Meet the Michael Scott Kitten Company
THE SHORT & “TO THE POINT” VERSION:
It was an unremarkable Sunday in April when a kitten ran through the Ryans’ yard and up their driveway.
She kept getting bigger
And bigger
And then smaller again (!!)
And then it rained
And then we brought her inside
And they lived in our office and became the Michael Scott Kitten Company.
(Sound on for kitten squeels)
THE LONG & COLORFUL VERSION:
It was an unremarkable Sunday in April when a kitten ran through the Ryans’ yard and up their driveway.
Kendra followed this cat down the street and into the neighbors yard.
Two cans of food and 45 minutes later, Kendra (and her recruit, Colin) decided to give up and go back inside to watch Game of Thrones.
(Had they known what the season would amount to, their decision might be different and this story nonexistant.)
This new cat didn’t want to be captured by Kendra (can’t imagine why), so Kendra did what Kendra does and yelled her address at the cat.
Just in case, you know, the cat could (1) understand humans (2) speak english (3) fully grasp the addressing system in the united states.
The next day, the cat appeared in their back yard again.
And again, Kendra chased the cat. And again, Kendra did what Kendra does and employed one of the “cat trapping” strategies she read about on the internet and sprawled herself out on the ground next to the cat and exposed her belly. To Kendra, this was “attempting to calm the cat.” To the neighbors, this looked like a half-naked tresspasser talking to a car. Thankfully, her recruit Colin was there to explain to any concerned onlookers.
(Reinactment of the events. Racoon is Kendra.)
The following day (Tuesday for those of you keeping track), Kendra was ready.
“Let’s have dinner in the back yard!” she said to her husband, Colin. “That sounds lovely,” he said. “What prompted this great idea?” he inquired. “OH NOTHING,” said Kendra, totally not defensively.
(Obviously both of them knew the reason for holding “Dinner Vigil” was to see if this kitten would return.)
Tuesday came and went and no kitten came into the yard.
Kendra was devistated. She had concocted this totally-not-creepy alternate reality where her two dead cats where in cat heaven guiding this distressed kitten to Kendra’s house. In Kendra’s mind, clearly there was a miscommunication (you know, between cat heaven and earth) and something needed to be done.
(Reenactment of what Kendra was sure was happening in Cat Heaven)
Dinner Vigil continued on Wednesday.
After sitting outside for some time with no kitten, Kendra and Colin decided to invite Pippin outside to accompany them in her “Adventure Tent”
BUT THEN GUESS WHAT!! KITTEN CAME BACK!!
AND BROUGHT A FRIEND!!
Pippin did not like this
Kitten came back on Thursday, earned the name PK for “Pregnant Kitty”
Clearly all of the collective creative energies of the Ryans were too busy building shelters for PK to actually come up with a name…
PK kept coming back
(look behind Colin under the fence)
PK would even hang out with us (but would not let us touch her)
She brought friends
(These would become our “OCs” – our Outside Cats, SockBoi and GreyBoi)
Real talk: we had a great time waiting for her to show up every day
This quickly became the routine.
Eventually Kendra got curious where the fur friends went when they left her yard…
(From the perspective of the hole under the fence)
So she got a ladder
… and “peeked”
Meanwhile, PK kept getting bigger
And bigger
And Kendra kept building her “shelters” hoping she would decide to have her babies in the Ryans’ yard.
(and getting discouraged when she would sit near but not in the shelters)
At this point, PK was visiting multiple times a day
And don’t for a second think Kendra was the only obsessed one…
Colin got a nestcam for outside so we could safely monitor PK & crew
BTS: View from the ladder
Quick reminder – she was SO BIG.
And then one day… PK didn’t come for any food or any feedings.
This was Kendra
This was Colin trying to help Kendra
This was Kendra for the whole next day
AND THEN SHE CAME BACK!! She was much smaller and had a bloody tail…
Kendra was SURE this meant The Worst and continued to freak out and build shelters that were less shelter and more shrines-to-her-insanity
Meanwhile, Colin:
UNTIL he had the brilliant idea to “repair the fence”
And while doing “routine maintence” on the fence and our sprinkler system, Colin captured the first confirmation that yes, there were kittens.
KITTENS CONFIRMED!!
With kittens now confirmed, Kendra’s crazy didn’t diminish, it was simply redirected.
But then it rained. And kept raining. And kept raining.
And Kendra freaked out EVEN MORE because she could hear the helpless cries of the kittens from her side of the fence
At this point, even Colin was stressin’
So we did the only thing any responsible couple would do…
- Went to Lowes at 6am
- Bought a cat trap
- Trapped the mom
- Grabbed the kittens
BEFORE:
AFTER:
HAPPILY EVER AFTER: They lived in our office and became the Michael Scott Kitten Company.
(Sound on for kitten squeels)
Meet Kevin:
Meet Stanley:
Meet Phyllis:
Meet Angela:
Meet Dwight (who we originally thought was a boy, but is actually a girl):
And lastly, but most definitely not leastly, Mama Michael Scott
Like mama, like babies
Phew! You made it this far!! Want more kittens!?
FUR SURE!! TAKE ME TO MORE KITTENS!!