They play-fighted with one another and soon found their way outside the box they were in and explored the wide world outside the little nest.
Princess was provided soft blankets, a steady diet of nutritous food and water and much love and care.
And their effect on many of us was remarkable. Sometimes, petty arguements and spats stopped just to take care of the Kaila family.

The sophmore mom was a pro, nursing and raising the litter without a hitch.

All have been adopted by staff members now. One staff member, Mrs V. took two – the twins of the litter. One was mainly black with a tuff of white hair on the left paw and the other one the exact opposite, with white on the right. We know they all are in good hands.
Meanwhile, Queen Muff was not too happy at this intrusion, but she worked out an uneasy truce.

Its remarkable how life plays out sometimes.
In a homeless shelter, where people are sometimes depressed, frustrated, confronted and challenged with bad news and even illness and death, in the middle of all this tragedy – the miracle of new life can begin and flourish and bring out moments of kindness and love.
Its a little sad now that they are all gone from Kailo Haven. Princess is back outside in the tent and she has moments of longing for her crew, but she seems aware that all is well and nature has taken care of them all.

Princess Kaila wanted me to write her story. She considers herself just as much a Kailo Haven resident as anyone else. And she is royalty, you know.

So through the miracle of birth by a stray cat, life at the Shelter was uplifted. And we all are much better for it.
We honor all mothers this Mother’s Day, including the Princess.

(I have just been informed that both Queen Muff and Princess Kaila want their biography titled : The Amazing Cats at the Shelter. And they want royalties)

posted by Erik M Younge.

This article was originally published in ONE STEP AWAY, Philadelphia's first and only street newspaper in May 2010 in honor of Mothers' Day 2010.