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Dobson: Gaining trust can be a long journey

Living in the county, we see our (un)fair share of animals that have been dumped by people.

Head Acres is home to many of those who were thrown away like yesterday’s trash and are unadoptable for any number of reasons — age, illness, fear.

Patti Dobson

We’ve nursed back to health scores of puppies and dogs. And for a brief time, we fostered a couple of kittens for animal rescue groups. They took up short-term residence in a trailer we’re converting into an art studio.

Fate has a sense of humor; I’m turning into a kitten wrangler.

I now have a family of cats, although kittens-on-the-way-to-cathood may be more appropriate.

Where’s the humor? I’m allergic to cats, enough that my head blows up like a blimp when I’m around them too long.

Figures, then, that the smallest tortoise kitty of the group, has decided my lap is home.

It has taken a few weeks to get this far. The kittens, much scrawnier then, would scatter like faeries when I opened the gate to the trailer. The small tortoise-shell kitten was a bit braver than his siblings; he would peer at me from beyond a straw-filled dog house.

With a few weeks of wicked-smelling pate o’ kitty food and kibble, the kittens look healthier.

In the past few days, Little Gray has grown to tolerate a quick pet to cuddling. His siblings, still not sure of my character, have inched closer to my spot on the porch. The green-eyed black kitty will sit within arm’s length.

The other three — the long-haired, amber-eyed black kitten, the mewing calico and darker gray tortoise kitty — will tolerate my presence. We’ve progressed in our relationship.

When they see me walking to the gate, they will scamper from the yard or under the porch to the workbench where we keep a supply of water and food for them.

The goal is to earn their trust enough to catch them, and find homes more suitable to half-grown kittens.

Head Acres is home to some street dogs, who are not so cat-friendly (not to mention the coyotes and other wildlife). So I continue to sit on the stoop, chattering or singing to kittens who may or may not appreciate the effort.

Trust is an elusive thing. It can be a long journey to gain trust; but once earned, it can last a lifetime. It can change a relationship. Conversely, once trust is broken, it may be difficult if not impossible to regain.

Trust is a gift. For dogs and kittens, it’s about stinky food and kibble, and maybe a little small talk. For people, it’s more about ideas, thoughts and opinions — those things that make us uniquely us — being respected.

There’s a great cartoon featuring a bird, a dog and a cat, captioned: “Be kind to one another. Even if you disagree on stuff.”

Seems like a great way to be, whether dealing with people, dogs or half-grown kittens.

Patti Dobson writes about faith for the Portales News-Tribune. Contact her at:

[email protected]