In a sleepy little town on the west coast of Florida,
two cat-loving artists have a chance meeting that forever changed the
life of a tiny Himalayan named Thunder. The encounter took place at an
arts & crafts fair, where the artists are as diverse as their colorful
wares.
One of the artists is a Rubenesque, happy soul, named
for the county in Ireland from which her ancestors hailed; Kerry. She
wore layers of colorful, animal-print garments and floppy hats with paw
prints and animal-friendly messages painted on them. This day, she was
wearing a sea-green visor with stenciled gold kitties, the words "love
me, love my cat" carefully painted cross the headband. Her tightly-permed
blonde hair looked as though it would escape the confines of the
headband, if only it could.
As she went about the business of setting up her 10' X
10' booth, Kerry moved to the rhythm of Tina Turners' music coming from
the CD player. An animal artist, her artwork celebrates the nature and
being of all animals, but especially cats. As she carefully arranged her
display, another vender sat watching. Taking note of the feline-inspired
artwork, the woman approached.
Elsie was a lonely old woman. A gaunt, wizening,
chain-smoker, she looked every minute of her 86 years. Her crafts
consisted of crocheted and knitted articles of clothing and home decor.
They included the obligatory tissue box cover, the dolls with the
dresses to cover toilet paper rolls, crocheted coasters, crocheted
Christmas bells, scarves, a sweater or two, and such. Admittedly, she
didn't do very well in the Florida fairs and flea markets, but she had
no family and so it was the company of the other venders, and the
conversation of browsers that she craved most. Seeing that Kerry
appeared to be quite friendly, AND a cat person, Elsie wandered across
the aisle and struck up a conversation.
Kerry continued her display set-up while listening to
Elsie chat about the fairs to which she has been, how bad business is
lately, that sort of thing. She mentioned the cat-related artwork, and
the two began to discuss their mutual love of cats. Mentioning her love
of all cats, Kerry shared that she was especially partial to the
extraordinarily beautiful Himalayan. Elsie's eyes lit up, and she
proudly announced that it just so happened she possessed such a cat. As
Elsie talked about her precious "Thunder", Kerry listened for clues as
to how this funny little woman could afford such an expensive cat. When
Elsie invited Kerry to visit, she took the elderly woman up on her
offer. Kerry thought that the woman seemed strange, but finding that
they lived relatively close to each other, she made arrangements to
visit the very next day.
Upon arriving at the old woman�s mobile home, Kerry was
appalled at the pungency emanating from the tiny, clutter-filled
trailer. The odor was a fusion of dirty kitty litter, mildew, stale
cigarette smoke, and something more. Not wanting to venture inside,
Kerry hesitated in shock at the squalor around her. In short order, she
was invited to �have a peek� at the kitty. To her horror, she saw that
the cat was housed in a bird cage! Elsie, obviously suffering from some
type of dementia, had become confused as to the difference in the care
of a parakeet versus a cat. Inside the relatively large, but vertical
bird cage, was an emaciated, sickly, depressed and tattered �Thunder�.
Kerry immediately liberated Thunder from his cage, and turned to the
woman, who was still smiling proudly. She hadn�t a clue that something
was terribly wrong.
Thunder, now quivering in Kerry's arms, had a dull,
tangled coat that was covered in the litter in which he was forced to
lay. He purred very quietly, but his head hung loosely, and his body was
limp. Not wanting to alienate Elsie, Kerry told her what a beautiful
kitty he was, but that maybe he was outgrowing his cage, and should be
allowed his freedom. Elsie explained that Thunder was terrified of
storms, (hence his name), and the cage seemed to calm him. She fretted
that she couldn't possibly let him lose, or he may run to escape the
storm sounds outside the trailer, and she may never find him. Trying to
quell the rising panic, Kerry whispered that she knew of a way to
desensitize Thunder, and that if Elsie would allow it, she'd work on his
phobia and take good care of him. She promised that Elsie could visit
him any time she wanted and it was agreed. With Thunder securely in her
arms, Kerry raced out of the trailer and into her car before Elsie could
change her mind.
Feeling a curious mixture of anger, anxiety and relief,
Kerry headed for her veterinarians' office. Thunder was promptly
admitted for IV fluids and observation. He lay quietly on the examining
table while loving hands shaved his mangled coat, and patiently combed
the fur around his face and ears.
He purred quietly as he was gently bathed and wrapped in
a heated towel, held firmly so as to be kept warm and dry. He ate
voraciously of the rich, nutrient-laden food he was offered, and he
slept peacefully upon a heating pad. When he awoke, he was much livelier
and, still hungry, wolfed down yet another can of tasty vitamin-enriched
fare. After a few days, he was strong enough to be neutered and sent
home. There was no way of knowing how long Thunder was forced to live in
a bird cage, or how he survived, but it was obvious he was sincerely and
exceptionally grateful for having been "sprung".
Kerry paid for Thunder's medical bills and brought him
into her loving family. He quickly made friends with Gump, the Maine
Coon cat who had eaten a lizard, sustained neurological damage and was
surrendered to an animal shelter; Fabio, the "Hemingway" cat who
appeared on the doorstep at the age of 6 weeks, and Jacuzzi, the timid,
ASPCA cat who spends her days hiding from everyone, her nights cuddling
with her family. Storms no longer frighten Thunder. He is tenderly held
and reassured until the scary noises stop. He is a loving, affectionate
cat who thrives on warm cuddles and showers of kisses. In saving a
precious life, Kerry finally has the Himalayan she always wanted.
Authors' note: This is a true story. As sad as this
story is, the woman referred to as "Elsie" was not prosecuted for animal
abuse because under Florida's anti-cruelty statute, the criminal act
must be intentional. It was determined that Elsie could not form the
intent to hurt Thunder. Social Services is aware of Elsie's propensity
to keep cats in cages, and have promised to keep a watchful eye on her
so that it won't happen again.
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