Monday, October 25, 2010

GOLDA

Meet our new family member: Golda.
On our way to Shivta this Shabat we stopped very early in the morning for a coffee break at Park Golda Meir deep in the Negev Desert. This is a lovely picnic area with palm trees and an artificial lake, named after the former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir. Except of two or three men sitting with fishing poles at the lake, the place was empty of people. We settled down on a bench and poured our coffee when we heard the crying. About twenty meters away under a big garbage can sat the tiniest little kitten. Mi, mi, mi, mi.... I crumbled some cake and went over there to feed it. It was too small to eat by itself and certainly cake crumbs were not suitable for it anyway. Its mother was nowhere to be seen. It was pitch black, with beautiful big blue eyes, and very very thin. I already felt the tears in my eyes... I went back to our bench and we started to pack up and leave, when it came over. It sat down at my feet and looked up to me - and broke my heart! 

We had to go, we had the day in front of us, Shivta was waiting. We left, me crying and feeling so sorry for it. Oh, I wanted to save it, I wanted to give it a good life! I asked my husband in the car if he was planning to go back home the same way as we came and he - suspicious and knowing me very well - replied, no, we are driving back via the Dead Sea and Jerusalem (and he also knows how much I love that detour!). So, after our wonderful long morning at Shivta, after another picnic nearby, we headed for home - and I was pleading... 
We have a dog, and two cats, is what he said. That is enough, is what he said. You are crazy, driving home with a little cat in your lap, all that way, he said. I just looked at him - and in the end I broke his heart and at the intersection he turned left!!!

It was three o'clock and the park was swarmed with people, most of them having a barbecue, which is called "mangal" here. We went to look for the kitty, but it was not there. Another round near the place we saw it in the morning - no kitten. But somehow I sensed it, my husband was already near the car, but I went back once more - and then I saw it - still alone, scrunched under a picnic table, a tiny black ball, scared and full of dirt and sand, quietly hiding from all those people and all this action going on around it, smoke and noise and children running  and laughing. 

I took it in the hollow of my hands - now it was ours - now its life would be good, it would be fed and loved and cared for and admired and enjoyed! All the long way home it was sitting in the car between my knees and didn't budge. I was talking non stop, thanking my husband and deciding to call it Golda, if it is a 'she' and Meir if it is a 'he'!  Well, Golda, Goldie, she is! I took it to the vet the next day and he told me how and what to feed it, he thinks it is about three weeks old. I feed it with a syringe for now and it works very well.
This kitty is the sweetest thing! It is very beautiful! It has a strong will and is very determined in what it wants. It plays and jumps and summer salts, licks itself all over to have a good wash, and then bundles up in my lap and takes a nap - it is such a joy and we are all happy to have it!
Welcome you sweet little thing, you are not an "it" anymore, now you are a "she"! 
Thank you Uri!!

19 comments:

zsazsazsu said...

Last summer I drove back a 1000 km to the south of France to get Minou ... she stole our hearts in july and we went back to get her in september ... and me too I already had 3 cats at home. She is now a very very happy cat at our home. Enjoy Golda ! She looks great. Two of my 14 year old cats are black too.

2 B's World said...

Liebe Yael,
nun sitze ich hier bei meinem Kaffee und schaue völlig ahnungslos bei Dir vorbei...und nun laufen die Tränchen bei mir.
Goldie hat ein Glück, daß Du es warst, die sie morgens so früh entdeckt hatte. Oder wußte die Kleine ganz genau, daß sie zu Dir muß...hat sie genau Dich gesucht?
Die Kleine ist so süß, sie weckt sofort den Wunsch, sie zu beschützen und ihr zu helfen.
Ich wünsche euch eine ganz lange und glückliche Zeit miteinander.
Und ich schicke Dir eine ganz dicke Umarmung dafür, daß Du sie bei Dir aufgenommen hast.
Gut, daß dein Mann den richtigen Weg nach Hause genommen hat. ;-)

Herzliche Grüße von 2 B's

P.S. Hat denn der Tierarzt gesagt, wie alt sie sein könnte?

Yael said...

Yes, she is about three weeks old.
Thank you B.!
I love your story zsazsazsu!

Bernstein said...

