Saddest thing - Page 10

Originally Posted by razl

Cute shit

Originally Posted by razl

My wife and I do a lot of cat rescue work (though it's mostly trap/spay/neuter/release) - and,having read Korben's story, thought I'd share something similar...

We got a call from someone who got our number through the grapevine that an elderly woman had passed on and her family was unwilling to take on her 2 cats. Unfortunately, by the time we got the call, both cats had been unceremoniously excommunicated from their house of many years (cats don't understand this, and - after having been raised inside with food dishes - do not necessarily know how to forage outside). To make matters worse, one of the cats had gotten into a tussle with a local dog and, per their description was "hurt real bad".

By the time we got there, they had the cat's leg bandaged up, though the blood seeping through made it pretty clear it was a serious case of being bitten/mauled. Luckily, through our volunteer work, we have connections with some vets who do work either pro-bono or very cheap. Unfortunately, it means that the cats don't always get the best treatment. Long story, short - while I'm thankful we had a vet willing to work with us, they didn't quite give the patent the attention he should have gotten and infection set in. Within 48 hours it became clear that the only option was amputation.

At the time, we'd seen a lot of weird and wacky things with cats - blind, deaf, old, etc. - butnever an amputee. Once the procedure was done and the cat was retrievable I went to pick him up. I totally broke down when I saw him without a back leg. I really felt like we let him down (maybe if we coughed up the cash instead of the pro-bono route? what if we took him to another vet? what if....?) and he was fscked for life. The vet walked me through the basics of what it was going to be like with a 3-legged cat with the main point being - unbelievably - "he'll get used to it, he'll be fine!" which seemed impossible when I'm looking at a 3 legged cat.

I brought him home and when I got him to our extra bedroom/makeshift infirmary, I opened the carrier and he bounded out. I mean, he pogo sticked across the floor, slid on his stump, and then bolted right back at me, jumped on the bed and laid down with just a pleased-as-punch look on his face. I was stunned. He was far less worried about it than I was!! In fact, I suspect, he's still not quite sure to this day what's wrong or if there even is anything wrong (well, he probably suspects something when he goes to scratch using his "stump" and the side of his head is still itching...I lend a hand everytime I see him do it)

Like most of our "patients" or fosters, we planned on getting him adopted out, but I christened him "Max" (???) and, well, he's been here ever since.

Not all of our emergency situations turned out like this, but - like most things - it's feels so much worse when you're in the middle of it.

Originally Posted by Nosu3

I've never seen a three-legged cat, but have known two dogs without one leg. The animals do handle it surprisingly well, they are troopers.

Originally Posted by Helix

If you read that story and DON'T cry you should probably be in an institution.

Originally Posted by Rosenberg

the mountain lions were there first. i'm sure i'll get called a dick for saying that but it's true

Originally Posted by razl

Now that we've had him for a couple of years, his 3-legged-ness has become a bit of a novelty. He's a little less graceful, a bit more lumbering, but more than capable, able to get around and, yes, even jump (though that's more like wobble-launch + clamber-pull-up).

For others who might be in a similar situation I can at least say that losing a back leg for a cat is not only survivable, but perfectly do-able. They'll "pogo-stick" more than walk, but they'll be able to get around and manage just fine. I've heard that losing a front leg is a bit more difficult, but I don't know this first hand and, suspect, just like our Max, the animal in question will adapt to what they have. And, being the troopers that they are, they'll do it faster and better than you'd expect.

I don't think I conveyed it well in my previous post, but I'll try again - what occurred to me after bringing him home and seeing his reaction - no problems! - was that I was wrapped up in the emotion of the event. Since I could envision the "what if?" I was upset about the ramifications. For him it was just up-and-at-'em, a few days of "hmmm, something's odd?", adaption, and then moving on with his life. There was no sorrow, no worries, and no complaining - nothing more than "it's a new day dad, where do we go from here?" It was a lesson in a nutshell on practical pragmatism.

Originally Posted by archetypal_yuppie

People (Americans) are SO soft these days.....

Originally Posted by archetypal_yuppie

There are 100 trillion things worse in the world than a cat getting killed by a dog.

Originally Posted by razl

My wife and I do a lot of cat rescue work (though it's mostly trap/spay/neuter/release)

Originally Posted by archetypal_yuppie

2) Humans trace back to the dawn of life on earth just as pumas do.

Originally Posted by archetypal_yuppie

There are 100 trillion things worse in the world than a cat getting killed by a dog.

Originally Posted by Korben

So I was on my way to work this morning driving my normal path and I come to a red light. A car had hit a kitten and the poor thing was trying to move with two legs.. The other two both on the same side had been crushed.. Its raining and cold and just a miserable day. I am sitting there in a new suit, warm car and gloves. I just couldn't take it... (this is one of the major streets in my city). I flip on my flashers get out of the car go to the middle of the intersection and pick the little thing up. Not a car moves... I get back in, put the little guy in the passenger seat (its making the worst sounds I have ever heard). Luckily my son had left his gym bag in the back and towel was hanging out, so I wrapped him up. Pulled a U turn in the intersection and went to the animal hospital a few blocks away. Long story short a ruined suit, two missed morning meetings, and about $2,000 in vet bills so far, I have a new little cat I'm gonna call.... Rudy. The little thing lost one leg completely but the vet salvaged the other. I thought they would just put it down but they asked me if I wanted them to try and save it and well I couldn't say no. He is resting at the hospital for now and they told me in 2 weeks I may be able to bring him home.

And to top it all off I am allergic to cats, starting allergy shots.

Originally Posted by Ataturk

Let me just say--you people really get on my nerves. How can you think it's more humane to "release" feral animals? Either find homes for them or destroy them. Sheesh.

Originally Posted by Ataturk

So not only are you releasing these animals onto the streets, but you're feeding them as well. If I lived near one of your "colonies," I'd sue you for creating a nuisance.