So, early on the morning of the coldest day in a year, “someone” (*cough*not gonna say who but you know who you are) let our lil rescue kitty out into the cold, shortly before 4” of snow began to fall. By 0500, she had. . . disappeared. So, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, through Thursday AM, with snow on the ground and temps in negative numbers overnight (and not above freezing during the day), lil Pixel. . . dealt with it.
I kept putting food out. Her fav bed was in her cat carrier with bags of “donation clothing” over the carrier for insulation and a heating pad inside the bed cover. Food kept disappearing but kept not seeing Pixel and got no response to calls. Saw tracks that looked like they were hers, but no cat.
Last checkup “yesterday” was ~0100 this morning. Again, food was gone but no cat. Refilled the food container.
Got up this AM and went out with food to check, and food was gone. Saw movement to the south. Pixel. Called, she came. Pet her. Tried picking her up and she ran. Called again, and the second time was the charm.
Seems no worse for wear, though she did demolish a large bowl of water.
Yeh, yeh, it’s just a cat, and a “stray” cat at that. But still, small blessings.
I am glad she’s OK.
“Just a cat” But as wonderful part of life.
Yeh. A lot of it is the investment in caring for her. She presented as a small, scrawny, underfed and VERY pregnant young cat with a gash on her face running up and into her right ear. Food and water convinced her to let me approach and treat her wound, but she VIGOROUSLY avoided being picked up (to be taken to the vet), within a few days, she was back UNpregnant, which meant kittens somewhere. *sigh* Eventually, she brought them up with her and we were able to get them all inside, make sure they were as healthy as they could be, and place the kittens with homes. Then, her first vet visit. Surgery to “pull her plumbing” was delayed because of an ongoing low grade infection.
She’snot a “pretty” cat in most folks’ perception, but she does have a beautiful nature–sweet and appreciative of care. Tiny little voice but LOUD purr. Still very dainty, and to my eye really pretty (though folks have commented on her scarred face and drab coloration, I DGARA. 😉 )
She’s rescheduled for spaying Feb 5. Full workup before, though, so any issues from these days out might delay the surgery again. Still, she appears at least as healthy as she was before this, though she was VERY thirsty. Snow just doesn’t do for hydration, and I could only put out dry food to entice her to stick around (tried putting out a can of “wet” food, but it froze quickly).
Best pic of Pixel with bad camera *heh*. Scar on right side of face not really visible in this shot.
She reminds me of our cat. He was the second smallest in his litter and was born with a deformed tail. It was bent like a corkscrew. The runt was pushed out by the rest and starved to death within a couple of days.
About a year later my wife and I were away from home in Leavenworth and we got a call from our son and his girlfriend. He (the cat) had been sleeping under a neighbor’s van and was run over when it pulled out. Left front paw crushed flat. Jaw broken in several places. Several teeth missing.
After a rather expensive trip to the vet we brought him home. He’s lived with a deformed paw, a wire holding his jaw together and those missing teeth for the last 15 years. And he’s still dumb as a rock.
But we love him.
Except for the “dumb as a rock” part, yeh, that’s kinda been Pixel’s story, though with a wee tad less stress. Just a wee tad. *heh* Once again. though, she came in with a wound, though this time on a back leg. It’s skinned over and is starting to “fur out” now, but she didn’t much like the antibiotic lotion treatment this time. Oh well. . .