James - Kitty I Rescued Yesterday

Tweet

So yesterday was a great day. It started normal -- work, work, work -- until an instant message from a coworker popped up on my computer screen: "I just fed a blind kitty downstairs some sardines."

Whaaaa? A blind kitty? Downstairs in my office parking lot? No way, I thought. I feed all the cats around here. I'd have known about a new kitty.

"Do you think the Humane Society would come pick him up if I called?" he asked. No, not really. Animal Control might, but we all know what would happen there.

Is he blind because he's too little to open his eyes, I asked him, or because he's grown and really blind? (This is a valid question, no?) He said he wasn't that small and asked if I wanted him to take me to the kitty.

YES. Someone's got to help this poor guy! He won't make it out there like that. So I called in the troops -- my friend Kelly from the next building over who carries a cat carrier in her car like it's her job to do these kind of things... and what a great job that would be!

James (that's my coworker) brought me to some some bushes where the messiest, shakiest, frailiest, little crusty-looking kitty was huddled up at. Oh my goodness, I said. Poor little one!

Clearly this kitty needed help. And now. We'd worry about the cost and the rest later. So Kelly and I loaded the poor little guy into the carrier and drove off to the vet we went.

Out of the way, everyone, crazy cat ladies coming through!

We didn't even know if the little kitty could be saved -- he had mange, we were pretty sure, and pretty bad. The nurse called him messy. The vet made a face of sad sympathy... and said he should be OK with a little treatment! Turns out he wasn't blind either, it was just that his eyes were all shut from his bad skin condition, and they'd get better, too!

Kitty 1, Mange 0.

He gave him a little Revolution treatment on the back of his neck and told us he'd probably be a whole new kitten in just five or six days. Yay! We left him there for some more tests, to be sure he didn't have anything real bad and said we'd be back.

But now... what to do with him when we pick him up? We're both maxed out on cats in our homes.

Enter the amazing people at Animal Aid! (You may remember them as the ones who helped me before with The Meows.) I called and emailed and they said they'd take James in (we named the kitty after the guy who found him!) and care for him.

James 2, Mange 0!

So I dropped him off with one of the nicest, kindest, sweetest animal people you'll ever meet. James will be staying in her bedroom for a little while until he's healthier and stronger. And when he's all better, I just know he's going to be the cutest thing and get a GREAT forever home!

Not bad for a mangey kitty who probably wouldn't have lasted one more day in that parking lot! I'll keep you updated, but I'm hoping for a score of James 3, Mange 0 in a few weeks!

James update, 12:45 p.m.: Sad news. Just read an email from the woman who watched over him last night. James stayed in her bedroom with her, and she checked on him three times during the night. He was warm, sleeping and breathing all three times. She had him a carrier with blankets, and the whole thing on a heating pad to keep him warm like the vet suggested. He was fine all three times, but when she woke up this morning, he had gone to the Rainbow Bridge.

I know we did all we could have for this little guy. I'm happy he got some love an attention in his last few hours, but it breaks my heart that he didn't make it. Thanks for all your kind comments so far. R.I.P. little James -- you're with good friends at the Bridge now and happy and not suffering any more. :(