4932 A Touching Thread For Those Who Have A Heart!!!

Ciao I'm just back from Italy and glad to report all is going well with my wee house there. When I left, the plumber had just finished installing all the radiators and gas boiler!!!

However I had planned to choose and buy bathroom fittings, the main purpose of my visit!!! And what happened???

There were two tiny kittens, around 4 weeks old, scavanging around under three recycling bins by an extremely busy road very close to the house.

Having said ciao to them I then spent about an hour in the house. When I was walking back one mewed at me and my reaction was "sh.." I usually say :sugar" instead!!! Anyway she's such a sweet cat and I'decided to call her Zucchi (from Zucchero).

Her eyes and nostrils were encrusted with dirt. She also had a slight chest infection. However I could tell she was a survivor and a fightter so I decided she was well worth rescueing.

Unfortunately but understandably I wasn't allowed to keep her at the Albergo where I was staying, so whereas I carried her with me in a box around the centre, at night she slept in my house.

Children seemed to flock to me, wanting to see the kitten and practise their English!!! The mother of one of the little girls eventually gave me a large cuddly chenille towel to protect her from the evening cold.

The first morning when I returned to the house I could hear her mewing and when I opened the front door she had climbed out of her boc and was at the top of the stairs!!!

The second night I couldn't get her to settle in her box untill 2am!!! She kept climbing onto me and down my back!!! I returned to the house five hours later as the builders were due. This time she was perched on top of her box but fine, no mewing.

What an appetite too!!! I bought her chicken baby food which she gulped down!!! She drank water from a beaker and of course a little milk.

I also bought special disinfectant from the Farmacia for her eyes.

Going to the loo, no problem!!! When she wanted to go she mewed!!!

This happened over the weekend and during a very loud wine festival so I was only able to take her to the vet in Sulmona (no vet in Pratola Peligna) two days after I found her. The Farmacia very kindly rang around places and people that maybe were able to help us.

On Monday the weather had turned foul so a man at the bar beside the Farmacia very kindly gave me one of those big wool ethnic knit jumpers to tie around my shoulders and Zucchi happily cuddled into it

We then went to Sulmona late afternoon by bus and the vet gave iher injections and drops. No complaints from Zucchi. She took it all in her stride!!! I asked the vet to ring the girl from the Cat Protection League or whatever it is called and yes she was there!!! Thank God!!!

She drove 10 km to collect Zucchi from the vet's and she automatically gave me her e-mail address for me to be updated on Zucchi's progress. So fingers crossed!!! I will update you all when I hear anything!!!

As for the jumper I had borrowed ..... On my way back from Sulmona I kept stroking it, thinking Zucchi was still with me!!! I'm left with mixed feelings, both sadness, and relief that she has a home.

And as for the bathroom fittings ..... well I have to try to resolve that from here, London!!! No problem as I have the manufacturer's catalogue and bathroom shop contact details!!!