The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsDo you remember the abandoned kitten I found in my back yard last summer?
He was scrawny, malnourished, crusted with fleas, yucky eyes and so close to death that flies had already laid eggs on him.
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I really didn't expect him to make it, but he proved to be tougher than I thought. Here's my Boogie Man a little more than a year later.
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He has turned out to be a great little cat and quite the handsome young man, don't you think?
shenmue
(38,497 posts)Good hoomin!!
LiberalElite
(14,691 posts)MuseRider
(34,051 posts)He is beautiful! Good job.
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)MuseRider
(34,051 posts)I know you had to do much to rescue this guy but the love makes them want to live. My hardest rescue is sitting up against me right now. Ratty old torn up guy. I loved him from a distance for 6 years and fed him daily but once I was able to touch him he was mine. He has terrible asthma but was easy to teach to use a breathing treatment appliance. I am convinced that many "gone" babies can be rescued if they get the right people to do it. You did great. It is hard but so worth it.
Evergreen Emerald
(13,069 posts)Good work nursing him back to health.
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)shines like silk.
Evergreen Emerald
(13,069 posts)Like you, I have kittens that have been abandoned. One was found by a neighbor. She was too young to be away from her mother, but she made it. We found another that was starving. We nursed him back to health as well.
And, recently another kitty showed up in our barn. I honestly think people are dumping them in our area because we all have property--a more rural area. I could not keep another cat, but we took him to the vet, had him fixed and shots, and someone from work adopted him. He actually found us. He came up to our porch and sat there meowing!
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)out in the country, we would have animals wander up to our place scared and hungry all the time. Usually they were pregnant females. My dad would take them in and feed them until the pups were born and old enough to wean, then we'd load the whole bunch up and take them to the Humane Society with a donation and a big bag of dog food.
I've heard people talk about taking an animal out to the country and dropping them because "they'll find a good home". I tell them in no uncertain terms that what the animal will most likely find is hunger, disease, injury or a bullet. It really pisses me off.
MMTampa
(82 posts)What a beautiful coat and what a handsome cat. I commend you on a love and commitment above and beyond. You are lucky he picked you to save him.
meow2u3
(24,738 posts)I bet you he's a real scrapper. What he lacks in size he makes up for in toughness.
Very handsome little black kitty.
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)he is pretty slender and small boned. As you can see from the picture, he's well proportioned (and fits perfectly on my lap).
I'm sure he's the offspring of one of the feral cats I feed, and some of the females are even smaller than Boogie.
meow2u3
(24,738 posts)You mean to tell me he's not full grown?
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)don't expect him to get much bigger.
mithnanthy
(1,725 posts)Give him a hug and kiss for me...!
I have 2 black kitties..Binkenstein and Sally Jane...they are the loves of my life. I also have a white and orange polydactyl cat named Bussie the Snowman, who has his own song (sung to the tune of Frosty the snowman)"Bussie the Snowman, is a very happy fellow..He's got spots and big fat feet and eyes like Limoncello"
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)given to me when I was just a little girl.
Joe Shlabotnik
(5,604 posts)And he knows what you did for him.
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)He doesn't just demand affection, he returns it.
Joe Shlabotnik
(5,604 posts)to some degree were farm cats who found their way inside, strays, rescues etc. But I had one Tabby whom I adopted when he was already about 5-6 years old, and wow, not only was he an amazing cat, but the bond that we had was because I think he knew that he was on death row.
Edit to add, this was Sputnik
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Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)And I love the name. As kids we had a kitten we named Sputnik.
raven mad
(4,940 posts)He's so much this................
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)Boogie Man? I seem to remember his name being "Critter" for a little while!
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)Once he got healthy, he was pretty lively.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)trof
(54,255 posts)Our Ace was a fantastic cat and a helluva hunter.
He would bring us squirrels.
Amazing.
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)ColesCountyDem
(6,943 posts)nadine_mn
(3,702 posts)awww what a sweet heart
GoneOffShore
(17,303 posts)snagglepuss
(12,704 posts)What a patooty!
More photos please when you have a minute.
