|
 |
|
| Name: |
Beanie
|
Age: |
Ten weeks old
|
| Gender: |
Male
|
Kind: |
Domestic Longhair
|
| Home: |
Annapolis, Maryland, USA
|
This
is Beanie. He is an adorable long-haired brown tabby boy, who is
about ten weeks old. I found him early one morning in the woods behind
my home, while I was feeding the feral colony I take care of. It wasn't
light out yet, but the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon
and creat shadows in the woods. I usually squat down in the woods for a
few minutes while the colony eats, so I can do a head count on everyone
and look for anyone having any problems, or any "new additions" to
the colony. Some motion in the woods next to me caught my eye. I knew
there was a litter of kittens out there that needed to be trapped and
altered. I estimated them to be about six weeks old at this point and I
was about to get my first glimpse of them. As I watched, the shadows in
that area began to take form. First, one little black kitten head and
then another. I realized that the upcoming weekend would be spent
trapping these babies, now that they were ambulating and out and about.
I mentally began planning the weekend's trapping, while watching these
two make it over to the food to eat. Suddenly, there was another kitten
emerging from the woods, but there was something wrong with this kitten.
Each step he made to go forward caused him to flip on one side and then
flop on the other, but all the while he made a steady progression to the
food bowls. I panicked knowing I could not leave this baby out there. I
had no equipment with me, no gloves, traps, towels ... nothing. I knew
enough to know that even a six-week-old kitten can run and bite as good as
an adult when scared, plus I couldn't risk being bitten by a kitten with
neurological signs - but I also knew I wasn't leaving the woods without
him. I've been vaccinated for rabies, so I decided I would risk it and
try to grab him. The more pressure there is to do a "grab" the more I'm
liable to klutz it up. I inched over to the bowl where the little guy
was eating, mind you there are about fifteen adults ferals eyeing me warily,
as well as two other kittens wondering what's up, but I kept inching as
slowly as I could. I finally decided that it was now or never, so I
poised my hand just over the babies' scruff and went in for the grab. Of
course I did klutz it up, but the little guy flopped over when I tried
to grab him (and missed) and that was all I needed to get him and wrap
him in my sweat shirt. Needless to say fifteen ferals shot off in all
directions, but I was so elated to have gotten this little baby out of
those woods, I couldn't see straight.
Beanie never hissed, growled or showed much fear at all - he actually
seemed somewhat intrigued by the whole ordeal. I immediately got him
over to my vet to be examined and other than his lack of coordination
(ataxia) he was normal. He could hear, see, use a litter pan and eat
like a horse. Within a few hours he was even playing with a small fur
mouse. He has since been diagnosed with Cerebellar Hypoplasia, most
likely contracted while still in his mother from Feline Panleukopenia
(feline distemper.) There is no doubt he is part of the feral litter
from my colony, and I'm not sure if his disability made him simply not
understand to fear humans (at least for the cursory pre-socialization
period) but he's been nothing but the sweetest little boy. Everyone
who meets him loves him, but I have to admit I am on the top of that
list. What makes Beanie so special is that his feral mom took such good
care of him to be sure he survived out in those woods, even with his
disability (and there are lots of raccoons and fox out there to contend
with), it's like she got him to the point of getting around so he could
be seen by me, then I could takeover and make sure nothing happened to
him. He will always walk in a zig-zagged way, and tumble every so
often, but other than that he's a normal little cat who has found his
forever home with me (and several feline siblings).
|
|
|
|
|
