My #2 daughter had a cat show up in her apartment complex this Spring, and she suspected that the cat had recently had a litter of kittens. Sure enough, there were three kittens in the garage she and her roommate’s share with the opposite apartment. I called dibs on two, as we lost two of our three kitties in March.
The kittens are now approaching three months, and since when I breed my poms I do not let the pups go to their new homes until they are three months old, I thought that would be an appropriate time to ship the kittens. I probably should have researched kittens a little bit, but really, three month old kittens are little babies still, right?
So yesterday I took a small pet crate to the airport and sent it to my daughter, who was then to pick up the crate, add kittens, and send it back.
It sounds fairly straightforward and simple, yes?
Ha!
First she called and spoke to someone whose first language was not English. I can hear through most accents, but not my kid. After a lack of communication, she called me and asked me to find out if the crate had made it to Anchorage. Three phone calls later I was assured that the crate was indeed at the cargo desk in Anchorage. I called my daughter back and gave her the number to the cargo desk, and told her yes, there was an English as a first language speaking person expecting her call.
About half an hour later she calls me, having spoken to (according to her) 5,000 different people, including many “Let me transfer you’s” before she finally got the woman I spoke with, and got the affirmative that the crate was there, and received directions to the cargo desk. Which is nowhere near the ticket desk, and she has never picked up cargo in Anchorage. Included in the phone fest was being transferred to the animal shipping desk, where she was informed that they weren’t open on the weekend. Several transferred calls later she finds out that yes, they are open, but since by now it’s noon she is told the kittens will have to be on standby and probably won’t get out until the last flight of the day.
So she drives to the airport, finds the cargo desk, gets the crate and takes it home. Uh oh, a problem. She calls me and says the three* kittens won’t fit in the crate. What??? It would accommodate three three month old pom puppies. I have failed to take into account that three month old kittens are much larger than the same age pom puppies. I mean, they are kittens…it’s been a very long time since I have had any kittens.
So now she is off to buy a larger crate, and with any luck the kittens will be here on the 10:ish flight tonight, otherwise they will come tomorrow. Or Monday. But they are coming!
If you have read this far, cute kitten photos are your reward!
*A friend heard about the kittens and also wanted one, so all three are coming. Mama cat is going into a rescue, she is a gorgeous siamese cross, charcoal grey with siamese points and bright blue eyes, I am certain she will quickly find a forever home.
The cuteness is killing me. I’d keep them all, of course, but I really like this kitten.