MEET TOM: A FORGOTTEN FELINE Animal rescue has a tendency to rip your heart out sometimes, and today was one of those days for me. Visits to pounds are always at least a little depressing, and theyre worse if the pound is full of sad, screaming cats as it was today. There was one cat, however, who was saying nothing - he was just lying there with a look of fear and hopelessness on his face. That cat was Tom. Tom is an unneutered orange and white boy, who is very sad and scared at the moment. Tom likely spent last winter, and possibly several others, outside - it is clear from his matted, dirty coat, and his frostbitten ear, that he has had to survive on his own for a while. He has the big, puffy cheeks of a tom cat (hence the name) who has been unneutered for a long time. I dont think hes wild, just broken. I think he has spent such a long time away from human contact that he doesnt know what it is to relax and trust anymore. Hes the most pitiful, sad cat Ive seen recently. Tom was terrified in his cage, which had not friendly written on it. Would most humans behave in a confident, friendly manner if plucked from wherever they had been living, and thrown in jail with strangers they couldnt understand? I had the animal control officer take Tom from his cage, and put him in a carrier; he put up a fight, but Ive certainly seen a lot worse. Everyone left for the day at 4:30, so it was just me and the cats. I took Tom in the next room, away from the noise of the other miserable, frightened cats. I laid his carrier on the counter, pulled up a chair, and opened his carrier door. I sat quietly with him at first; Toms eyes were huge with terror, and I didnt want to make things worse for him. I spoke softly to him, and then he let me stroke the top of his head with two fingers. His eyes started looking a little less worried, and his breathing slowed down a little. Then I began singing to him in a low voice, making up words to songs I no longer remember, tears running down my face as I sang - I couldnt help but look at those sad eyes, frostbitten ear, and imagine all he had been through, all the cold, lonely nights of huddling under cars, and foraging for food. I continued to sing, and before long he curled up in a ball and went to sleep The first picture is the before picture, and the second is of him asleep in his carrier. Tom is now at Sunrise Animal Hospital where hell be neutered, dewormed, tested for Feleuk/FIV, and likely shaved. Tom is no longer forgotten. He is a Heavenly Creatures cat now, and so his past can touch him not. We dont care if he is positive for FIV, Feleuk, or needs to be socialized, we will see him through to his happy ending, no matter how much money or time it takes. If you would like to make a donation to help Tom, please send an E-Mail Money Transfer to heavenlycreaturesdonations@hotmail, or donate via Paypal on our website: heavenlycreatures.ca/donate.asp
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 20:51:08 +0000