I was trapping feral cats who were headed for a barn, in an apartment building parking lot. Instead, I caught little Miss Glorious. After trapping, we went pretty quickly to the Spay Neuter Clinic and I dropped her off for neuter, rabies shot, FIV/FelLeuk test and ear tip. I didn't know she was a domestic cat at that time. I returned to pick her up later that afternoon to learn that she was previously spayed, had a shoulder chip and was 10 years old. After a day of unsuccessfully trying to make contact with anyone who might be attached to the chip, they gave her back to me.
Her abandonment hit me hard. She had not had the protection nor the guidance of a colony as a feral would have and had been completely on her own.
I took this sweet little soul home, put her in the MASH Unit and gave her a thorough once over. She was in a bind for sure. She was so tiny and so desperate.
She didn't particularly want to be touched and shunned it for 24 hours. During that time, she would move away from my touches, did not eat or sleep and sat frozen and on high alert. Then she ate and slept for 4 days, waking only to eat again- spoons full at a time.
She weighed 5lbs 5 oz / 2.7 kg and began to lean into my hands when I touched her.
She was also filthy from crouching in the dirt and parking lot grime - especially her back legs.
She gets rubbed down with a warm wet wash cloth and brushed several times a day. She loves to be brushed and really lends herself to the process. She's starting to come around. She prefers the kennel but is willing to be coaxed out more and more each day.
This girl is timid, no doubt about it but I set the bar high for her and she seems willing to make the leap each time
At times I bring her to the door of the rehab room so she can see that there is more than her kennel and immediate surroundings. Each day, I wonder if she will allow us to leave the room but she panics and the best I can do is stand with her near the door so she can see a little bit out. Today, as usual, she panicked and I turned around and returned to the chair where she could sit on my lap. She jumped off my lap and, under her own terms, peeked out the door for a few seconds before running back to the kennel. Her terms work for me.
She made it to 5 lbs 14 oz today. I guess she's more confident with the extra heft.
Well, it's been 2 weeks since she arrived. She's getting closer to 7 pounds/ 3 kg. She's doing great and I am so blown away to think that this tiny little being was so alone in the land of the giants and survived! She has no scratches or cuts - she's way too small to even consider fighting. She could not compete for food or even for space.
Brave spirit, she has a lot of courage and continues to deliver as I push the envelope of what is expected of her. Every day she's more stable. Her feeding schedule is becoming consistent, her bowels are in good shape and she likes YouTube cat music. Life is good.
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