Semi-Soft Spot

Everyone that knows me knows that I have a soft spot for animals. Especially the ones that are injured in some sort of way. I went to school to help heal them and make things better. I'd be the first to admit, I am a sucker for any 4-legged critter that needs some help.

A few weeks ago, we were gone for the weekend. When we came home, there was a mew mew mew sound from the back of the house. I, thinking it was my own cat that got out, started calling Jesse James. Well, a kitty came out, but it wasn't Jesse. Jesse is 13+ pounds; he is black and tan striped, and not too much a people person kind of animal. He won't come to you when you call, unless you have food... The kitty that came out is black and grey striped. He has white feet and a white star on his chest. He also had a huge gash down the side of his face about 1 cm wide, a wound the size of a half dollar on the back of his head and on his ear, a decent sized hole in his side, and a smaller wound on his side further down. He truly looked like Frankenstein's Kitty. This tore at my heart in the worst way. We tried to ignore him hoping he would go back to his home. After 2 days, this didn't happen. I had to feed him. He just sat on the bench looking in my front door all day long. When you walk past him, he would rub up against you wanting you to pet him. All he wanted was some lovin.

I started flushing his wounds with saline and cleaning it with some gauze. There was nothing that looked like it was infected. In fact, there were scabs on most of it. The 2 on his side looked like they had been there for 5-6 days already. The tip of the injured ear had a bit of weeping, but that was about it. I kept cleaning and putting Neosporin with pain reliever on the wounds that were open. This was the least, and also the most that I could do for the guy. When the scabs would loosen up and detach on part, I would trim that off so it wouldn't snag and rip off more than what needed to. The entire time that I would be cleaning him up, he would do nothing but sit on my lap and purr and purr and purr. I would finish cleaning him up and he would start rubbing on my hands.

It has been at least 3 weeks since he has showed up. The 2 wounds on his side have all but healed up. There is one that is the size of a pin head. The spot on his head is not nearly as bit. It has dropped to about 1/3 of the size that it started at. The gash down his face has healed. I am surprised because all of these wounds looked horrible. I thought he would have lots of scar tissue. I was wrong. He is actually getting hair back on ALL of these wounds!!!

I have taken before and after shots, but because they are so graphic, I am not going to post them on this blog. I don't want to make anyone queasy.

Yesterday, we had 2 more stray cats show up. I do not want my house swarmed with stray cats. I can’t feed them all. I want to be able to let my cat outside without worrying about him fighting with other cats and getting an abscess. I don’t want to be swarmed by other cats that might be spreading diseases.

The sad thing is that I know where these cats are coming from. We have a neighbor who you can only see their house in the winter. I was there one day a year and a half ago asking if they happened to have seen a kitty that I was babysitting that went missing. They had probably 10-12 cats. I asked if they were all theirs. They were. None had any veterinary care. None had been altered. None had been tested for FeLV or FIV. I have a feeling these cats have been breeding with each other and wandering to the neighbors for food. One of these 2 stray cats must have caused a ruckus with Frankie because he has a new hole in his side. It is about the size of a quarter. I would like to take him to the vet. I think he could use a stitch or two. I just don’t have the extra cash to do that right now. I am waiting to hear back from a rescue agency to see if they can help with the bills of this little guy and then help him find a home. His first fight left him blind in one eye, so he is extra vulnerable outside. He really needs an inside home to stay in. I already know that he is great with kids. He lets Cailin carry him all over outside. He still just purrs.
Chris says he knows how to get rid of the other strays… I am too much of a softie for what he wants to do. I told him if he does it, I don’t want to be around, I don’t want to hear any gun shots, and I don’t want to see any evidence.
Frankie now is going to be locked in the garage without the other kitties able to get to him at night, and then during the day, when the food is gone, I will crack the door so he can come and go as he wishes.
I hope that he can find a safe home soon. If anyone is interested in a wonderful kitty that needs a home, please let me know!!!!!!!