“If I moved her, she would scream and then climb right back up.”
When Matt Ramsey started his shift at the family-owned hotel last week, he anticipated a quiet night. Around midnight, as things went still, he decided to take a stroll outside for some fresh air.
Suddenly, he heard faint cries for help emanating from the parking lot. Following the sound, he discovered a scared kitten in need of assistance.
“She was meowing loudly from beneath one of the cars,” Ramsey explained. “I tried coaxing her out for about 15 minutes, but she wouldn’t come.”
With little experience with cats and being a dog owner, Ramsey was unsure how to proceed. He brought some water to the kitten, who had scurried into a nearby bush after being spotted. Gaining her trust, he managed to scratch her ears, but she was not easily satisfied. The kitten soon began to follow him, climbing up his legs and refusing to let him walk without her.
Despite having an entire shift ahead of him, Ramsey tried to calm the kitten and made a temporary bed for her, but she was persistent.
“I didn’t have anyone to call since it was so late, and I didn’t want to leave her outside,” Ramsey said. “I tried setting up a box or bed for her, but she wasn’t having it, so I brought her inside.”
Inside, the kitten was comforted by Ramsey’s presence and quickly made her way to his shoulder, where she spent the rest of the night napping. Ramsey decided to name her Dandruff.
“She was only content when she was on my shoulder or chest,” Ramsey noted. “If I moved her, she would scream and climb right back up. She meowed from her box whenever I had to leave for tasks.”
Ramsey reached out to his loved ones, hoping someone could take Dandruff in. He also considered how his dog, Spike, might react to a new feline friend.
When none of his contacts were able to adopt Dandruff, Ramsey realized he was her only option.
“I planned to rehome her with a family member when they woke up, but they turned me down. By then, I had grown quite attached,” Ramsey said. “I decided to officially adopt her.”
Dandruff now happily resides with Ramsey, finding a favorite spot on his shoulder. Although she’s still adjusting to her new brother Spike, their interactions have been positive so far.
“Spike and Dandruff have only had brief meetings, but he’s very curious about the new smells and sounds coming from the bathroom, where she’s temporarily staying while we integrate her into the household,” Ramsey said.
As Dandruff gets accustomed to her new home, she’s soaking up all the affection Ramsey has to offer, feeling fortunate to have been found in the parking lot that fateful night.