Well, I've Acquired Another Owner

With the loss of two of my cats this year, Milo and Thalia, I was down to
three for the first time in many years. Three is actually a pretty good
number - convenient and not overwhelming. But...

Nine days ago I answered a CraigsList ad for a kitty, described as desperately
needing medical care for a badly wounded ear. It turned out that the person
placing the ad didn't have the cat - it was for a friend. It took several
days of "back and forth" emails before she was satisfied that I wasn't some
laboratory looking for an experimental victim kitty. She was really
suspicious when I mentioned that I had one cat (Banana Simian) who had to have
her ears removed due to skin cancer, and figured I was really blowing smoke.

My personal web site, with many pictures to prove it, immediately convinced
her.

So I ended up talking with both people. The lady with the cat is recently
homeless and was living with the cat in her mother's car! And today (Friday)
she has to return the car, and apparently will be out on the streets. She
somehow raised $350 toward the cat's treatment at a relatively-inconvenient
(to me) vet hospital. I told her to return the money and I'd handle things at
my own vets. She was really reluctant to do that after arranging all these
things, so I agreed.

So before even seeing the cat, I paid for the balance necessary to have the
cat's one ear removed. Apparently it was completely ignored, living outside,
and "owned" by the ex-wife of a friend. They stole the cat, in desperate
condition with the probable skin cancer, and the lady was devoting all her
time to trying to care for it. She was totally devoted to the kitty.

Anyway, I got the kitty yesterday, and let's just say it was a pretty
traumatic scene with the poor lady in tears as she handed the cat to me. She
knows it will get the best possible medical care and of course we hope that
it isn't too late. I won't have the biopsy results until early next week.
She asked if she could be at that followup appointment; of course I had no
objection. I have been given antibiotics to give her, and had a couple pain
medicine syringes left over from another incident and gave her one this
morning. I figured it couldn't hurt.

So I've got a new cat, a pretty little girl, mostly white with a tabby tail
and a large tabby patch on her sides. Her head is completly bandaged, like a
mummy, with the eyes, nose, and mouth visible.

She ate a little people tuna when I got her home midday yesterday, and then
rejected all food until this morning. After rejecting the morning food, I
gave her the last jar of baby food left over from Thalia's last days in
October, and she absolutely wolfed it down. Thank goodness - she's quite
scrawny. She still hasn't used the cat box in 22 hours. I put her in one
box last evening, and she just went to sleep in it. Right now, she's on the
bed with a cat box on the bed, and my wife says (I'm at work) that she's
looking more alert and looking outside.

She's quite a purrer. I want to name her Holyfield but my wife is having a
fit.

Art

Arthur Shapiro wrote:
With the loss of two of my cats this year, Milo and Thalia, I was down to
three for the first time in many years. Three is actually a pretty good
number - convenient and not overwhelming. But...

Nine days ago I answered a CraigsList ad for a kitty, described as desperately
needing medical care for a badly wounded ear. It turned out that the person
placing the ad didn't have the cat - it was for a friend. It took several
days of "back and forth" emails before she was satisfied that I wasn't some
laboratory looking for an experimental victim kitty. She was really
suspicious when I mentioned that I had one cat (Banana Simian) who had to have
her ears removed due to skin cancer, and figured I was really blowing smoke.

My personal web site, with many pictures to prove it, immediately convinced
her.

So I ended up talking with both people. The lady with the cat is recently
homeless and was living with the cat in her mother's car! And today (Friday)
she has to return the car, and apparently will be out on the streets. She
somehow raised $350 toward the cat's treatment at a relatively-inconvenient
(to me) vet hospital. I told her to return the money and I'd handle things at
my own vets. She was really reluctant to do that after arranging all these
things, so I agreed.

So before even seeing the cat, I paid for the balance necessary to have the
cat's one ear removed. Apparently it was completely ignored, living outside,
and "owned" by the ex-wife of a friend. They stole the cat, in desperate
condition with the probable skin cancer, and the lady was devoting all her
time to trying to care for it. She was totally devoted to the kitty.

Anyway, I got the kitty yesterday, and let's just say it was a pretty
traumatic scene with the poor lady in tears as she handed the cat to me. She
knows it will get the best possible medical care and of course we hope that
it isn't too late. I won't have the biopsy results until early next week.
She asked if she could be at that followup appointment; of course I had no
objection. I have been given antibiotics to give her, and had a couple pain
medicine syringes left over from another incident and gave her one this
morning. I figured it couldn't hurt.

