What did I say a couple days ago, when I first learned about Hattie's injuries? I said I wasn't going to leave the doors open anymore for the cats to go out at will. So what happened this morning? Zoe ran out at the dogs' feet when they first went out to pee, uncatchable like Odysseus and his men clinging to the bellies of Polyphemus' sheep to escape the cyclops' cave. And Athena and Alfred convinced me to leave the door open a couple hours later, so they could go lizard hunting. The cats brought in at least three lizards, and Zoe disappeared for the entire day, not returning until I came home from bunco at 9:30. It was just more stress than I could handle. I really worried about Zoe, especially when I was walking around the block, looking across the street at the swampy woods and along the roadway (not wanting to see her there!), and there were three large birds of prey circling high over my Park. When I got home tonight, I left the garage open, and wandered around calling her. While I was catching up with my neighbor, who had also just arrived home, Zoe finally turned up and ran in the now-dark garage. Once I went in to let her inside, I could hear her meowing, but I couldn't find her. My instinct was to reach inside my laundry room and turn on the overhead light, rather than punch the button to lower the door. I'm so glad I did that. She was on the raised door, meowing and nervous. She had forgotten how to get down, she said. I had to pat the top of my car, and insist that she jump onto it to step down. I don't know what she was doing all day, but she is acting a little freaked out. I promised her that her daddy would be home tomorrow, so maybe she will calm a bit when she sees him. I wondered whether she spent the whole day looking for him.
As of today, lizard season is officially open. Athena started with one that seemed to be three quarters dead by the time I saw her flipping it around. I think she was wanting the fun to last longer than it did. I took a few pictures, and then put it out of my head for a while. Then I noticed that Alfred and Jack were intensely focused on something under the dining room table. It turned out to be a big fat skink, and I got down on my knees to take some pictures of them at ground level. While I was there, Athena ran into my ankle, and even before I turned around, I knew she was on anole number two. I let myself get distracted taking pictures of her, and when I turned back to the skink, it was gone. I realized my error immediately. Now there is a nasty, disease-laden lizard lost in my house, and I can't find it to get rid of it. I hear a little thumping in the other room now, in the dark. I don't want them to eat a skink. I don't want anyone getting sick.
Glen is on his way home from taking the first load of boxes to Colorado. I can't believe he is making the return drive in two days, putting in the same hard hours he did on the way there. I don't have that sort of stamina for driving anymore. I don't think I could sit in a car for even three whole hours right now. For that matter, I'm not sure I could sit on a couch for three hours in a stretch right now. (Perhaps a discussion with the doctor about unusually long-lasting pain is in order.)
I want to give you an update on Hattie. Her surgery went very well, and after a day of observation, she has been allowed to come home. She has to spend 8 weeks in a kennel, so my mother set up a cage in her room. I've seen the post-surgery pictures, and I am not going to share them in this space. The lacerations are very straight, like they were made with talons rather than teeth. So it appears that a hawk or an owl is our prime suspect. It is easy to believe that she fought back and was dropped, and that is how her femur was snapped clean through. We don't know where the attack happened, but it is obvious that she worked very hard to find her way home. I cannot imagine the pain and fear as she dragged herself to her house and her family. My brother was quite upset to find her in that state, and I heard tonight that she was unhappy when he left the room for the night. I suspect he is going to be her favorite human for a long time, being her hero who found her when she really needed him.
Donations are starting to trickle in, and I want to express my sincere thanks to all who helped out so far. The final bill from the ER and surgery has been tallied, and it is $3733.25. Hattie is a strong, loyal cat, and she is worth every penny, and then some.
If you are interested in helping out, the link to the GoFundMe campaign is http://www.gofundme.com/oxwmgo
If you would like to participate in the Jamberry party fundraiser, that link is http://jfontana.jamberrynails.net/party/?uid=827ec4a6-767d-4f57-879d-1bfd633b1f5f
No comments:
Post a Comment