A Taker-in of Stray Cats
God sends some of us a special mission
To take in stray kitty-cats in any condition,
To feed them and give them a permanent home,
To love them and make them our very own.
They chase through the house; their litter tray smells;
They seem to have secrets they're unwilling to tell.
They play till exhausted, then curl in your lap,
And settle themselves for a long comfy nap.
Some people are called to great wealth and power,
To run corporations and make big bucks per the hour.
But others of us are only asked,
To take in little stray kitty-cats.
I asked God for things of importance to do,
Other than loving a good man and a bunch of kitties too.
He said, "Don't be self-righteous; learn from your mistakes,
And be glad I send kitty-cats and not My stray snakes."
I dreamed when I died I heard St. Peter say,
"What important things did you do each day?"
I felt Heaven for me was an impossibility
And that I should have lived my life much differently.
Then God said, "Come in and have food and some drink,
And sit here in Heaven by your little cat Tink;
For I gave you one of My most important tasks
When I asked you to be a taker-in of stray cats."
- In Loving Memory of "Tinkerbelle," by Darlene Goff
Stray Cat
Oh, what unhappy twist of fate
has brought you homeless to my gate?
The gate where once another stood
to beg for shelter, warmth, and food
for from that day I ceased to be
The master of my destiny.
While he, with purr and velvet paw,
Became within my house the law.
He scratched the furniture and the shed
and claimed the middle of my bed.
He ruled in arrogance and in pride
it broke my heart the day he died.
So if you really think? Oh Cat!!
I'd willingly relive all that
because you come forlorn and thin
Well . . . don't just stand there . . . Come on in!
—Francis Witham
Cat Rescue.
We ask for help and know they will be there.
I call them angels - maybe you`ll agree,
Each day comes with a heavy cross to bear -
The work they do, the suffering they see:
The pet discarded on the motorway
To fall, alas, beneath a moving wheel.
Her shattered limbs are tended day by day;
Her shattered trust, they know will never heal.
The sad old stray who searches by the bin.
Unloved, unfed, thin coat alive with fleas -
For him a meal, sweet bath and tortured skin,
A cosy bed, where he can sleep in peace.
The tiny kittens, precious mother dead;
Without her care, they`ll struggle to survive.
Kind Foster mum, will see each one is fed,
Forgoing sleep to keep her babies alive.
Such is their compassion and their care -
Each small success to keep their spirits strong -
They work their miracles and cheat despair -
A balance for the days when things go wrong.
For when their efforts prove to be in vain,
When every ounce of loving care they gave
Was not enough, they strive to hide the pain,
And grieve for little friends they could not save.
They plead their cause:
Each suffering pet has earned,
A second chance, a home where they are free,
Where love so freely given, is returned:
Friends for life, as they are meant to be.
Angels crave no honours, only claim
To match with love, the cruelty of man,
Protecting cats is their enduring aim,
And ours must be, to help them all we can.
Anne Burridge.
I Didn`t Ask To Be A Stray.
With heavy heart and weary paws
I walk the wet streets, shunned, ignored
Thinking of my life before.
Once I had a loving home
But now the cold streets I must roam
Down on my luck and all alone.
Crouching in some hedge by day
Dodging kicks that come my way
Nothing but a hungry stray.
Inside the houses warm and light
Live my cousins - their future bright
While I must cower out of sight.
Can`t you spare a scrap or two?
Or a cosy box in the living room?
Might I come and live with you?.
I`m really friendly, if given a chance -
So won`t you give me a second chance?
Instead of a distainful glance.
I really wouldn`t take much space
I`d wash my grimy paws and face
All I want is my own warm place.
It isn`t fun to live this way
No-one to love, no time for play
I didn`t ask to be a stray.........
Unknown.
Prayer Of A Stray.
"Prayer Of A Stray"
Dear God please send me somebody who'll care!
I'm tired of running, I'm sick with despair.
My body is aching, it's so racked with pain.
And Dear God I pray as I run in the rain,
"That someone will love me and give me a home.
A warm cozy bed I can call my own
My last owner neglected me and chased me away
To rummage in garbage and live as a stray.
But now God I'm tired and hungry and cold.
And I'm afraid that I'll never grow old.
They've chased me with sticks and hit me with stones
While I run in the streets just looking for bones!
I'm not really bad God, please help if you can.
For I have become just a "VICTIM OF MAN!"
I'm wormy Dear God and I'm ridden with fleas and
All that I want is an owner to please!
If you find one for me God, I'll try to be good
I won't run away and I'll do as I should.
I don't think I'll make it to long on my own,
Cause I'm getting so weak and I'm so all alone.
Each night as I sleep in the bushes I cry,
Cause I'm so afraid God, that I'm gonna die!
And I've got so much love and devotion to give,
That I should be given a new chance to live.
So Dear God PLEASE, PLEASE answer my prayer
And send me somebody who WILL really care...
Adapted from John Quealy Prayer of a Stray
Fosters Poem
There I sat, alone and afraid,
You got a call and came right to my aid.
You bundled me up with blankets and love,
And, when I needed it most, you gave me a hug.
I learned that the world was not all that scary and cold,
That sometimes there is someone to have and to hold.
You taught me what love is, you helped me to mend.
You loved me and healed me and became my first friend.
And just when I thought you'd done all you could do.
There came along not one new lesson, but two.
First you said, "Sweetheart, you're ready to go,
I've done all I can, and you've learned all I know."
Then you bundled me up with a blanket and kiss,
Along came a new family, they even have kids!
They took me to their home, forever to stay,
At first I thought you had sent me away.
Then that second lesson became perfectly clear,
No matter how far, you will always be near.
And so, Foster Mom, you know I've moved on,
I have a new home, with toys and a lawn.
But I'll never forget what I learned that first day,
You never really give your fosters away.
You gave me these thoughts to remember you by,
We may never meet again, and now I know why.
You'll remember I lived with you for a time,
I may not be yours, but you'll always be mine.
Denise Uriarte