So I've got a new cat, a pretty little girl, mostly white with a tabby tail
and a large tabby patch on her sides. Her head is completly bandaged, like a
mummy, with the eyes, nose, and mouth visible.

She ate a little people tuna when I got her home midday yesterday, and then
rejected all food until this morning. After rejecting the morning food, I
gave her the last jar of baby food left over from Thalia's last days in
October, and she absolutely wolfed it down. Thank goodness - she's quite
scrawny. She still hasn't used the cat box in 22 hours. I put her in one
box last evening, and she just went to sleep in it. Right now, she's on the
bed with a cat box on the bed, and my wife says (I'm at work) that she's
looking more alert and looking outside.

She's quite a purrer. I want to name her Holyfield but my wife is having a
fit.

Art


You do write the most interesting stories. We are sending heartfelt
purrs and best wishes that the new kitty recovers and that you will have
many happy times together. I do not understand the name choice and can
understand why your wife objects to it. You do have a talent for
picking unusual names. I'll be interested to he

"Arthur Shapiro" wrote in message
...
With the loss of two of my cats this year, Milo and Thalia, I was down to
three for the first time in many years. Three is actually a pretty good
number - convenient and not overwhelming. But...

Nine days ago I answered a CraigsList ad for a kitty, described as
desperately
needing medical care for a badly wounded ear. It turned out that the
person
placing the ad didn't have the cat - it was for a friend. It took several
days of "back and forth" emails before she was satisfied that I wasn't
some
laboratory looking for an experimental victim kitty. She was really
suspicious when I mentioned that I had one cat (Banana Simian) who had to
have
her ears removed due to skin cancer, and figured I was really blowing
smoke.

My personal web site, with many pictures to prove it, immediately
convinced
her.

So I ended up talking with both people. The lady with the cat is recently
homeless and was living with the cat in her mother's car! And today
(Friday)
she has to return the car, and apparently will be out on the streets. She
somehow raised $350 toward the cat's treatment at a
relatively-inconvenient
(to me) vet hospital. I told her to return the money and I'd handle
things at
my own vets. She was really reluctant to do that after arranging all
these
things, so I agreed.

So before even seeing the cat, I paid for the balance necessary to have
the
cat's one ear removed. Apparently it was completely ignored, living
outside,
and "owned" by the ex-wife of a friend. They stole the cat, in desperate
condition with the probable skin cancer, and the lady was devoting all her
time to trying to care for it. She was totally devoted to the kitty.

Anyway, I got the kitty yesterday, and let's just say it was a pretty
traumatic scene with the poor lady in tears as she handed the cat to me.
She
knows it will get the best possible medical care and of course we hope
that
it isn't too late. I won't have the biopsy results until early next week.
She asked if she could be at that followup appointment; of course I had no
objection. I have been given antibiotics to give her, and had a couple
pain
medicine syringes left over from another incident and gave her one this
morning. I figured it couldn't hurt.

So I've got a new cat, a pretty little girl, mostly white with a tabby
tail
and a large tabby patch on her sides. Her head is completly bandaged,
like a
mummy, with the eyes, nose, and mouth visible.

She ate a little people tuna when I got her home midday yesterday, and
then
rejected all food until this morning. After rejecting the morning food, I
gave her the last jar of baby food left over from Thalia's last days in
October, and she absolutely wolfed it down. Thank goodness - she's quite
scrawny. She still hasn't used the cat box in 22 hours. I put her in one
box last evening, and she just went to sleep in it. Right now, she's on
the
bed with a cat box on the bed, and my wife says (I'm at work) that she's
looking more alert and looking outside.

She's quite a purrer. I want to name her Holyfield but my wife is having
a
fit.


Art, you are *so* kind to take on a cat with major health problems, knowing
how much the vet's bill might be. Purrs coming over for a complete recovery
very soon.

Tweed

Arthur Shapiro wrote:
With the loss of two of my cats this year, Milo and Thalia, I was down to
three for the first time in many years. Three is actually a pretty good
number - convenient and not overwhelming. But...

Nine days ago I answered a CraigsList ad for a kitty, described as desperately
needing medical care for a badly wounded ear. It turned out that the person
placing the ad didn't have the cat - it was for a friend. It took several
days of "back and forth" emails before she was satisfied that I wasn't some
laboratory looking for an experimental victim kitty. She was really
suspicious when I mentioned that I had one cat (Banana Simian) who had to have
her ears removed due to skin cancer, and figured I was really blowing smoke.

My personal web site, with many pictures to prove it, immediately convinced
her.

