Jeffy the day of his rescue. His eyes were so swollen he couldn’t open them. Photo by Dusty Rainbolt.
In May, something happened, both shocking and horrible and touching and beautiful at the same time. A man passing through Highland Village, Texas stopped at Walmart to pick up something when he found a kitten laying motionless in the parking lot. Someone had dumped him.
The good Samaritin took him across the street to Petco where the veterinary office, The Pet Vet, had recently opened. They gave him glucose, which revived him—a little. Petco called Animal Allies of Texas’ cage manager Marjorie, who called me and asked me to take a look at the kitten.
(Personal tangent: There is a special place in Hell for a person who would dump an unconscious kitten (or puppy or any animal) in a parking lot. I have to wonder how many people pulled in and out of that car park ignoring a dying kitten. What is wrong with people? Petco was right across the street for God’s sake.)
Second day. He does have eyes. Photo by Dusty Rainbolt.
Thrown Away Like Trash
The Siamese-mix could fit in my hand. Even though he had all of his baby teeth, including premolars (meaning he was at least six weeks old), he weighed only .6 of a pound. He should have weighed at least a 1.5 pounds. With sunken eyes swollen shut and bony to the touch, odds of survival were long. Were I a betting person, I wouldn’t not have taken that bet. Still, I had to at least give it a try, didn’t I? At home we celebrated when I got one cc of liquefied Hill’s a/d down him. That was it. A whopping single cc of nutrition. By the end of the day, he took three ccs at once. What a victory.
The next day I took the kitten to my vet, Cassie Epstein at the Animal Hospital on Teasley Lane in Denton. What’s his name the vet tech asked. He didn’t have a name. I don’t like to name foster kittens because you get attached to them. Arg. Okay. The first name to came to me was…Jeff? His name is Jeff, for now…until he’s adopted…by someone else…hopefully very soon.
Cassie’s diagnosis: herpes upper respiratory infection and starvation—sick little kidden
Cassie’s prognosis: guarded
Treatment: Antibiotics, eye ointment, worming and groceries, groceries, groceries.
A week after he was found in a Walmart parking lot, Jeffy is growing a belly filled with food, not parasites. Photo by Dusty Rainbolt.
I could still only get three ccs down Jeffy at a sitting, so we sat every hour. Even late at night. It was like having a critically ill bottle baby. The following day he could finally open his eyes a little. The lights were on. Was there really a functional kitten inside there?
After three days, he would voluntarily take five ccs. Then more and more, until he had a ravenous appetite (which thrives to this day.)
The Transformation
A month later, an amazing ugly, sick cat-erpillar transformed into a butterfly. He was beautiful. It was time to find Jeffy a home. My hubby did his photography magic and took the most endearing photo of Jeff with a plush kitty. Animal Allies of Texas could post him on the pet adoption sites and get him a new home. I kept asking Hubby to forward the photos and he always had an excuse not to send them to me.
Already Jeffy monopolizes the remote so he can watch Animal Planet. Photo by Dusty Rainbolt.
Finally, he ‘fessed up, “You’re not paying attention. That kitten is really bonded to you.”
So, I’ve fostered thousands of kittens in my 30+ years in cat rescue. They all bond to you. But when they go to their forever homes, they will bond with their new people. It’s part of the process.
Yes, Jeffy followed everywhere like a puppy. Yes, he snuggled. Yes, there was something special there. We don’t need another cat. (For the record, our elderly cat population took a huge hit the last two years. We lost four cats in 2017 to lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma and an abdominal mass. 2016 was also tough on our golden oldies.)
“Look at him. He’s a blue mink Tonkinese,” Weems insisted. Yes, by appearance, Jeffy is a blue mink—only the second one I’ve rescued in three decades. The last one was Nixie, my heart cat, my muse and our photography model. Her death four years at the age of 18 still makes me cry. Weems insisted, Jeffy was sent to help me heal after the death of my father, mom and so many amazing cats.
Jeffy already has experience as both an actor and a professional model. Here’s one of the profile photos that never made it to Petfinder. Photo by Weems S. Hutto.
Next thing I know, I’m filling out adoption forms and hubby is paying the adoption fee. It was official. Jeffy (why did I name him Jeff?) is mine.
Jeffy is now six months. He sits on command, shakes hands and high fives. We’re working on other tricks. Jeffy has a greater Instagram following than I do.Hundreds of people keep up with him on Instagram. He loves walking on my computer keyboard. (Who knows, there might be a future connected with writing.) In the meantime,
Thank you, God for sending a half-pound angel to me. Thank you, Weems for recognizing a gift when you see it. Thank you to the good Samaritan who found Jeff and didn’t walk past. And to the jerk who left Jeff to die in a parking lot, shame on you. You are teaching your kids your value of life. Trust me. It will come back to haunt you when you get old and they abandon you. Good luck with that.
On that note, happy Caturday.
#jeffyjeffybadboy #AnimalAlliesofTexas #Petco #ThePetVet #catsofinstagram #Instacat #catsofig #dustyrainbolt #adoptdontshop #adopted #catrescue #friendsforlife #poorkitty #rescuecat #savealifeadopt #sickkitty #spayandneuter ayandneuter #spayandneuteryourpet #rescuecat #specialneedscat
Recent Comments