Blinded Kitten Needs Adoption or Foster ASAP!!
I watched the backyard for a week before I finally caught up with her last night. She was with her family, a tiny, beautiful calico kitten (red, white and black) making a valiant effort to keep up with her brothers and sisters. But she was falling behind, being elbowed out of the food, and clearly does NOT have what it takes to live a feral life.
I scooped her up, and took her to the emergency vet. She was feral for about two minutes. When she realized I was not going to hurt her, her tiny, cold paws curled gently around my finger, and she melted. She so needed to be rescued.
While she appears basically healthy, the prognosis for her eyes is uncertain. The vet says it is possible that there could be normal eyes under all that swelling. It will take a week to see if the meds will save them. Meantime, this baby girl needs more than anyone in my circle can give. She needs a patient, gentle person with time and a tender hand. She needs meds 3x a day and to know the world and people are safe. Right now she's with my aunt, who is 83, half blind herself, and hardly able to see the medicine bottle. That can't last. The shelters.... all full. She can't go back with her family. If we can't place her within a day or two... well...
We'd rather see her get a chance.
If you're thinking you'd love to open your home and heart, but a potentially blind kitten is too much for you, take it from my friend Penny, whose Ben was the love of her life, and the smartest cat she ever had. A blind cat can be as normal as a seeing one. Ben amazed her every day with his affection, abilities and intelligence. He got around just as well as a seeing cat, and even moved with her several times. He always adjusted beautifully.
Of course blindness and
deafness are apples and oranges, but don't forget, your very own Crazy Johnny, the star of
this cartoon, is deaf. Smartest, biggest personality you
ever want (or didn't want) to meet.
But
you know what, even if they're not super intelligent, not profoundly
beautiful, not the life of the party, or special in any way, it's the
one that needs you the most that
takes the biggest piece of your heart.
Please, consider giving
this precious baby girl a chance. If you can't do it yourself,
forward this on to someone who may. If you can help, write: jane@thepridecartoon ASAP. Reference this article in the subject box.
PS: My grandmother always said a calico kitten is good luck for the family who adopts her. -JD
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The
baby was taken first thing the following Monday to a veterinarian and had
surgery on both eyes. The operation is meant to help her eyes heal.
At this moment, the future for her sight is still uncertain, but after
being treated for parasites, UTI, URI, and pain, the kitten is
feeling much better, and has transformed from a listless creature on
death's doorstep into a lively, active baby girl. The volunteers named
her Grace.
There will be a careful and painstaking screening
process, but when she is well enough, Grace will be put up for adoption
through Bobbi & The Strays. We will give periodic reports here.
Grace
is one of seven kittens born to Opal, the current alpha female of my
mother's backyard colony. Faithful readers will remember, before my mother became ill
we had volunteers from Friendly Ferals coming regularly to TNR (trap,
neuter and release). That was after (and largely because) The Captain (the alpha female at
that time) gave birth to Jack on our doorstep and abandoned him. Friendly Ferals
successfully TNRed 15 cats. Only Ruby and Sylvia could not be caught.
Within months they were pregnant, and the cycle had started all over
again. - JD
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