Written by Karen Lease on 12th January 1994.

Chocolate cake and Saturday afternoon, what do they have in common with cats? Well, most Saturday afternoon find me baking chocolate cakes. Over the years, I have had a variety of young assistants-children of neighbours and friends as well as nieces and nephews who have all volunteer to help me. I'm sure it's more for the cake than for my company but my Burmese have certainly appreciated the extra cuddles.

Paul, a ten year old, is one of my Saturday afternoon regular. One afternoon last summer Paul turned up with a sick black and white kitten about 5 weeks old who had been abandon in the schoolyard near my home. He asked me, "Please, Karen, can you make it well?"

Paul was not aware of the dilemma that I now faced. If I took the kitten in, I could be jeopardising the health and well being of my cats and yet as a cat lover and a responsible adult, "How could I refuse?" This particular dilemma must be faced on many fronts.

Firstly, a child's concern for a young animal is paramount important. This single episode could affect his entire future attitude of the importance and value of cats and their place in society.

Yet as a concerned breeder, I must protect those cats who are under my care. This includes the young babies yet to go to long awaited home, the breeding queens, and lastly those special pets who are now desexed that have been a major contributor to past breeding and have won a special place in my heart. A sick stray kitten could be devastating to their health and well being. Even a seemly well stray could be harbour disease and infections that could destroy the years of work involved in a careful well thought-out breeding program.

So, making the kitten well is not a question of integration but rather one of CARE!, CARE!, and more CARE!. First, the young kitten must be examined in a room quarantine from the rest of the cats and it must be remain isolated until cleared by a veterinarian. Paul and I took our black and white baby into my old kitchen which serves as a sick bay. As I cleaned the kitten up freely it from the dirt and grime of living rough for a few days, I had ascertain that the kitten was not serious ill. It would, however, need an immediate vaccination for enteris and flu to protect both lots of cats. A quick trip to the local vet provide this as well as a short course of antibiotic just in case.

Now, Paul and I had to consider how we both could provide good home nursing and if not do we need to consider other options. What other options are there?

Even for children, harsh realities must be faced. A sick kitten can die quickly and painful. Veterinary attention cost money and time must be allocated to care for it. For just another stray is it worth it? Realities also mean that once the sick kitten is saved, will there be suitable home for it.

While Paul assure me that his mother would love a new kitten, I was much more pragmatic and suggested that a call asking her permission would be needed. Although Paul's mother declined; his father's new girlfriend did offer to give the kitten a new home should it prove to be a healthy kitten.

So, now I had a kitten who was only just eating solid foods, no litter training, and a young friend morning and night to help care for her. Paul's ideas on priorities were considerable different from mine. He considered that first she should eat, then she should be named and then played with. Of course, everything else would just happen.

Well, summer is here again and Paul and I baked a chocolate cake for Lettuce's first birthday. At present, Lettuce is a healthy desexed domestic that just may be one of the beautiful feline who will be shown when New South Wales allows the showing of domestic cats in 1994.