Many of you helped me out (and helped kitty out) in this thread, where I detailed how a beaten kitten strolling the school campus came running up to me before work one morning. The story came out that the night before, the nigh custodian had caught some younger kids (not from our school) trying to drown it–and kicking it–on property near the campus. The kitten ran off, and the kids were dragged by the scruff of their necks to their parents’ house, where the custodian ripped the parents a new one.
The rest of the story is in the thread, but ultimately, thanks to the advice of Dopers that led me to posting his story on CraigsList, he’s been adopted by a rescue agency. He needed surgery for a large hematoma sustained in the attack, and the agency paid for it. There is currently a wait list of 18 people to adopt the little fellow. The head of the rescue organization said she will be very picky–and that a home visit would be in order before she would agree to adopting him out to anyone!
They’re not sure, but he appears to be blind. At school, the secretary noticed he’d walk into walls; the head of the rescue agency has noted he doesn’t look up when she enters the room, and that he doesn’t quite look directly at her when she holds or plays with him. What’s amazing is the kitten ran straight to me that fateful morning; he made a mewing beeline for me from about 20 feet away. Maybe he could just smell the sucker on me!
On the bright side - blind cats can do very well as pets. When I worked in feral cat rescue, someone brought us a kitten they had found with badly diseases eyes. I’m not talking infected - I’m talking about growths resembling black mushrooms covering both eyes. We did not have the growths bioptsied due to the expense but the vet who removed both of her eyes said he thought it was a form of herpes. Helen was a wonderful kitten - it amazed me how aware she was of her surroundings despite her lack of vision. No one was ever able to enter a room without her being aware of it. Her adoptive parents reported she took a little longer to completely explore her new home than a normal cat (which also may have had something to do with being in a cage for most of her short life until then) but once she was acclimated people often didn’t realize she was blind until they noticed she never opened her eyes.
Fluffy have have suffered brain damage in the attack by those awful children. It is possible that his sight could return, but I wouldn’t bet on it. He can still make a wonderful pet, though!
Glad to hear that the kitty is doing fairly well now. It’s very sad that he might have become blind because of those kids’ cruelty. I really hope that the administration of the school where those kids are from keeps an eye on those kids. I feel animal cruelty needs to be taken very seriously since a lot of research has found that animal abuse is a warning sign indicating the child is likely to go on to commit violence against people.
What a cutie! If only I didn’t have six of my own…
Now then, don’t worry if he’s blind-my late cat, also named Fluffy, lost her eyesite in her last few months after a stroke, and she made out pretty well. He’ll adjust.
That doesn’t surprise me all that much. After all, cats have got their ears, their nose, and their whiskers to give lots of info about the world. Sure, not being able to see is kinda sad, but when you’re talking an indoor pet there is no pressure on the animal to begin with. I wouldn’t give a feral blind cat two weeks, but a pet could last twenty years.
Thanks for the follow-up, Ruffian. Great to hear he’s doing well, and well done.
Indeed weird how he came running to you. Did he just run in your direction or did he stop when he was near you? Did he mew to you, rub your legs, that sort of thing?
Were there any collateral adoptions during this whole thing? It’d be nice to know that both this kitten and a few others benefitted.
The recovered kitten should be fine, and extra nice, since it knows that it has had its bacon saved, repeatedly. Rescued cats just now these things, and are generally appreciative.
He needed surgery for a large hematoma sustained in the attack, and the agency paid for it. There is currently a wait list of 18 people to adopt the little fellow. The head of the rescue organization said she will be very picky–and that a home visit would be in order before she would agree to adopting him out to anyone!
At school, the secretary noticed he’d walk into walls; the head of the rescue agency has noted he doesn’t look up when she enters the room, and that he doesn’t quite look directly at her when she holds or plays with him. What’s amazing is the kitten ran straight to me that fateful morning; he made a mewing beeline for me from about 20 feet away. Maybe he could just smell the sucker on me!
