"Kitty-Wilbur" adopted us the first part of March. We haven't had pets since 11 years ago when our 16-year-old kitties became ill. I didn't want another kitty because it tore me up to lose the ones we had.So "Kitty-Will" started hanging around here and lived in the big tree in our front yard. Little by little, he moved to our front porch and wanted to be closer to us and our fatal mistake was when 'husband' wanted to feed him. It was obvious he had been someones pet and he craved affection.
One Sunday morning he, still being uneasy around us, took a little scrape out of my arm with his front teeth when I was feeding him. He was overly anxious and overly hungry. Who knows how long it had been since his irresponsible previous owners dropped him off in our neighborhood.
"Kitty-Will" had bitten down on Ed A.'s hand the night before, but Ed thought he was such a fine cat, he just ignored it and kept petting him. "Kitty-Will" loved the attention!
A little history: When our daughter was four years old, a neighbor dog bit her in the face. I was taking a college course at night at the time and one of the students was a veterinarian. I started asking him questions about animal bites and soon discovered that a veterinarian knows more about animal bites and the consequences than most doctors will ever know. I discovered also that the neighbor's dog had never had his shots. So I lived in terror, checking that dog every day for signs of rabies. It turned out fine and nothing came of it, but those old fears kicked in out of my memory.
So the day of the bite from "Kitty-Will," I went to many neighbors but no one was missing a cat. Everyone has their own cat! I was stuck with the reality of being bitten by a cat I didn't know anything about.
I made an appointment with a local veterinarian and asked the pet hospital where she worked to board "Kitty" (isolate him) for ten days. They checked him over the day I took him in and found him to be a healthy, attractive 11 pound cat and a neutered male at that. Now I knew he'd been someones pet.
I picked "Kitty-Wilbur" up on the tenth day of his visit to the pet hospital. He'd been tested for cat fevers, including feline leukemia and was released as a healthy specimen. He was so happy to be back "home" and adoringly rolled at our feet. We had a cat whether we wanted one or not.
He became a garage kitty with a pet door that 'husband' had installed just for his use, but he wanted nothing to do with the pet door. So during the day, the garage door was left open just enough for him to come and go. At night he was tucked inside safe from the night's predators.
The very next day after coming "home," he 'lovingly' wrapped his paws around my leg and took a bite of my flesh again! This time a bigger chunk. I was very disappointed in "Kitty-Wilbur" at this point. Here, I'd had him watched for a disease, had shots given to protect him from future ills, had him protected from worms and treated for fleas but alas! his character was the same. He would do the same to husband when it came to grabbing the legs but husband wears jeans and I wear skirts so he didn't get to feel the impact I did.
"Kitty-Wilbur" was with us a month (if the isolation is included) but I began looking for a new home for him. We are facing a move from our home to a smaller one soon and husband is allergic to cat hair, not to mention the "character flaw" Kitty had in his possession.
There are shelters that promise to find homes for pets or they will keep them. The only drawback is a paper must be filled out called a "character sheet" to see if the pet is adoptable. Oh, what to do....... So I spoke on the phone with the veterinarian and we agreed that in all honesty, I couldn't say "Kitty-Will" was a good candidate for adoption. We also agreed that actually putting him to sleep permanently would be the most humane and kind option for "Kitty-Will." Who knows if someone would take him home with them and the first nip on the leg and he might be badly treated. He wouldn't have the kind nurturing that he was used to at our house! We brushed his fur, fed him canned cat food, made sure he was tucked in at night...He adored us and we really liked him!
But an appointment had been set prior to this for a booster shot he needed, so that instead was set up to be his day of departing this scene.
I was dreading this upcoming appointment. We have faced this before four times. As the day came closer, I was counting the hours; then it came down to minutes....
When it was time to go to the pet hospital, I went into the garage and picked "Kitty-Will" up from his cozy bed, wrapping him in a big bath towel and put him into the cat carrier. Tears had been choking me up all day and now they were falling on his beautiful coat. I was trying to tell him good-bye and explaining what I was about to do was for his good. He just looked at me like "What now? What did I do?"
Husband and I drove him to the dreaded appointment and I asked the staff there to please take him to the other room as I couldn't bear to wait while the veterinarian performed her task. An empty pet carrier was returned to us and amidst the rain, we cried our way home.....
All "Kitty-Wilbur" had wanted was a friend; someone to whom he could devote himself. I am consoled by knowing I gave him maybe his best weeks of care and kindness and in the end, he would hardly have felt a thing as he went to sleep forever. At least, I hope that is true....
No more pain; no more hunger or fear. "Kitty-Will" has a wonderful Home......
