Thursday, July 11, 2013

Thankful Thursday.....

We are gonna let mom take this since we weren't really involved. MOL

I live about a 20 minute drive from work. Normally our office manager is the first one into the office, but for whatever reason she was running late on Monday. I got to work, parked and walked up to the front door. Next to the pillar in the mulch was a pile of black fuzz. Animal shaped and not moving despite the noise I was making. I was sure whatever it was had passed. However, I stepped closer and said "hey baby" and a black and white head popped up and gold eyes stared at me for a second. Then the skinniest cat I have ever seen (and I used to work with hoarding and abuse cases with our humane society) stood up and walked over under a bush. HOLY CARP!!!

I opened the front door, turned off the alarm and ran back to my car for the cat carrier I keep in the hatchback (and people laugh at me for that). I walked to the bush and the cat didn't move so I reach in, pulled her out and put her in the carrier. OK - now what???

Thankfully the vet that works with our rescue likes me. :)  I called and asked "are you booked this morning?" They squeezed us in between appointments and I took off...thankfully I work in a small office and they all know the rescue work I do on the side (plus the one partner has a dog and so does the office manager).

"Name?" "I haven't thought about it." "Gender?" "Didn't check." "Background?" "No idea - just found her."

Rob (their vet tech that I adore!!) took me back. Low temp but purring like MAD!! Rob gave her a treat which she barely stopped to chew. Weighed her - she weighed 4 pounds!!!  OMG.....  The vet comes in and checks her over - can't check her heart, she won't stop purring. No id, no microchip, not spayed.  So we discovered she has lice (ewww) which after some research I discover comes mainly from neglect/unsanitary situations (and can be treated with Frontline - yeah!) [and is species specific - which means I can't get it....though I did spend Monday with the "itches"]. She has a limp and her back left leg is "jacked up" as Dr T put it. The vet says it feels like something we should x-ray but is further down the list of things to worry about. We gave her fluids and a name - Licorice.

Oh - and the really important thing: her FIV/FeLV test was....NEGATIVE!!!!

Now, keep in mind that at that time I had: my crew. The space kittens in the bathroom. The s kittens in the playpen in the living room.  And the lice that Licorice has can be passed cat to cat or through common blankets. Great....  so, I set her up in a crate in the garage until I got home from work. I hated the idea of her there overnight and came up with the idea of putting her and the traveling crate in the bathtub. She stayed in the crate so no exposure to the space kittens but she was upstairs in the a/c.

The space kittens went back to the shelter on Tuesday morning. The 3 bigger ones will be spayed/neutered on Thursday and go to the adoption floor. The smaller two will go back into foster care. And, since I was going to stop fostering for this group anyhow, Licorice gave me the ability to say I can't take anything for the time being.

So, short term: she is eating, though she does seem to struggle to bite down (hard to explain) and doesn't seem overly attracted to the canned food (I tried the kitten version of fancy feast). She has been treated for the lice which should kick in by the end of the week. She has been dewormed and will be vaccinated tonight. From there it is just slowly put weight on her. Then x-ray the leg (more for informational purposes - I suspect it is an old injury) and get her spayed. The vet wasn't able to pin down age other than to say "she isn't a kitten and isn't 20" - awesome. LOL   She will make someone a wonderful companion. She is happy to see me when I walk into to spend time with her....makes biscuit, purrs and will (slowly) get up and come over for scritches.

Some of the comments on facebook said she was lucky I found her....there was no luck involved on my part - she was sitting right there.....I can't ignore that (though now I have to wonder.....last summer they found out where I live [the alcohol kittens] and now they know where I work).

 Wish us luck. I have a feeling she is a long term project....but once she is healthy I suspect it won't be too hard to find someone who wants this super sweet girl in their life.

