Breed Unknown |
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 Photo Comments Sex: Male Weight: 16 lbs.
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Leave a treat for Charlie
Nicknames:
Champagne Kitty
Kitty Complexion:
| | | | | | | | | Activeness | | | | | | Intelligence | | | | | | Curiosity | | | | | | Friendliness | | | | | | Vocal | | | |
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Quick Bio:
Coloration:
Champagne
Likes:
Catching squirrels.
Favorite Toy:
Squirrels again.
Favorite Food:
Yep, it's probably squirrel.
Dwells:
outdoors
Arrival Story:
Charlie was a feral neighborhood cat. Constantly wary and shy, he'd sneak onto the front porch to grab a snack. With winter coming, we put a small shelter on the porch for him. He used it when it got really cold, but as soon as the sun came up, he'd be gone. This went on for a couple years! We were resigned to the fact that he was truly feral and that this was probably as far as the relationship would ever get. Then one day we noticed he was limping. Though always kind to the other neighborhood cats, (as far as we ever saw) Charlie is a BIG boy. We don't know what he got in a fight with, but whatever it was had left a nasty punction wound right through his right back paw. No matter, he was still too fast for us to catch, we hoped his wound would heal on its own. Unfortunately (or fortunately as you'll see) this wasn't going to happen and in just a few days it became clear that Charlie was really in trouble. Desperate times call for desperate measures! Before the crack of dawn we snuck out of the house and crept around to the front porch. Throwing a blanket over his shelter we were able to trap him, transfer him to a carrier and get him to the vet (even desperately ill, he was quite a tiger, maybe as scared as I was I guess!). Many visits and several long stays at the vet were needed to get the infection in Charlie's paw under control. In between we brought him home and keep him in an extra large, wire dog pen in the garage. He had to stay quiet so his foot could heal and he needed antibiotics twice a day. This meant taking him out of the cage regularly so we could clean it and give Charlie his meds. My husband had to buy welders gloves that went clear to the shoulder to handle him! Ever so slowly, Charlie's foot healed. Maybe he finally figured out we were just trying to help him, maybe he finally figured out he just couldn't stop us. I don't really know. I know that we had to keep Charlie in the garage about three months and that each time we took him out, he fought us a little less. Eventually, the day came, his foot had healed enough to let him loose. By now his heart had softened enough towards us that once we had him out of the cage and wrapped in a towel, we could actually pet him with our bare hands. Of course the real test would be, once we let him loose, would we ever see him again? I had my husband install a cat door into the garage door (you'd have thought I was asking him to deface one of the seven wonders of the world!) and then, we set Charlie free. It took several more months, but in the end Charlie decided that living in the garage and getting brushed and pet and fed regularly beat the beans out of sleeping in the bushes. He's still skittish and has to be approached quietly and calmly or he'll bolt - only, he won't go but so far.
I've Been On Catster Since:
| November 10th 2007 |
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More than 4 years! |
Rosette, Star and Special Gift History
Catster Id:
661983
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Ask a Cat Lady: Why Does My Cat Love Knocking Things Down?
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