Friday, May 21, 2010

Meet Bernice

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This little babe is Bernice and she's a very special little girl.  When the Anderson-Ericksons came into the shelter, poor little Bernice had a fish hook caught in her lip.  They put her under and removed the hook.    No one knows how it got there, or how long it was in there, but everything is fine and the tiny wound is healing nicely.    

She hissed and hid the first afternoon she was here, but every day there have been improvements.  She's playing and bouncing just like her siblings do, but has an occasional 'fraidy cat moment.  All things considered, she's doing exceptionally well.   It's clear she's feeling better and we're gaining her trust.

Last night, I gave all the kittens a nail trim.  Miss Bernice was last, and when we were done, she drifted off in my arms, belly-up.   I had little conversation with her while she slept, and I explained to her that any bad in her life was now behind her.     She stirred, then stretched her back legs up and shared with me a tiny black heart-shaped spot on the underside of her little white foot.    

This kitten has heart.

61 comments:

  1. Shes lovely! My favourite out of three so far...

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  2. Oh, you poor sweet baby! After such a rough beginning you have found the perfect place to learn to trust and love and then let a special someone give you a wonderful forever home.

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  3. Oh my. My heart just broke. I didn't think it possible but it broke. Give her a hug from me, please? And, if I don't say it enough, thank you for all that you do.

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  4. Oh my goodness! What a sweetie! I love that you told her that her past is behind her and there is nothing but skritches and loving from here on out! :)

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  5. Oh, the poor sweetie... she's so adorable!

    I'm glad she's doing so much better. It's wonderful that she's somewhere that will take such good care of her and give her a forever home.

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  6. She is such a sweet kitten - my favorite of the bunch so far

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  7. Awww, sweet little Bernice! Well don't you worry little one, you're an IBKC kitten now. Laurie, Craig and Charlene will take care of you, and soon you will have a happy and loving forever home, hand picked for you!

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  8. Whoops..tearing up at work. With your help Laurie I'm sure little Bernie will find an amazing home.

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  9. What an awful thing to happen to a baby kitten. Don't worry, little Bern, mama Bean will be to see you soon and love all your 'fraidy-ness away, and after you are a little bit bigger and go to a forever home, you'll see Laurie was right. Somebody very special will get the privilege of loving you with all their heart.

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  10. Ohhhhhhhhhh babygirl. You are so sweet and I know that your time with Laurie, Craig, and the Beanster will restore your faith in humanity (and cat-ity).

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  11. I melted into a puddle of goo when I opened the page. Oh I adore her. So freaking cute

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  12. Baxter's Mom says:

    Baxter thinks someone may have come into his life to make him forget his broken heart (I'm looking at you, Miss Francine Darling ((sob))!).

    Oh Bernice, we melt...

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  13. I'd have written sooner but I was busy pulling myself together. Already this group is finding a way to my heart and making the memories of the IBKC graduates a gentle haze of love for them as I go full bore in love with the Anderson-Eriksons. sigh.

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  14. She's so lucky to have you!

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  15. Oh Jeez Loueeze, this whole post brought tears to my eyes! The last kicker was Bernice showing you the little heart shaped spot on her foot - what a way to show she understood you, Laurie!

    Sweet Bernice, I concur - everything from here on out is going to be just wonderful for you. You've landed in the bestest place EVER to recover from any trauma and Laurie and the Bean are going to find you the perfect forever home! :)

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  16. a fishhook? or my heart leapt out for her, I'm glad that its behind her now and that you two had some quiet time together.

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  17. PS: Bernice is a little beauty . . . if I lived anywhere close by, I'd be seriously considering adopting, 'cept my babies Ananda and Kuan would probably vote me down!

    Good thing we live in Texas . . . ;)

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  18. Oh my heavens, this post really did me in -- in a good way... you know what I mean. That poor little wee girlie. I'm so glad that her fortunes have changed! Thanks for sharing Bernice's story with us in such a lovely way :)

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  19. Good thing I work at home, where I can smile through my tears, then go kiss eight little paws from my two itty bitties.

    THANK you for all that you, Craig, your folks and - Charlene most of all - do to bring love, safety, peace, joy, and clean shiny coats to these sweet little angels!

    xoxo

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  20. Oh heavens.. This is the group that could make me a crazy cat lady (like I'm not already with my 3..). Fish hooks in the lip is the kind of story that makes you want to scoop up any little bitty kitty out there in the world and protect them from the crappy things that humans devise to torture such sweet things.

    What a sweetie.. no wonder she's a 'fraidy cat, hopefully the rest of her life will be all the more wonderful for her inauspicious start.

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  21. So glad she and her siblings are safe now. . . precious little fuzzballs! What a knowing little expression her markings give her!

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  22. My neighbor's cat got a fishhook caught in his tongue once- the neighbor had gone fishing, left his stuff out in the garage, and the cat, smelling fish, licked the hook. Yowch! The vet was able to take it out just fine, and my neighbor's wife gave him merry hell for leaving that stuff around near kitties.

    Bernice, you've woken up into a beautiful dream.

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  23. Oh, how awful... My brother got caught on a fishhook once and even though he was old enough to know what had happened and try to be brave, and it wasn't in nearly as sensitive a spot as a lip, it was bad enough. Poor little bit.

    Still, she's got a great present and a great future ahead of her with plenty of love and care.

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  24. she is sooo squuueeezzzzable...soo lovely lovely lovely she is..Darn cute her whiskers and the lovely white chest..(just like my kitty boy!)

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  25. So you are totally okay with sending this little girl out to Iowa to reconnect with her dairy roots and make me the happiest kitty mama in the state right!?! Right!?!

