A little, unremarkable kitten suddenly appears at the door of a small village grocery shop, as though she has wandered here on her own or perhaps someone has abandoned her. This tiny, fluffy tabby girl scurries around, tucking in her paws and trembling from the biting cold and damp air. Her pitiful mew-ew doesnt move any passers-by: her face is covered in scabs, her eyes are mere slits, and the fur on her neck and ears is patchy and thin. No one knows how she ended up here, but she cuts a heart-breaking figure.
The shop assistants take pity and let the poor thing warm up inside. They even treat her with flea drops, but unfortunately, that does little to help. Each day, the kitten returns faithfully to the shop at the same time, persistently seeking out cuddles and warmth from anyone wholl spare her a glance.
Winters chill is closing in, and the little one, already shivering at minus five degrees, is unlikely to survive once the frost bites at minus fifteen or twenty. One of the shopkeepers remembers that last summer we rescued another abandoned kitten outside this very shop, so she contacts us, hoping we can help once again.
When we arrive, the kitten circles at our feet and around her carrier, as if she somehow knows this is her last hope of avoiding life on the street. Standing up on her hind legs, she wraps her tail around our hands, desperately trying to win us over.
Its clear from the first lookshes got mange. Thankfully, it isnt advanced and can be treated. A dose of Stronghold or Broadline on the back of her neck works wonders and soon she is on the mend.
With the warmth and care of her foster home, the kitten starts purring like a little tractor and pushes herself affectionately into any available hand. For the first few days, she does little except eat and sleep, rhythmically alternating between the two.
The name comes to us almost instantlyMash. She really does look like a little potato, rough and uneven, adorably awkward. But that state doesnt last: after a couple of treatments, in front of us is a wide-eyed, genuinely pretty kitten.
Her fur is still growing back on her ears and paws, but thats only a matter of time. Mash is already booked in for neutering, and shes steadily blossoming into a healthy, well-kept, and utterly charming young cat.
