Hello Kent,

I haven't emailed in a while, but I thought you and your readers might enjoy the story behind Midnight (the little black cat) and Twilight (the tortie) coming to live at our home.

About 5 months ago I had Fluffy at the veterinarian's for his yearly examination. There were two kittens in a kennel being offered free to a good home. One was a striking little tortie and the other her long haired black brother. Now I love calicos and torties. Despite Fluffy's protestations, I played with the little tortie. The vet's office personnel and technologist all tried to convince me to take them. As I already had 14 cats, I declined, but confess was very tempted. Now my veterinarian will take in abandoned kittens and try to find them homes, but if the boarding section fills up and they need the room, the homeless ones will be euthanized. I told them to try and find the kittens another home, but to call me before they euthanized either one. They were adopted a few days later. I assumed everything was settled.

Fast forward about two and a half months. I was going out the back door one evening and there on the patio looking in the back door was a half grown tortie kitten and her long haired black brother. I recognized her immediately as her markings are quite distinct. It was the pair from the veterinarian's office a couple of months ago. I called the office the next day. No body had listed them as lost. I brought them in to check out their health. The office personnel immediately recognized them. They told me someone unknown to them came in and had heard about the kittens. He wanted both of them. They were very busy that day and did not get his name, but let him take both kittens. I do not know how they ended up at my house. Our home is located halfway up a mountain and we are the first house that does not have outside dogs. There is a creek at the base of the mountain and it is a favorite site for people to abandon unwanted kittens and puppies. I can only assume whoever took them did not want them as they grew and deposited them by the creek.

I told my wife there were mysterious forces at work here. A higher power must have decided these two were to become part of my family so who was I to argue with preordained fate. Midnight and Twilight became part of the family and numbers 15 and 16.

Ron Sherowsky

ps. I am also attaching my current family group picture.