FTV: How Pine Cone came to adopt us

It Was Just A Little Camping Trip

We got back yesterday afternoon from our camping trip. We went to Morrow
Mountain State Park near Charlotte, NC, leaving Friday morning and
getting to the park around 10:30. The map that was posted at their web
site is too wide to print on my computer and (if anyone knows how to
adjust the width of a picture, so that it can all be printed by a
standard computer let me know.) we were relieved to see an information
hut (roughly 3X3m) made of stone with a fire place and a large map of
the park set up inside. We left the kids in the van and went inside the
building to plan our route to the campground using the map. We were
discussing the route when a loud animal noise came from outside. It was
dreadful, like a kitten crying horribly. I asked Rob what kind of bird
that was, he didn't know. We agreed that it sounded like a kitten in
distress, but there was no way, the only people living near were the
forest rangers. According to the map, their housing area was almost a
mile away. There could be no kittens at the information booth.
We walked out into the sunlight and heard the noise again. I ducked
thinking that some horrible bird of prey was going to get me. Instead I
saw at my feet...a little kitten in distress. I picked him up while Rob
walked in behind the building to see if he could spot any more. He
figured that mommy should be around, and if it was a dump off of a
litter, there could be more that would need rescuing. The kitten had
decided that he was P.C. (Pam's Cat). I carried him to the van where
Amanda was immediately demanding to keep him. She's an easy target. Rob
said not to get attached, we needed to see if Friday, belonged to any of
the rangers. We drove down the road with a little kitten climbing all
over the back seat, crying and trying to eat Jason's fingers.

We stopped at the ranger's station to find it a scene of controlled
chaos. We'd seen TV copters and vans, the county rescue squad and police
cars as we were driving through the park. However the ranger was very
good about talking to us. She told us that they've received reports of a
stray kitten in the park for over a week (I'm guestimating him at about
12 weeks old) and that no one had even tried to ask about his owners
before. She told us that if we wanted him, we could have him. Amanda got
excited until she heard me tell the ranger that I never thought I'd have
to go to the mountains to rescue cats, as I volunteer with cat rescue at
home. I said that we'd find him a good home, then gave the ranger our
name, address and phone number and got us out of there as they were busy
with what turned out to be a boater drowning in the lake.

We drove to the camp with the kitten, now named P.C. for Pine Cone as
I'd promised to bring back a pine cone for our cat sitter. We set up
camp with PC helping us out. I dug into the cooler as soon as it became
available, realized that I'd forgot to pack the roast beef that I'd
brought along for sandwiches and pulled out a hot d*g. PC ate the whole
thing and was now being called Pig Cat. Rob made him a collar out of
cord and put it on him so that we could follow camp regulations by
keeping him on a leash. As soon as we got the basic camp set up, we had
the kids stay at the camp kitten-sitting while we went into town and
bought replacement food for the lunch meat, as well as kitten food, a
litter box, a couple of cat toys and a food dish for PC. When we got
back to camp Jason had placed a folding chair so that PC could sleep
underneath it. PC was charming Jason, but he wasn't admitting it.

Rob rigged up a shelter for us all, as he decided that I didn't need to
get heat sick. Isn't he thoughtful? Besides that kitten has no sweat
glands and can die from heat stroke. He then sat down and picked some
ticks off of the kitten. We figure that PC had at least a dozen ticks
hanging on him. He also has a bad case of ear mites and will be going to
TED in the next day or so. Pest Cat, proved that he's also a garbage cat
by trying to get our steaks off of the fire. We kept him from being
burned, and he did get some chunks from us. He then proved that he is
Politically Correct by charming Rob to the point where he was worried
about him being scared of the thunderstorm we camped through the first
night. He did just fine. My legs have the pinholes to prove it.

Pin Claws, likes eggs as he kept trying to help us eat our omelets the
next morning. We figure that the reason that he was alive was that he
was mooching off the various camps. He is skinny, but not skin and bones
as we figured that he'd be if he didn't have campers to live off of. He
proved the next morning that he also likes pancakes as he tried to climb
in the batter while I was cooking them. PanCake, also tried to steal
chicken from the grill, but left the breakfast sausages alone. I should
have as well. Pam's Conscience kept her company on the last day while I
was sick from eating sausages (I love them, they hate me) and the rest
of the group was taking down the camp. He still had plenty of
opportunity to play in the tent while they were sweeping it out, taking
down the loft and dividers and rolling up the sleeping bags. He loves
IAMS kitten food as well as whatever he can get from the rest of us.