So I ended up talking with both people. The lady with the cat is recently
homeless and was living with the cat in her mother's car! And today (Friday)
she has to return the car, and apparently will be out on the streets. She
somehow raised $350 toward the cat's treatment at a relatively-inconvenient
(to me) vet hospital. I told her to return the money and I'd handle things at
my own vets. She was really reluctant to do that after arranging all these
things, so I agreed.

So before even seeing the cat, I paid for the balance necessary to have the
cat's one ear removed. Apparently it was completely ignored, living outside,
and "owned" by the ex-wife of a friend. They stole the cat, in desperate
condition with the probable skin cancer, and the lady was devoting all her
time to trying to care for it. She was totally devoted to the kitty.

Anyway, I got the kitty yesterday, and let's just say it was a pretty
traumatic scene with the poor lady in tears as she handed the cat to me. She
knows it will get the best possible medical care and of course we hope that
it isn't too late. I won't have the biopsy results until early next week.
She asked if she could be at that followup appointment; of course I had no
objection. I have been given antibiotics to give her, and had a couple pain
medicine syringes left over from another incident and gave her one this
morning. I figured it couldn't hurt.

So I've got a new cat, a pretty little girl, mostly white with a tabby tail
and a large tabby patch on her sides. Her head is completly bandaged, like a
mummy, with the eyes, nose, and mouth visible.

She ate a little people tuna when I got her home midday yesterday, and then
rejected all food until this morning. After rejecting the morning food, I
gave her the last jar of baby food left over from Thalia's last days in
October, and she absolutely wolfed it down. Thank goodness - she's quite
scrawny. She still hasn't used the cat box in 22 hours. I put her in one
box last evening, and she just went to sleep in it. Right now, she's on the
bed with a cat box on the bed, and my wife says (I'm at work) that she's
looking more alert and looking outside.

She's quite a purrer. I want to name her Holyfield but my wife is having a
fit.

Art

Congrats, Arthur. Since it is the holiday season, maybe Holly for the
season? Those who would enjoy the joke can be told and the rest can
accept the other possible explaination for her name.

Pam S

"Arthur Shapiro" wrote in message

With the loss of two of my cats this year, Milo and Thalia, I was
down to three for the first time in many years. Three is actually a
pretty good number - convenient and not overwhelming. But...

Nine days ago I answered a CraigsList ad for a kitty, described as
desperately needing medical care for a badly wounded ear. It turned
out that the person placing the ad didn't have the cat - it was for a
friend. It took several days of "back and forth" emails before she
was satisfied that I wasn't some laboratory looking for an
experimental victim kitty. She was really suspicious when I
mentioned that I had one cat (Banana Simian) who had to have her ears
removed due to skin cancer, and figured I was really blowing smoke.

My personal web site, with many pictures to prove it, immediately
convinced her.

So I ended up talking with both people. The lady with the cat is
recently homeless and was living with the cat in her mother's car!
And today (Friday) she has to return the car, and apparently will be
out on the streets. She somehow raised $350 toward the cat's
treatment at a relatively-inconvenient (to me) vet hospital. I told
her to return the money and I'd handle things at my own vets. She
was really reluctant to do that after arranging all these things, so
I agreed.

So before even seeing the cat, I paid for the balance necessary to
have the cat's one ear removed. Apparently it was completely
ignored, living outside, and "owned" by the ex-wife of a friend.
They stole the cat, in desperate condition with the probable skin
cancer, and the lady was devoting all her time to trying to care for
it. She was totally devoted to the kitty.

Anyway, I got the kitty yesterday, and let's just say it was a pretty
traumatic scene with the poor lady in tears as she handed the cat to
me. She knows it will get the best possible medical care and of
course we hope that it isn't too late. I won't have the biopsy
results until early next week. She asked if she could be at that
followup appointment; of course I had no objection. I have been
given antibiotics to give her, and had a couple pain medicine
syringes left over from another incident and gave her one this
morning. I figured it couldn't hurt.

So I've got a new cat, a pretty little girl, mostly white with a
tabby tail and a large tabby patch on her sides. Her head is
completly bandaged, like a mummy, with the eyes, nose, and mouth
visible.

She ate a little people tuna when I got her home midday yesterday,
and then rejected all food until this morning. After rejecting the
morning food, I gave her the last jar of baby food left over from
Thalia's last days in October, and she absolutely wolfed it down.
Thank goodness - she's quite scrawny. She still hasn't used the cat
box in 22 hours. I put her in one box last evening, and she just
went to sleep in it. Right now, she's on the bed with a cat box on
the bed, and my wife says (I'm at work) that she's looking more alert
and looking outside.

