Something unexpected happened the morning of Hallowee’en. Dave and I were out running a couple errands in the late morning. We finished our errands and he wanted to go get some lunch. I wasn’t too keen, as I wasn’t feeling great and just wanted to go home. He insisted, as we would be having a late dinner after the trick-or-treaters.

The town we were in didn’t have any good lunch options (its not much bigger than Alvinston), so we headed to the next town over. Dave really wanted pizza. But when we got there, the pizza place wasn’t open yet (It was a few minutes before 11 am). I continued on up the main street, looking for an easy place to turn around. By the time I turned around and got back down the street and passed the pizza place, Dave saw the open sign come on. So I started looking for another place to turn around. I pulled into a side street with a pharmacy on the corner, when all of a sudden Dave yelled out “There’s a kitten running around that parking lot!!!!”

I took a hard left into the parking lot. Dave realized what he’d done and said “Oh crap… I shouldn’t have said that out loud.”

The parking lot was narrow and very busy, but I managed to get a place to park and jumped out of the truck. It took me a few minutes to locate the kitten, and when I did he was very nervous about coming to me.

He cried and purred, but stayed just behind the rear wheel on a parked mini-van.

By this time Dave has gotten out and was standing a little ways from me. I don’t remember his exact words, but it was along the lines of “I know the kitten can’t stay here, but you can’t keep it either.”

I finally got close enough to grab the kitten, and told Dave I’d contact the Alvinston Cat Rescue when we got him home.

I put the little guy (who was soaked through, dirty, and reeked of the underside of an automobile, but purring up a storm) in the back of the truck in one of the reusable plastic bins I use for groceries. We headed home (Dave never did get his pizza)

On the drive, the little guy escaped the bin and climbed the console between us and immediately climbed into Dave’s arms in the passenger seat. Purring the whole time.

The whole drive (about 15 minutes) Dave recounted all the reasons we couldn’t keep him. We already have three cats. Those cats will be upset. The cost of needles, and neutering, and other vet appointments…

I said nothing.

When we were almost home, Dave said “He’s got one serious little motor on him. We should call him Lemmy.” (Lemmy Kilmister was the lead singer/bassist of the band Motorhead)

When we pulled in the driveway, he said “You’re going to call the rescue right?”

I nodded and told him I’d do it after I got Lemmy cleaned up and checked the online sites to see if any one was missing him.

Now I know… you’re just dying to see the little guy…

My best guess is he’s between 12 and 16 weeks. He’s got a round little belly (probably full of worms) and very dirty ears (which I’ve cleaned up, but will probably need treating for mites), but seems to be flea free.

First thing he did was have a good little snack at the cat bowls, and then a long drink of water.

He smelled terrible (a mix of poop and old motor oil) but the bath took care of that. As you can see, other than his football shaped head, he’s pretty close in colouring to Rupert. He’s actually a shade lighter, in both fur and eyes, but you only really notice that when they are side-by-side.

As Dave predicted, and was pretty much expected, the trios diablos was NOT AMUSED. Relic was the first to see him. And Relic ran right up to give him a sniff all over. This overwhelmed poor Lemmy, and he arched his back and hissed. You would have thought that he attacked Relic. Relic took off, and has been treating him like he has the plague every since.

Burton like Relic ran over to sniff him, but unlike Relic, it was Burton who hissed. He’s been fine with him ever since, as long as Lemmy doesn’t try to touch him. Which of course, now that Lemmy’s over his initial shock… all he wants to do is rub all over the big cats.

Rupert, our little Napoleon, has actually been the best of all of them. He mostly ignores Lemmy all day (staying up in bed, as is his routine). At night, he comes down and mostly just follows Lemmy around. Or sits where he can keep an eye on him.

But the second night, I was reclined in my chair as usual, with Relic by my feet, and Rupert stretch out down my legs. From no where, Lemmy appeared.

He wanted to get in on the cuddle puddle. And Rupert was pretty chill. He watched, and only complained once or twice but didn’t leave. Eventually Lemmy settled in.

(You can really see the difference in their colouring here) They stayed like that for about 15-20 minutes with Lemmy eventually using Rupert’s tail as a sleeping mask…

After the first day, Dave stopped talking about calling the cat rescue. While I’m working, I frequently hear him talking to Lemmy. And when I come down on breaks, more often than not, they are curled up together.

I’m 99.9% sure that little Lemmy Purrmister is a permanent member of the Wandering Cat Crew.