Found A Peanut

This is the story of how we found our cat, Peanut, in Gettysburg, PA.

Tuesday evening while walking around the campground (as is our custom), we came across what appeared to be a stray kitten. He came right up to us without coaxing purring to the high heavens. He was an adorable little thing the color of a peanut. Of course, he followed us home. We opened the camper door and he marched himself up the steps and into the living room. He roamed all around and I guess he liked what he saw because, even though we left the door open for a couple hours, he never left. He stayed all night, that little peanut did.

By Wednesday morning, he had stolen our hearts. We first took him to the campground office to be sure he was a stray then off to the vet we go. We knew he was not completely well because he had a snotty nose and seemed to be having difficulty breathing. He also seemed to hold his head to one side. Other than these things, he seemed in pretty good condition for a stray. But we wanted him checked out and get his shots started. He weighed in at 3.3 lb, about half of what he should be for his age. He quickly won over the vet staff because of his loving disposition, but once Dr. Jones started ramming thermometers up his butt this little peanut lost patience quickly. Dr. Jones thought it prudent to clip his nails right away. She seemed to be loosing patience herself. Then came time to test for feline leukemia. Poor little peanut. Dr. Jones was holding a needle in one hand and a back leg in another. The assistant had the kitten by the nap of his neck and 3.3 pounds was hard to manage. Even though Dr. and assistant said not to, Gene thought he could help by holding something. Peanut bit Gene on the hand just barely enough to break the skin. But break the skin he did, so we spent the next 10 days waiting out the rabies quarantine seeing the sights and sounds of southern Pennsylvania.

After our visit to the vet, Gene went about the task of changing the reservations we had made for the next few days in southern New Hampshire. We don’t get very good cell phone reception at the campground so he was using the pay phone at the campground office. Since he had several calls to make, he chose to sit in one of those plastic patio chairs which are so popular these days. He did not break a bone as he fell over the edge of the sidewalk when the chair leg broke; he didn’t even hit the ground. This was due to the strength and durability of the telephone cord which he was gripping in both hands as the chair fell out from under him.

Peanut, while in isolation, was being treated for his upper respiratory infection and would get his first round of shots as soon as the fever was gone. He was released on the morning of May 20, 2006 and has brought us endless hours of pleasure since that time.