She's quite a purrer. I want to name her Holyfield but my wife is
having a fit.

Holly is a nice name though.

Bless you for caring, and taking on another owner.

Yowie
--
If you're paddling upstream in a canoe and a wheel falls off, how many
pancakes can you fit in a doghouse? None, icecream doesn't have bones.

"Arthur Shapiro" wrote in message
...
With the loss of two of my cats this year, Milo and Thalia, I was
down to
three for the first time in many years. Three is actually a pretty
good
number - convenient and not overwhelming. But...

Nine days ago I answered a CraigsList ad for a kitty, described as
desperately
needing medical care for a badly wounded ear. It turned out that
the person
placing the ad didn't have the cat - it was for a friend. It took
several
days of "back and forth" emails before she was satisfied that I
wasn't some
laboratory looking for an experimental victim kitty. She was
really
suspicious when I mentioned that I had one cat (Banana Simian) who
had to have
her ears removed due to skin cancer, and figured I was really
blowing smoke.

My personal web site, with many pictures to prove it, immediately
convinced
her.

So I ended up talking with both people. The lady with the cat is
recently
homeless and was living with the cat in her mother's car! And
today (Friday)
she has to return the car, and apparently will be out on the
streets. She
somehow raised $350 toward the cat's treatment at a
relatively-inconvenient
(to me) vet hospital. I told her to return the money and I'd
handle things at
my own vets. She was really reluctant to do that after arranging
all these
things, so I agreed.

So before even seeing the cat, I paid for the balance necessary to
have the
cat's one ear removed. Apparently it was completely ignored,
living outside,
and "owned" by the ex-wife of a friend. They stole the cat, in
desperate
condition with the probable skin cancer, and the lady was devoting
all her
time to trying to care for it. She was totally devoted to the
kitty.

Anyway, I got the kitty yesterday, and let's just say it was a
pretty
traumatic scene with the poor lady in tears as she handed the cat
to me. She
knows it will get the best possible medical care and of course we
hope that
it isn't too late. I won't have the biopsy results until early
next week.
She asked if she could be at that followup appointment; of course I
had no
objection. I have been given antibiotics to give her, and had a
couple pain
medicine syringes left over from another incident and gave her one
this
morning. I figured it couldn't hurt.

So I've got a new cat, a pretty little girl, mostly white with a
tabby tail
and a large tabby patch on her sides. Her head is completly
bandaged, like a
mummy, with the eyes, nose, and mouth visible.

She ate a little people tuna when I got her home midday yesterday,
and then
rejected all food until this morning. After rejecting the morning
food, I
gave her the last jar of baby food left over from Thalia's last
days in
October, and she absolutely wolfed it down. Thank goodness - she's
quite
scrawny. She still hasn't used the cat box in 22 hours. I put her
in one
box last evening, and she just went to sleep in it. Right now,
she's on the
bed with a cat box on the bed, and my wife says (I'm at work) that
she's
looking more alert and looking outside.

She's quite a purrer. I want to name her Holyfield but my wife is
having a
fit.

Art

Now that's a marriage. You do all of this for a strangers cat and
your wife is fine with it, but the name...

Jo

Yowie wrote:

Holly is a nice name though.

Bless you for caring, and taking on another owner.


Thanks, everyone. She wolfed down more baby food this evening, and did
pretty well on a can of Fancy Feast. I took her out of the little cat
bed before going to work, and she's spent the entire day on the bed,
moving around slightly with no attempt to craw back into the cat bed.

But she still hasn't used the cat box after about 32 hours.

I'm fairly hostile (to put it mildly) toward mythological holidays, so
Holly is most assuredly out as a name. But I appreciate the sentiments.

The area of the bandages stank when I got her, and it hasn't gotten any
better or worse. As this far-off vet has a stellar reputation, I'll
assume it is the medicine they applied before wrapping her, and not
anything like gangrene.

Art

On Dec 18, 11:53*am, (Arthur Shapiro) wrote:
With the loss of two of my cats this year, Milo and Thalia, I was down to
three for the first time in many years. *Three is actually a pretty good
number - convenient and not overwhelming. *But...

