How the WB Family almost acquired an Australian Cat

So one night last week a cat appeared outside of our door.  Every time we changed rooms she appeared anew in the window of that room.  I assumed that she was in heat and would persist through the night so we shooed her away.

We didn't hear from her all night but she was back in the morning when I left with the neighbour for boot camp.  The neighbour mentioned that our exchange family used to have a cat. So, armed with the information that she might in fact have good reason for wanting in to our house specifically, I let her in.  The boys were over the moon, and though Dave was wearing his grumpy face as she tripped him all through the house by wrapping herself around his ankles, even HE cracked a smile at her.

I emailed photos to and phoned the exchange family.  We agreed that I would have her scanned for a microchip as their cat was chipped.  As children on both sides of the globe eagerly waited, she turned out not to have a chip.  Not the missing cat.  She rubbed and nuzzled the chip scanner the whole time they were checking her, she is such a lovebug!!!

I had a sweet little cherubic helper

 While I ran the kids to school and grabbed the cage from the vet clinic I put the cat in the laundry room.  She curled up in our clothes and purred with happiness.

I turned her over to the vet's office and they are sending her to the pound to either find her family or find a new family.  The children, especially big C, were heartbroken that we could not adopt or foster her (they don't do fostering here, I asked).

 It was very hard for them to say goodbye to her.  I will admit that I would have considered keeping her had our situation been different.