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  26. I bet Bertrice was up to no good. It's not uncommon to get fish hooks in one's lip. My brother's cat managed to do that too. He was very embarrassed to take his cat to the vet to get it removed. My brother is an avid hunter and fisherman so he had tons of fishing equipment in his garage. Buddy loved to snoopervise out in the garage.

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  27. Oh Bernice, you lucky little dear to be part of the IBKC. Can't wait to see your little heart on your foot :D

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  28. *sniff, sniff* *wipes away tears*

    The sweetest little Bernice ever! She is so lucky to have the IBKC to help her expunge the bad past and have the most loving & happy present & future!!!

    I <3 you little Bernice!

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  29. I am sure that hurt having a fish hook in her lip. I'm so glad she is a good home now and waiting for her forever home. She is totally adorable!!

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  30. Poor little girl! Thankfully she'll never remember that bad experience after being raised in the IBKC.

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  31. OK, I was fine until reading about your talk with Bernice and her showing you her little heart-shaped spot. Sad for what she has been through, but so very delighted she is in your care now, and has a wonderful future!

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  32. O.M.G. I am ded, DED I tell you from the cuteness of this story and this kitten.
    ...
    ded...

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  33. I'm thinking that if there is an odd number in this group, Little Bernice needs to become the Bean's little sister. That's just my hope.

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  34. adorable! i hope one day she will hold her
    heart-foot for a picture so we can all see!
    shes just beautiful.

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  35. Oh my. I just teared up! Bernice needs an extra special home...I wish Vegas was a whole lot closer.

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  36. Foot pic! Please?!?!

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  37. she's the runaway teen grrl with the attitude and the pierced lip. underneath that bluster is a tender soul looking for love.

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  38. Look at that FACE! That little girl is something else!

    And fishhooks? I've had one embedded in my finger. The lip? Holy heck that had to hurt.

    Bless her heart.

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  39. Bernice has come to exactly the right place -- I know she will be loved, and learn to love others in turn.

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  40. Just got home ad had to read this again so I can go to sleep thinking about Bernice in Laurie's loving lap, being told that all is well.
    Nighty night IBKC and friends.

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  41. Our first kitty Snowball once got a fishhook in his mouth--must not have been near a nerve, considering he didn't seem to notice...

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  42. Poor baby! I hope she knows that everything is all right now and that she's going to be loved and cared for :)

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  43. Oh Bernice if I didn't live across the other side of the world... All tuxies melt my heart (they're my favourites - so I've been in heaven here lately) but little fuzzy Bernice with her fluffy white cravat and serious face...

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  44. She's a darling, and it can't have been there too long or she wouldn't have been eating well, and she looks fluffy and healthy.

    I know she'll heal in all ways with you. [sends a virtual cuddle]

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  45. Seriously Laurie, it just makes me so happy that there are people like you in this world...
    :)

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  46. that sleepy cat chat brought a tear to my eye. thank u for taking care of her and for giving all the kitties a great start in life :-)

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  47. Awww...little Berenice, wait until you learn that the rest of your life is going to be nothing but a full tummy, cuddling, and playing. First with Laurie and Craig and the Bean, and then with a forever home.

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  48. Ahhhhh- You have landed in kitten nirvana, Miss Bernice.

    It is hard work being so cute, but with all the lovin' you have in store for you will help you discover the world is a wunnerful place for kittens!

    Oh, and what scooter said! paw picture....pleeeez

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  49. poor boo! i'm glad her trauma is behind her and she has so much love to look forward to!

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  50. Oh dear Lord, not only did your picture and post utterly drop me, but your readers' comments did, as well. Lovely, descriptive writing from all. God bless you for your love of and care for the itty bitties...

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  51. Wow, if weren't clear on the other coast, I'd be a regular visitor at your house and my house would be populated with some absolutely soul touching beings.

    That little girl is just so majestic. Beautiful.

    Your far away friend, Pat

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  52. Oh, my. Such a beautiful little girl, and so awful that she had such a bad experience early in her life! It reminds me of our now-at-the-bridge golden retriever, Rusty, who was the most gentle dog in the entire universe -- but when we got him from the rescue, at about a year old, he had BBs in his legs. :( Needless to say, the rest of his life was as wonderful as we could make it, just like this beautiful little girl's life is going to be!

    The good news is that animals don't remember the traumas. So it's up to us to let go of them, to, so we give the babies true joy. But with a precious kitten like this, how could you NOT feel true joy?

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  53. Beautiful kitten is beautiful :)

    I, too, vote for a footpad picture!

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  54. Oh, this is so sweet! Congratulations on your beautiful job! What a lovely kitty, I'm so happy everything is ok now.

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  55. I'll try my best to get a shot of the tiny heart. Photographing the bottom of a shy kitten's back paw isn't the easiest thing to do. It might be take some time...

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  56. This is the one. Keep her. Do it!

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  57. I have been reading your blog for some time now because who doesn't love adorable little kitties! But this post made my heart melt and I felt the need to comment. Good luck with them! :)

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  58. This is sooo Laurie ... oh, and after Bernice fell asleep in my arms, I explained to her that her bad times were over, etc.

    It isn't just Charlene who showers these itty bitties with love (and the Bean had to learn it from someone in order to give it), it all begins with Laurie, kitten wrangler extraordinaire.

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  59. SylvestermiasmommaMay 24, 2010 at 11:37 AM

    Just saw this and as I read about Bernice, a tear formed in my eye. I hope you continue to heal as well as feel the love that is there for you from Laurie, Craig, Ms. Bean, Grandma and Grandpa too. Little paw prints bring lots of love in our hearts.

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  60. Bernice! There will be a special place for you in someone's heart to match your own heart shaped spot. (If my house weren't full, I'd apply myself.) You're the best.

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