Tapa the cat

We are currently babysitting a kitten named Tapa.  She belongs to our American neighbors down the street who are on vacation.  She's very cute and super duper spunky!  It's been a long long time since I've been around a kitten, so I've been shocked a few times because she seems to go mental and rams around the house.  She Jumps over and under and around furniture like a crazy bullet.  I know that's normal cat behavior, but it's weird.

We've been keeping her in the kitchen at night.  The first night she was fine, no problems.  The second night she was obviously getting more comfortable around us and I found my paper towel like this in the morning.  She also licked the butter that didn't get put away...we're just not used to having her around yet!

Oh, did I mention she has claws....i was standing in the hall and she jumped up me and tried to climb me like a tree!  She's wild and nutz-O!!  Trent has so many cuts and scrapes on his hands and wrists from playing with her that he's starting to look like he needs to see a psychiatrist.  I've been trying to feel bad for him, but I just can't because he is constantly egging her on.

This is an extreme close up of a chair I really like....she's ruined it. 

She's scared the girls each a few times.  On Sunday morning we weren't prepared for the onslaught of Tapa...... she saw the girls coming in their dresses and untied sashes dragging along the floor a mile away.  They didn't have a chance.

Storytime....my brothers and sisters will appreciate this.  A long time ago when I was about 9 or 10 (I may have been a little younger, I'd have to ask my dad) my dad brought home a sick, half starved kitty from his job at Creekwood.  This was not an uncommon occurrence at my house growing up.  Both my parents are suckers for animals.  Here's a quick list of a few that I can remember.  I'm sure my siblings could add to it:

• Kiwaskum the opossum.  Mother was a victim of hit and run.  My dad came upon it and brought the remaining baby home.  He lived in a bird cage and we feed him macaroni and cheese.  We were going to give him to the zoo or a vet or something, but he died the morning we were supposed to take him.
• The painted turtle.  My dad found him walking along the highway and brought him home. He lived on our back porch in a pail of water and rocks, we made a good spot for him.  Our dog, Bingo, ended up biting it and punctured his shell.  He lived, but we let him go in the millpond in our town.
• Chip the red squirrel.  I found him in the attic one day.  My dad tried to put him back into his nest, but his mother kept kicking all the boys out.  For some reason, they were unwanted.  One died, one was healthy enough to let go outside and we nursed the last one, kept him and named him Chip.  We fed him all sorts of things, he liked baby formula and chopped peanuts he was extremely friendly.  He even rode around on our dog, max's back.  We all liked him a lot.  he met an untimely death however.  our neighbors dog, Stanley, a hunting lab.  Got into the house one day and couldn't resist the urge.  He got him.  It was very sad.
• Rosie, Pumpkin, or Kitty Kitty the cat.  A few years ago Wisconsin suffered a terribly, abnormally cold winter.  My parent's had a long porch that ran along the house outside the front door.  Sometime during this cold winter, an orange cat showed up and set up shop under the porch.  She was skittish and reclusive.  Well, of course they started feeding it.  Then on a particularly cold night, they let it inside to sleep in the bathroom.  In the morning I woke up to find my mom in the bathroom cleaning.  Apparently the thing had had diarrhea everywhere, MULTIPLE times!  Sick!  So what did they do, they let it in a second night....and now, years later, she lives upstairs in their house.  

Anyway, back to my original story.   My dad, worked the night security at a huge chicken farm and found him, this half dead cat during his rounds and brought him home.  It was winter and this little cat had been nearly frozen to death.  In fact, he lost half of one of his ears to frostbite while we were nursing him back to health.  When the cat got better he turned on us.  He became the most evil, mean thing we'd ever encountered.  I don't know if I can quite explain it.  He was crazy!  He would hunt us in our sleep.  I remember getting attacked and woken out of a dead sleep.  All you could do was pull the blankets close around you and pray there were no openings because then you'd be in for it.  You'd feel him jut a clawed foot under the blanket and jab you with his claws...ouch!  The he'd jump over and on top of you, scarring you half to death.  Next you'd have a reprieve, but you'd hear a sibling start to whimper in another room, they were getting attacked too.  We'd end up crying for help because their was no escape.  Needless to say, he didn't last too long.  My dad took him back to Creekwood, and we never heard of him again.

Ok, that turned out to be a little longer of a story than I originally intended, but there you have it.  Actually, upon reflection, these could all be very good reasons for my inability to truly like animals.  I try, I want to like them, I know they're not all evil...but it's hard.  BUT, in Tapa's defense.  She's been very good while she's been here, and I'm not sure who loves her more, the kids or Trent.  Everyone is having a lot of fun with her...even me.  I love to see the kids so happy, it may be time for me to get more serious about having a pet in the house.  Luke is so happy, he gets straight up in the morning to play with her and then again after school until bedtime.  He is such an animal person.  So for now, all is well.  I'll post again is she gets into trouble!!