Nine days ago I answered a CraigsList ad for a kitty, described as desperately
needing medical care for a badly wounded ear. *It turned out that the person
placing the ad didn't have the cat - it was for a friend. *It took several
days of "back and forth" emails before she was satisfied that I wasn't some
laboratory looking for an experimental victim kitty. *She was really
suspicious when I mentioned that I had one cat (Banana Simian) who had to have
her ears removed due to skin cancer, and figured I was really blowing smoke. *

My personal web site, with many pictures to prove it, immediately convinced
her.

So I ended up talking with both people. *The lady with the cat is recently
homeless and was living with the cat in her mother's car! *And today (Friday)
she has to return the car, and apparently will be out on the streets. *She
somehow raised $350 toward the cat's treatment at a relatively-inconvenient
(to me) vet hospital. *I told her to return the money and I'd handle things at
my own vets. *She was really reluctant to do that after arranging all these
things, so I agreed. *

So before even seeing the cat, I paid for the balance necessary to have the
cat's one ear removed. *Apparently it was completely ignored, living outside,
and "owned" by the ex-wife of a friend. *They stole the cat, in desperate
condition with the probable skin cancer, and the lady was devoting all her
time to trying to care for it. *She was totally devoted to the kitty.

Anyway, I got the kitty yesterday, and let's just say it was a pretty
traumatic scene with the poor lady in tears as she handed the cat to me. *She
knows it will get *the best possible medical care and of course we hope that
it isn't too late. *I won't have the biopsy results until early next week. *
She asked if she could be at that followup appointment; of course I had no
objection. *I have been given antibiotics to give her, and had a couple pain
medicine syringes left over from another incident and gave her one this
morning. *I figured it couldn't hurt.

So I've got a new cat, a pretty little girl, mostly white with a tabby tail
and a large tabby patch on her sides. *Her head is completly bandaged, like a
mummy, with the eyes, nose, and mouth visible. *

She ate a little people tuna when I got her home midday yesterday, and then
rejected all food until this morning. *After rejecting the morning food, I
gave her the last jar of baby food left over from Thalia's last days in
October, and she absolutely wolfed it down. *Thank goodness - she's quite
scrawny. *She still hasn't used the cat box in 22 hours. *I put her in one
box last evening, and she just went to sleep in it. *Right now, she's on the
bed with a cat box on the bed, and my wife says (I'm at work) that she's
looking more alert and looking outside.

She's quite a purrer. *I want to name her Holyfield but my wife is having a
fit.

Art

Thispost about made me cry. You know that cat had a pretty bleak
future at
a shelter. People like you, who are willing to take on a cat like that
are
rare, rare, rare. Bless you. This is the best post I've read all year.
I'd
love to see a picture of her.
Sherry

In article ,
Sherry wrote:
.. This is the best post I've read all year.
I'd
love to see a picture of her.

Well, I'd love to see what she looks like too! With this totally-bandaged
head, I really have no idea. I'll get a picture when the far-off vet removes
the bandages.

I'm getting really worried about her not using the cat box for a day and a
half now, and don't know if I should contact the remote vet, take her into my
local vet, or just wait it out. I'll leave the cat box on my bed tonight as
she has absolutely no interest in leaving the bed.

This cat is really, really thin; bones around the back by the tail are easy to
feel. But she's still purring up a storm, and I am encouraged that she loves
baby food. It's hard to find that stuff all-meat, but I got several jars of
Gerber, both chicken and turkey.

Art

On Dec 19, 12:31*am, (Arthur Shapiro) wrote:
In article ,Sherry wrote:

. This is the best post I've read all year.

I'd
love to see a picture of her.

Well, I'd love to see what she looks like too! *With this totally-bandaged
head, I really have no idea. *I'll get a picture when the far-off vet removes
the bandages.

I'm getting really worried about her not using the cat box for a day and a
half now, and don't know if I should contact the remote vet, take her into my
local vet, or just wait it out. *I'll leave the cat box on my bed tonight as
she has absolutely no interest in leaving the bed.

This cat is really, really thin; bones around the back by the tail are easy to
feel. *But she's still purring up a storm, and I am encouraged that she loves
baby food. *It's hard to find that stuff all-meat, but I got several jars of
Gerber, both chicken and turkey.

Art

I've noticed that Fancy Feast is starting a line of canned kitten
food. Can't
help wondering if she'd like that, since most cats do like FF. Even if
you
had to puree it, since you already know she likes the texture of baby
food.
And it's great that she's eating something, but if you could coax her
into
eating cat food, she'd be getting taurine and all that other essential
stuff.
I don't blame you for worrying about the lack of a bowel movement;
hope
that resolves itself tonight or tomorrow.
Good luck!
Sherry