[LMB] OT: cat indifferent need not apply

[ELLINOR at aol.com]

I was driving through a parking lot and spotted a cat who was sitting  on the 
curb, just staring around.  When I came out of the store and got in  the car, 
the cat decided to start walking across the lot in front of my  car.  Being 
the polite sort, I stopped the car and waited.  She walked  across, than toward 
me, then under my car where she sat.
 
I turned the car off and put on the hazard lights, got down on my hands and  
knees and tried to pull her out.  She was dirty, but looked healthy.   She sat 
with one paw raised.
 
By this time, I had help - an elderly couple and a Hispanic man who spoke  
little English.  The elderly couple provided only moral support; the man  was a 
little more helpful.  He grabbed a small branch and started poking at  her.  I 
stopped him and went into the food store, bought plastic bowls, a  can of cat 
food and a bottle of water...back out to the car to entice the cat  out.  
When I couldn't, previously-mentioned Hispanic man slid under my car  and pulled 
her out.
 
She was dirty, grimy and catatonic (!).  I took her to the 24-hour  emergency 
vet who kind of shrugged their shoulders, then back to my own  vet.  She had 
third degree burns and eventually lost all fur and skin  (which grew back) on 
her abdomen from chest to butt.  Also lost the skin on  the pads of her feet.  
Weeks (and $3,000+) later, we now have Mathilda  (M@~, which my daughter 
named her).  
 
My spoiled, rotten male cat still doesn't like her, but they  co-exist.  He's 
another story; urinary infections, 90 degree bend in  his penis, resulting in 
its removal, so he's technically not a male cat  anymore.  Love knows no 
boundaries - nor does it have much common  sense!  :)
 
Ellinor




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