A little over two weeks ago we received a phone call about an injured stray cat. The person said it had been coming to their home every morning to eat and that it had injuries to its head and ears. We were asked to help and we said “yes” if they could catch the cat.
The next morning just like clockwork the cat came to eat and was picked up and put in a carrier and brought to the Ark. Upon arrival we could see that he was in desperate need of medical care. He had lost the tips of both ears to frostbite and had ear mites so bad his ears had big wounds behind each one. He had puncture wounds to the top of his head and several wounds on his legs. He was not neutered. He just looked defeated, tired and sick. The person that found him had checked with all of the neighbors, but he did not belong to any of them.
We named him Ivan. He was treated for ear mites and put on antibiotics for the other wounds. This week he will be neutered, vaccinated and tested. Every day we see improvement in Ivan and he is the sweetest cat he just loves human contact. The first few days he was so tired we had to bring the food to his bed so he could eat, he would try to knead and purr but he didn’t have the strength.
We knew that at some point he had to be someone’s cat because he loved humans so much. We went on line searching for missing cat photos, but found none matching his description. No one was missing this sweet boy and judging from his appearance he had been out there for quite a while as his condition did not happen overnight.
It’s hard not to be judgemental in these situations. I believe there are a few things that could have happened. Someone got a cat and didn’t bother to neuter him and let him outside. Un-neutered cats do not stay home, they wander and in some cases they travel for miles. Maybe Ivan couldn’t find his way back home.
Another scenario is that someone may have moved away and left him behind. I could keep going with this, but the bottom line is humans failed Ivan horribly. No cat should ever have to go through what he has gone through.
Ivan is home now at the Ark and loving every minute of it. If an owner does come forward they will have to answer some pretty tough questions. They will be responsible for all of his vet care and room and board while at the Ark.
The bottom line is if Ivan had a responsible pet owner he would never have gone through any of this. Having an outdoor cat has challenges especially if you don’t neuter them. Unaltered males travel great distances, they get in fights, but perhaps the most disappointing part of all of this he had ear mites so bad he tore up his own ears scratching them. That had to be painful and a relatively inexpensive treatment if he had been treated in the beginning.
This all goes back to what we have been trying to tell everyone, animals cost money and if you can’t afford them please don’t get them. Ivan is not an old cat but he has seen more and experienced more in his short life than he should have. He has battle scars that he will carry the rest of his life. When I look into his eyes I see wisdom beyond his years, but most of all I see forgiveness for the humans that failed him.
He just wants to be loved and taken care of which is the way it should be. No more wondering where his next meal will come from, or being so cold that he loses the tips of his ears and no more pain from ears that could have been treated. Only the good things in life, a warm house with a cozy bed, cat toys and an endless supply of food and water. Humans of his own who love and cherish him and be there for him no matter what. This is the life any animal deserves.
Thank you for your continued support and as always thank you for reading our column.
The Ark Animal Sanctuary is located on 101 Old Woodstock Road. To contact Lorraine Monfils call 532-7387 or check out their Facebook page.
