Forgotten Feline

For some weeks the neighbor's orange striped male cat, Cheeto, has been seen roaming around our street at all hours of day or night. It has become increasingly apparent that the lady who lives across the street, divorcing her husband, with her new boyfriend (with MS and a walker) has moved in, plus daughter and preschooler. Of the two cats the lady next door owns, it seems like only Cheeto has gotten the boot. All of Team Golando has noticed, this but most especially Loo and Hal are upset and concerned. They are somewhat worried that Cheeto will try to attack one of our beloved trio of chickens, but they also are upset that Cheeto has been kicked out of his home and worry that he doesn't understand why. Hal observed that Cheeto seems depressed and is constantly roaming around our yard, laying on things and generally unhappy. He no longer seems to be brought in at night and no one is sure how he is feeding himself. Loo proposed we call animal control and report it and ask that our call be kept anonymous. Hal began to take matters into his own hands. First he began to put out a bowl of milk for Cheeto. Then he just went over one evening at twilight, picked up Cheeto, who would not ordinarily allow himself to be picked up and lugged around by anyone, let alone a 13 year old stranger, and marched over to the neighbor's house. Hal rang the bell. When the lady came to the door Hal asked if she had forgotten about Cheeto and that Cheeto seemed depressed and hungry. They took him into the house for the night.

Hal did this on his own, showing empathy for the abandoned cat, and also solving a problem, and speaking up to neighbors who he has never exchanged a word with prior to confronting them with their neglected cat. Hopefully, Hal shamed them into taking better care of their cat.