RB Stray Cat

"LOL" wrote in message
om...
A stray cat had been hanging around the office for a week or so. He
stayed close, but never let us near him. He would come to the door
and yell for food, and spent most of the rest of his time in a
miserable-looking huddle. When one of the other cats would approach
him, he would cringe and cry; when Dave or I got anywhere close to
him, he'd run. He was very skinny with sadly bedraggled fur; he just
didn't look like a happy cat, and quite often you could see his third
eyelid (dumb us thought at first he had cataracts, though he seemed to
see okay - it took us a while to realize what we were seeing).

We finally managed to trap him today; I was starting to think he
didn't weigh enough to set off the trap. We took him to TED, who
called about an hour later to let us know that, as he suspected after
seeing all the battle scars, the poor thing was positive for FIV *and*
Feline Leukemia, and he recommended euthanasia. We agreed, being
unable to give such a sick kitty the care he'd need and not being able
to think of anyone we knew who'd be willing to take him in. Mike
won't allow another cat at the house, and though Oz and Tiger are much
more flexible, the poor kitty would need more attention than he'd get
at the office where he'd be left alone every night.

We deliberately hadn't named the poor little guy or let ourselves get
attached, for this very reason. He was a beautiful semi-longhaired
gray and black tabby with slanted green eyes, a white bib and four
neat white feet. He'd obviously had a hard life. The best I can say
for him is that he got some good meals and some nice naps in the sun
during his last few days. He deserved better than he got, and I hope
in spite of my doubts that he has someone to meet him at the Bridge.

Poor old fella. Yo gave him the last mercy; a dignified end. And even if
there's no-one else to meet him at Rainbow Bridge, then I have no doubt that
you'll be thanked for your kindness by him when you get there yourself.

Yowie