28 comments:

  1. Aw, poor little darling! I'm glad you found her!
    Just hearing the word 'lice' makes me itchy...

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  2. Your love and kindness continue to mark you as an angel as far as we are concerned. It does seem as if these special kitties know where to find the right person to rescue them. Good luck with licorice. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

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  3. Thank goodness you found her - Mum is sat here scratching (and that's just the thought of lice!). She looks to be a very sweet lady we're sure in time someone will give her a loving home.
    Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx

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  4. So good for her that word got out as to where you work! I thank you for all you do for these cats and the love that you give them will help heal them. I have used those Primal treats you reviewed before crushed up on top of wet food to encourage eating wet food. Best of luck to the beautiful girl...she is in good hands! :)

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  5. Poor girl. She knew where to go for help. Could her trouble biting down have to do with bad teeth? Bad gums?

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  6. Oh look at her, poor sweetheart. We're so glad she showed up at the right time for you to rescue her. The Universe/Fate/God/Whatever at work in this instance, perhaps. :-)

    We were thinking bad teeth and/or gum infection too....

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  7. Luck had nothing to do with it. You needed an excuse, and poof, you have one..

    Good job Licorice..

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  8. We read about Licorice earlier on FB. Paws crossed that she gets past her physical ailments quickly - she sounds like an awesome, happy, friendly kitty!

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  9. Of course, this cat is a female. They are the ones most likely to be dumped or abandoned :(

    Thank you for rescuing this sweetheart. She may have a bad tooth.

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  10. Poor thing. How people can do that to an animal is beyond me.

    Once they find you...I know 'cause I got dumped on so many times when I was caring for kitties in NJ

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  11. She sure is pretty and we too and glad she was sent there to wait for you!

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  12. I do not believe in coincidences - so you're being there, and her needing you transpired just as they were meant to. That said, thank GOODNESS you aided her and I will never get used to the heartless people roaming this world that treat animals in this fashion. Absolutely sickening.

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  13. We're purring Licorice makes a full recovery from the neglect. Hopefully the leg isn't too much to worry about.
    Mommy says she once petsit some kitties who lived indoors BUT had lice. She felt all itchy just looking at the lice.

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  14. tims mom...it bee called fate wee bee thinkin heer in de land oh trout....if ewe had taked a vacation day ore a sick day or had been ta werk 5 minits later....who noes...ya mite a never meeted licorice...

    we troooly hope her cheks out aye oh and kay durin de rest oh her examz N stuff...

    will bee askin St Francis ta put in sum OT this time !!!

    XOXOX

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  15. how amazing! I agree, no luck was involved, this was meant to be. Thanks for taking great care of her! I wish the planet was filled with more people like you. I hope she continues to do well and eat!

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  16. Beautiful Licorice! Awwwww - so glad she's safe and on her way to good health and soon a fabulous forever family!! Paws crossed! Take care
    x

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  17. Purrs and love to your mom from all of us! And more purrs for sweet Licorice to get healthy and find the purrfect home!

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  18. She really is a lucky kitty to have been there where you would take her in. The idea of lice has the head peep scratching in front of the computer.

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  19. Aw, you are a life saver for sweet Licorice!

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  20. Our mom always fed the ferals at her work and swore the outside guys all networked with each other as to where the food and shelter was. What a cutie she is! You have a great place to recoup and get strong, Licorice!

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  21. Definitely don't think it's a coincidence that she was right where you'd find her. Thank you, THANK YOU for taking her in! We know she's found love now and someone who will care for her.
    Be well, Licorice!!!
    Play bows,
    Zim

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  22. What a little sweetie!! She IS lucky!

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  23. Well, hey, there, Licorice. You may not know it yet, but your life just took a big upswing. You just hang out and fatten yourself up, OK? Purrrrrsss.

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  24. Well Jeanne, you are just like me, a cat magnet. But we are thrilled that you found her. She will probably be a great cat once she gets all healed up. Take care.

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  25. Oh, that sweetheart! Somehow, something or someone guided her to cross your path. She is so lucky! Thank you for being a cat-magnet! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Purrs...

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  26. What a beautiful thing it is that you happened to find each other. We are happy that Licorice is with you, and are purring and praying that she is all better real soon.

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  27. Thank goodness she was in the right place at the right time for you to find her.

    I hope she thrives and is able to find a forever home soon!

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