So PC has come home with us. Our cat-sitter's father said that she can't
bring in another cat as the two they have are enough. We'll take him in
to TED for a check up and then be family hunting for him. It will be
hard to give him up as he's a cute little bugger. He's white with
brown/gray tabby splots on him. The one around his tail is very
lopsided, and his tail is a light tabby ringed until you get to the top
which is black tipped. He's a cute little thing, and will be really cute
once he's no longer afraid of rattle noises, sudden movement, other cats
and everything else. I was vetoed on keeping him in a separate room
until we made sure he has no communicable diseases. I also get the
feeling that we have a fifth cat. The other four cats and I don't agree
on this however.

Copyright © Pam Shirk
June 18, 2001

NettieCat wrote:
Was it really 2001? I remember Pine Cone joining the group as if it
was yesterday. It set me thinking about Usenet and web forums and
discussion groups, and I figure I must have been around them for
nearly 20 years now, as I was working at a Uni and had access to JANET
in 1990. Time flies.

I hope that PC is well and happy, but I still think of him as one of
RPCA's kittens. I guess he's not.

Jeanette



he is not only well and happy, but has been training Smokey to get in
trouble. PC is all kitten, and a hoolikitten at that.

Pam S

On May 26, 5:34*pm, tanadashoes wrote:
NettieCat wrote:
Was it really 2001? I remember Pine Cone joining the group as if it
was yesterday. It set me thinking about Usenet and web forums and
discussion groups, and I figure I must have been around them for
nearly 20 years now, as I was working at a Uni and had access to JANET
in 1990. Time flies.

I hope that PC is well and happy, but I still think of him as one of
RPCA's kittens. I guess he's not.

Jeanette

he is not only well and happy, but has been training Smokey to get in
trouble. *PC is all kitten, and a hoolikitten at that.

Pam S

I remember reading this story! And I also remember the one when you
heard this kitten screaming bloody murder and you run into the room to
find Tanada and QC pinning PC down and washing every inch of him. I
tell that one to my friends. heeheehee

more stories of Smokey the bitty and Pine Cone!

Kristi

"Sherry" wrote in message
...
On May 26, 3:37 pm, NettieCat wrote:
Was it really 2001? I remember Pine Cone joining the group as if it
was yesterday. It set me thinking about Usenet and web forums and
discussion groups, and I figure I must have been around them for
nearly 20 years now, as I was working at a Uni and had access to JANET
in 1990. Time flies.

I hope that PC is well and happy, but I still think of him as one of
RPCA's kittens. I guess he's not.

Jeanette

Gosh, that's the same thought I had. Nine years ago?
I laughed at the line "I'll find him a good home." snicker
We all know what happens when we say that.

Sherry

I was pet-sitting this weekend for friends who agreed to foster two cats
from a local rescue group. That lasted two days (fostering, that is)--they
called and said they wanted to adopt! "The beginning of a beautiful
friendship..."

MaryL

On May 27, 7:01*pm, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER
wrote:
"Sherry" wrote in message

...
On May 26, 3:37 pm, NettieCat wrote:

Was it really 2001? I remember Pine Cone joining the group as if it
was yesterday. It set me thinking about Usenet and web forums and
discussion groups, and I figure I must have been around them for
nearly 20 years now, as I was working at a Uni and had access to JANET
in 1990. Time flies.

I hope that PC is well and happy, but I still think of him as one of
RPCA's kittens. I guess he's not.

Jeanette

Gosh, that's the same thought I had. Nine years ago?
I laughed at the line "I'll find him a good home." snicker
We all know what happens when we say that.

Sherry

I was pet-sitting this weekend for friends who agreed to foster two cats
from a local rescue group. *That lasted two days (fostering, that is)--they
called and said they wanted to adopt! *"The beginning of a beautiful
friendship..."

MaryL

I think that happens with a lot of people who agree to foster,. :-)
That's wonderful.

Sherry

On May 27, 8:50*pm, Sherry wrote:
On May 27, 7:01*pm, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER
wrote:



"Sherry" wrote in message

...
On May 26, 3:37 pm, NettieCat wrote:

Was it really 2001? I remember Pine Cone joining the group as if it
was yesterday. It set me thinking about Usenet and web forums and
discussion groups, and I figure I must have been around them for
nearly 20 years now, as I was working at a Uni and had access to JANET
in 1990. Time flies.

I hope that PC is well and happy, but I still think of him as one of
RPCA's kittens. I guess he's not.

Jeanette

Gosh, that's the same thought I had. Nine years ago?
I laughed at the line "I'll find him a good home." snicker
We all know what happens when we say that.

Sherry

I was pet-sitting this weekend for friends who agreed to foster two cats
from a local rescue group. *That lasted two days (fostering, that is)--they
called and said they wanted to adopt! *"The beginning of a beautiful
friendship..."

MaryL

I think that happens with a lot of people who agree to foster,. :-)
That's wonderful.

Sherry

Which is why, i REFUSE to foster any more critters....they end up
staying..

Kristi