It's the little things... like a second chance
29/52 Jimmy was found yesterday morning in his carrier left at the front door of our practice with a note that reads:
"All shelters full.
I'm sorry I tried everything
(?)
Named Jimmy
-loves under the chin
-gets under foot
-needs a quiet place, only cat"
Jimmy looked absolutely huge but it turned out that he was nothing but skin and bones underneath a solid mat that covered his entire torso. The plan was to have the animal control officer pick him up and take Jimmy away to a most-likely grim future. We decided to sedate him and shave off his mats before calling the ACO so he would at least not be in pain while awaiting his fate. By this morning the plan had changed considerably. Forget animal control - if we couldn't find him a home, Jimmy would become our new hospital cat. He is an absolute love bug who would rather purr and be petted than eat or sleep. We'll try to fatten him up and run blood work so we can manage any underlying diseases he may have. He may be ill and at the end of his 9th life, but he will pampered and loved for as long as he lives.
The past 9 days have been an emotional rollercoaster in Cat Land so being able to help help give Jimmy a second chance is just the little thing we all needed.
About Jimmy's owner. I am conflicted. The obvious reaction is to be outraged - the owner let his cat get emaciated and covered in a huge, painful mat and then abandoned him. However, I can easily imagine that this person may have had a mental, medical, logistical or financial life-changing crisis that made it impossible for them to keep Jimmy and desperate to find him a new home. He does not act like an abused cat and the owner did leave him at on a vet's doorstep rather than at the side of the road.
The thing that makes me pity the owner is that he wants us to know his cat's name is Jimmy and that he likes to be rubbed under the chin.
It's the little things... like a second chance
29/52 Jimmy was found yesterday morning in his carrier left at the front door of our practice with a note that reads:
"All shelters full.
I'm sorry I tried everything
(?)
Named Jimmy
-loves under the chin
-gets under foot
-needs a quiet place, only cat"
Jimmy looked absolutely huge but it turned out that he was nothing but skin and bones underneath a solid mat that covered his entire torso. The plan was to have the animal control officer pick him up and take Jimmy away to a most-likely grim future. We decided to sedate him and shave off his mats before calling the ACO so he would at least not be in pain while awaiting his fate. By this morning the plan had changed considerably. Forget animal control - if we couldn't find him a home, Jimmy would become our new hospital cat. He is an absolute love bug who would rather purr and be petted than eat or sleep. We'll try to fatten him up and run blood work so we can manage any underlying diseases he may have. He may be ill and at the end of his 9th life, but he will pampered and loved for as long as he lives.
The past 9 days have been an emotional rollercoaster in Cat Land so being able to help help give Jimmy a second chance is just the little thing we all needed.
About Jimmy's owner. I am conflicted. The obvious reaction is to be outraged - the owner let his cat get emaciated and covered in a huge, painful mat and then abandoned him. However, I can easily imagine that this person may have had a mental, medical, logistical or financial life-changing crisis that made it impossible for them to keep Jimmy and desperate to find him a new home. He does not act like an abused cat and the owner did leave him at on a vet's doorstep rather than at the side of the road.
The thing that makes me pity the owner is that he wants us to know his cat's name is Jimmy and that he likes to be rubbed under the chin.