It’s a special treat when I ease into morning awareness and discover Trader sleeping in my bed. He’s not very much of a “bed cat,” preferring to loll on car hoods, the open expanse of floors, or the lawn. On one particular morning, I felt his weight on my hair. He loves to share pillows and the more human hair he yanks out, the louder her purrs, the more insistently he kneads. Sleepily reaching my hand up to give him a good scratch, buried in his fur I detected…something…disgusting. Something nightmarish. Something of garbled gags and guttural cries. Something that made me pitch forward–only I was trapped because Trader was lying on my hair. Singlehandedly removing my hair from beneath his bulk, I rolled over with mild, apprehensive nausea and investigated what sticky, grisly gobbet was mired in what I call his “puffy shirt”–that being the fluffy ruff of chest fur that all long-haired cats have.
Many of us have experienced the feeling of sadness and helplessness when seeing a stray or feral cat fending its way outdoors with no one to care for them, often wondering what their story may be or can they be helped? Fortunately, there are many ways you can empower yourself or others to make a positive difference in these cat’s lives. Take for example, the previously feral kittens currently at our hospital who are up for adoption. Their mother “Mama” was a stray cat with her 4 kittens who were abandoned and trying to survive by living under an apartment building. Her kittens never had human contact so were literally untouchable without trying to run away in fear of their lives. They are now socialized, fuzzy, lovable kittens ready to have their forever home. If it were not for Dr. Sechrest and our staff, they would have continued their fight for survival and been another group of homeless cat leading very difficult lives.
The summer means being outside! As avid bicyclists we get out as often as we can. In keeping with prudence and safety, we take some precautions when we go out. Helmets, sun screen, plenty of water, extra tire tubes are always part of the plan. Our kitties that spend time outdoors also need extra protection.
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