This is one of my mother's many cats. Shadow was abused before my mother got her. The vet says that Shadow's insides are all scrambled up from being kicked, and that it's a wonder that Shadow is still alive. But alive she is, my mother carefully monitors little Miss Shadow's diet, makes sure she gets her nutritional supplements, and Shadow is as sleek and happy as a former feral can be. She has problems breathing, but doesn't let that stop her from getting around. At some point she's likely to catch pneumonia and die, but thus far she's lived for at least eight years longer than the vet expected, so my mother may end keeling over before Shadow does.
She's a pretty little kitty, isn't she? And friendly too, as long as you only pet her head, no other part of her. She has a big purr.
-- Badtux the Cat-admiring Penguin
i am so glad shadow has found a loving home...........
ReplyDeleteanimal abuse so breaks my heart
Rescue kitty stories warm my heart.
ReplyDeleteDoes she try to induce you to rub her belly and then disembowel your hand? I love it when that happens (to other people).
ReplyDeleteDcap: Especially hilarious is the way she came to my mother. My mother opened the front door to take her brain-dead miniature poodle out to take care of its business and there was Shadow -- and a beagle. Shadow just walked right through the door as if she lived there, and the beagle tried to do so too as if the beagle were Shadow's best friend, both completely ignoring my mother and her little piddling dog, and Shadow walked right to the cat's foot bowl and started chowing down.
ReplyDeleteSo anyhow, my mother shooed the beagle out of the house -- "I can deal with another cat, but not that beagle!" she exclaimed -- but let the cat stay. She asked around the neighborhood to see whether it was someone else's cat but everybody said they'd seen the cat and the beagle pal'ing around the neighborhood for several days and that they thought someone had thrown them out up near the highway (this is a little pocket neighborhood hidden behind a large cemetery, there's no other houses in the area, just a cherry-stem road leading up to the main highway, and people sometimes throw animals out up there because they figure it's the middle of nowhere). So my mother ended up taking Shadow to the vet for shots and a checkup and a chip scan (no chip), and that was that. And no, I have no idea what happened to the beagle, but it apparently found a home in the neighborhood too.
J.T., no, she doesn't roll over or anything like that because of her internal problems. But she is a very pretty little cat (she weighs six pounds), and she's very friendly too, you sit down and after a while you have a small grey bundle nestled against you or in your lap purring at you. I have no idea why anyone would throw her out or kick her. There's just bad people in the world, I guess.
Cats get horrible abuse. There's some design flaw in the human psyche that leads people to torture them more than they do more compliant species such as dogs. I theorise it's the aloof, independent nature of cats that leads sick fucks to want to hurt them as a channel for their inner rage.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I like about Oz is that cats are friendly on the footpaths here. Many times walking back from the tram after work, neighbourhood cats will be on a fence, strolling down the pavement, etc. I can call 'em over for a petting and give 'em a pinch of the hospital food I've nicked for our cats. Few flee in terror.
I think that's because they haven't been kicked by twisted passers-by as they would be in public in the U.S., where street cats tend to be shyer. Fewer cat-hating mad bastards here.
*throws good fairy dust on Shadow*
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful post. Thank you for sharing. It made my day BadTux.
ReplyDeleteI rescue ferals, mostly kittens as I have had all the adults spayed in my neck of the woods. The medical needs of these little guys can be hard on the wallet, but the love they give back evens out the score for me. :)
You know, I get really sick of Australians going on and on about how much happier, better, cleaner, nicer, etc., Australia is as compared to the U.S. You will find no bigger critic of the U.S. than me, but Australia certainly has its fair share of very Americanesque problems, complete with redneck morons and cruel types who victimize innocent animals. It's always Australians or those who live there who feel as though it is their sworn and solemn duty to go on and on this way. Enough.
ReplyDeleteAustralia ain't that great, mate.
Rant off.
That is one absolutely beautiful cat. Our two were on the receiving end of some abuse when they were babies. We don't know details. All we know is that to this day, Manni still flinches sometimes when you move too quickly to pet him, and both are very skittish around strangers. Anyone who isn't us, actually. It is so sad to see.
I've had a lot of ferals over the years and they all seem to find me, much in the same manner as Shadow found your mom. I swear they just know sometimes where to show up.
ReplyDeleteSmokey, who arrived in our barn 12 years ago with cancer (dumped no doubt) just passed away last month. Stripe, who evidently had been thrown repeatedly by an adult against a wall as a kitten for scratching, passed last Feb. at the age of 16. Tigger, at the age of 13 or so by the vets estimate, still dominates my lap while I'm at the computer as she has done for the last 8 years. Thomas, who I hand raised after we found him abandoned at the age of 3 weeks, is now 14, diabetic, and snoring on the back of the couch as I type this. Smart little beggers aren't they.:)