Brandi

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BRANDY

Several weeks ago, I was asked to look at the condition of a small kitten that was under a person’s Jacuzzi deck.  Information given to me was, the cat was being fed for 5 years, lived under the patio the same length of time and was treated as an outdoor pet.

When I arrived I noticed that they had a well groomed dog, excellent food for it, and they were definitely showing affection towards it. Confident that the cat was looked after the same way, I went outside to retrieve the OUTDOOR cat. I found a contrary situation for her. They would only take her in if it was REALLY COLD. The owners also were allergic to this OUTDOOR pet.

I was in contempt towards these people, about the carelessness of their actions, or rather the lack of care for a small animal they claimed was their pet. The food was frozen when I arrived, the water was solid ice. And Brandy, as we call her now, was skin and bones, smelling like a skunk and covered with mud and dirt.

I had to restrain myself when I saw the deplorable condition of her paws. Brandy’s claws had grown into a cutting circle around her paw pads, and actually cut a pad in two. I immediately said “She’s going to the vet, right now.” We left straight for the emergency veterinarian to see what could be done to save her health and her life.

All the way to the vet, Brandi was meowing loudly, but did not try to get away. Between her throaty meows, she was purring, and I believe she knew she was going to a better place. The veterinarian informed us about how relaxed Brandi was during her examination and surgery to repair her paws. Several hundred dollars later, we picked up Brandy and took her to an acreage, to be taken care of for 2 weeks. Absolute luxury, petting, grooming, and good food were definitely helping her recover.

We picked her up and bundled her for her return trip to our home. Brandy received a caring bath and some further TLC. So far, Brandy has been living in a surreal world of gentleness and caring, far removed from the fate that was decided for her by those people who once proclaimed with pride, “We take care of an OUTDOOR cat.”

Shame on you, shame on your character, for you took 5 years out of the life of a gentle animal named Brandy, now a valued member of our household. Now we have to get our other pet cat Sabrina to curtail her ROYAL HIGHNESS status for a while. Adventures abound for our pets and our future.

Next time you see a stray cat, or other animal, and wish to feed it, remember several things. It may be someone’s pet, so do your best to determine that by canvassing the local neighbourhood. But most of all, do not ignore the health of this animal because of your allergy. If you cannot take care of it, find someone who can.