Was für ein Happy End für so einen schönen und sicher unvergesslichen Tag.
Wie sagt der kleine Prinz: "man sieht nur mit dem Herzen gut". Schön, dass es Menschen wie Euch mit einem großen Herzen für diese kleine handvoll Leben gibt. Golda ist eine so hübsche und goldige Katze und hat so einen wachen Blick.
Ich wünsche Euch allen viel Glück mit dem neuen Familienmitglied und umarme Euch.
GlG
Inbar

... said...

Oh, she is so sweet, and I love the story :) You have a big and warm heart, Yael, for rescuing her and giving her a home. I think Golda will love living with you, your husband, your dog and your other two cats.
Good luck with your new family member :)

Eva said...

Wie wundervoll, wenn man einem Wesen das Leben retten kann!
Ich wünsche Dir viel Freude an Eurer kleinen Golda, daß sie wächst und gedeiht!
Ich hoffe, sie ist schon stark genug. Wenn sie noch sehr klein sind, leiden sie leicht an Verstopfung, weil sie den Bauch nicht massiert bekommen, wenn die Mutter weg ist. Vielleicht ist die kleine Golda schon aus der Phase raus, ich habe mal mit einer Freundin zusammen versucht, eine nur wenige Tage alte Katze am Leben zu erhalten, aber die hat es nicht geschafft -- eben aus diesem Grund. Der Tierarzt wird Dich ja auch in diesem Punkt beraten haben.

Yael said...

Danke Eva, sie ist eine richtige Kaempferin, die Kleine! Und sie macht ihr Geschaeftchen genau da wo sie soll, unglaublich, so ein winziges Ding! Ja und ich massiere sie auch, da hast Du recht, das hat mir der Tierarzt auch gesagt! Wenn sie Hunger hat schreit sie wie am Spiess! Sie rollt und huepft, sie spielt mit der Murmel und dem Wollball! Sie bringt uns zum Lachen! Sie ist eine Goldie, wirklich! Sie krabbelt an mir hoch bis zum Hals - also Manieren hat sie keine! Aber sie ist suess und weich und warm!! Ich hatte schon so viele Katzen und hatte sie immer von klein auf, allerdings noch nie so einen mutterlosen Winzling!
Es ist immer wieder das reine Gluecksgefuehl so ein kleines Ding aufzuziehen!

Jill said...

What a STORY!! What a CUTIE-NOSE!! I just read this out lout to my family and we all oooh'd and aaah'd and were on the edge of our seat at the drive home part. Three cheers for Uri. Yeled tov Yerushalayim!

You have such a big heart and such a beautiful way with words, Yael. (Write books!)

adi said...

ohh wow!! yael she is so cute!!!! i am so happy for you and cant wait to see her!
love you all!

aurorafedora said...

oh, you are a softie for animals, just like me! and uri is the rational one, just like billy!! i am so glad golda found you!

Terri said...

Write books indeed!!! I would love to see that as a children's book. And against his better? judgement, your husband went back for her... and you. That is real love, in my book.
Terri

Mary Stanley said...

What a wonderful story...yes, you should write books! Love your new kitty, Golda! She looks like the younger sister to our black kitty who sleeps at my feet every night.

Pesky Cat Designs said...

You are both so wonderful to save that little kitten. What a sweet one she is. And a perfect name as well. Now she is the luckiest kitten in the world to have you both in her life!

rachel awes said...

adorable!!!!!!!!!
i love her paw prints on my blog!!!
xoxox

Anonymous said...

גולדההה ממש מתוקה הענים של כחולות וחמודות אני כבר רוצה לראות אותה עם סבתא שלי פנים אל פנים הנכדה שלך יסמין(ילדה)

Angelikas quilts and knits said...

Ich bin kein Katzenfan, aber diese ist wirklich ganz zauberhaft. Wie gut, dass ihr sie retten konntet !

Unknown said...

איזה חתולה חמודה ויפה כל כך קטנה והמקום ממש יפה אני אוהב אותך סבתא מנועם

Smithy said...

What a honey Golda is! You three were meant by a higher power to be together, methinks. SUCH a lovely story, SUCH a couple of softies...I would have done the same thing :) Be all in love together and happy. Love to you all, and snuffles and strokes for the pets!

Jill said...

When Yasmin and Noam come to meet Golda, take pictures, ok Yael?