Wednesday, Apr. 27, 2005 - 9:03 p.m.
Thank you all for your lovely notes and e-mails with good thoughts for "Boone." I got back from Denver this morning with a message from the vet. Basically "Boone" is between five and eight years old. He has good teeth and gums, but is six pounds underweight. The wound on his back was from a bb gun pellet. Luckily it stopped just under the skin, and did not damage his spine, but he licked at it so much, he made licked himself bald. No ear mites, and three fleas. Feline Lukemia, negative. Feline AIDS, positive. He does not have full blown AIDS, he simply tested positive for it.
While sitting in the terminal waiting for the car to arrive, I asked the vet what he recommended. He told me:
not to bring him into the house near my other two cats
He also said that I could choose to put him to sleep, but that he would not recommend it if he had an indoor place to live (or to simply neuter him and put him back in the backyard and hope he does not get into a fight with another cat). I told him to neuter him, and clean him up, and I would decide what to do after he was cleaned up had his shots. Mind you, I had no idea what this cat would be like.
Got home, read a million articles on FIV, most of which said that, if living indoors, and with good food, cats who are positive could live long, happy lives. I drove to the vet and picked him up. He was purring inside the carrier rubbing up against the carrier door. The cat nanny took him out of the carrier and he meowed and rubbed up against me. They gave me the bb they had removed and told me that I made the right decision not to put him to sleep.
Driving home, the sky began to get gray and I new a storm was coming. It was bad enough he had to be outside, but he just had surgery and I would never be able to live with myself knowing he was outside. I called my Mom to tell her that I was bringing him home and would try and convert the covered porch into a safe place for him when she told me to bring him to her house.
She "met him" last weekend when she watched him and the bird sit next to eat other. I practically cried I was so happy. I grabbed an extra cat bed, litterbox and supplies and drove straight to her house. My Mom is allergic to some cats, so she was concerned about her reaction to him, but she seemed fine. She loves "lap cats" and this is what he is. After eating four chicken livers, kitten chow and a cup of water, he jumped up onto her lap, curled up and slept for an hour. After his nap he got up, walked over to the litterbox, and used it, no problems. (I still believe he was a pet, then something happened).
He is perfect for her. He was excited to be petted and scratched. He purrs and meows and will come if you call him. I feel so much better knowing that he is warm and safe and dry. He will never be hungry or scared or abused or shot at again.
I do know that there is a special place in hell for the person(s) who shot him. There is no excuse at all.
I will post pictures tomorrow. They were calling him SUNSHINE at the vet, and was are trying to find the perfect name for him.
I am really happy right now.
TTFN
OKINAWA
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