AzDar
(14,023 posts)Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)I love "mini-panthers" anyway...
passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)I love black cats.
Cassiopeia
(2,603 posts)3catwoman3
(23,748 posts)Thank you so much for the heartwarming update.
spooky3
(34,231 posts)Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)She was a Burmese, so her black had a rich chocolaty undertone. She was a retriever, and she loved chasing and retrieving butterscotch candies...the kind wrapped up in orange cellophane. When she brought it back in her mouth, the two twisty ends would stick out like bright orange whiskers on each side of her mouth. It was so cute, you couldn't not throw it for her. Besides, if you ignored it after she dropped it in your lap, she'd get the claws out to remind you. I miss that girl. Her name was Jezebel.
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)He sometimes catches them in mid air with his paws and stuffs them in his mouth. He looks like a little monkey when he does that.
passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)allan01
(1,950 posts)Ahpook
(2,747 posts)It's great to see him healthy
Skittles
(152,918 posts)and yes I do remember!
GoCubsGo
(32,053 posts)And, you helped him get that way!
valerief
(53,235 posts)with cat toy feather wands and bubbly champagne.
Laffy Kat
(16,331 posts)He's darlin'.
Duppers
(28,088 posts)I worry about all the fur babies out there who don't find an Arkansas Granny angel.
I loves your bootiful, lucky boy.
Oh, and thanks for putting the bell on him. More...
restorefreedom
(12,655 posts)what a lovely boy
looks like he goes outside
please be careful these next couple of weeks..halloween not a good time for outdoor cats, esp black ones
might be better to keep him in for now
peace and health to you both...black kitties rock!
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)anyone would know that he's not a stray.
restorefreedom
(12,655 posts)to stay very close to home, some wont even leave their yards. so if he is neutered, he is probably staying close by, but since there are many stupid kids and psychos out there, you never know. i used to volunteer at an animal shelter, and they never adopted out black cats in october, plus they screened the crap out of people anyway
so happy that he beat the odds! those little ones are so fragile, many dont make it.
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)this time of year. People sometimes do really ugly things.
restorefreedom
(12,655 posts)too bad that we even have to worry about such things
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)The cat shelter I got my guys (now both across the Rainbow Bridge from kidney failure) from will not let black cats be adopted in October. What is WRONG with some people?
meow2u3
(24,738 posts)In other news, broom sales have increased 1000%.
Iwillnevergiveup
(9,298 posts)awesome kitty. Good job, Granny!
K&R
blondie58
(2,570 posts)That he didn't have to have his eyes removed due to infection. Thank you for taking this handsome guy in. 😼
eridani
(51,907 posts)Lunabell
(5,889 posts)Good job!
stonecutter357
(12,678 posts)Triana
(22,666 posts)Gorgeous little man!
brer cat
(24,337 posts)Great job, Arkansas Granny. K&R
onecent
(6,096 posts)I just returned from Manila where my son lives and he rescued 2 kittens from a "horrible, horrible" rescue place - that catered towards VERY EXPENSIVE LITTLE DOGS FOR THE RICH, SO THEY tend to ignore cats.
Well This little on under a lb....became attachd to my son and vice versa before they nearly touched...after many appts to the vet, ear mites, worms, digestive problems, blood in stool..the (very nice Philippino vet) said this baby not make it...and my son and I both said,"Oh yes she is"...(the vet very lovingly looked at us with sad eyes, but her eyes also told us with as much love as we w ere showing for "Yoda" already, she just might have a chance. now it has been since august 10th (approx) and she is still alive. vet had to wait to deworm her because she was so little the meds could kill her. She was and is a fighter....and this little kiTtY LOVES EVERYONE.and is barely 2 lbs now. I must work on figuring out how to post pictures..would love to show her off.
Jumps on furniture (has akitty friend that is very healthy and much bigger now...but I believe that "rescues" KNOW....AND THEY SHOW THEY LOVE TENFOLD THAN ANY OTHER KITTENS I HAVE EVER SEEN.
YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL KITTY AND A beautiful beautiful story. I become incensed when I see animal abuse....it puts me into orbit. and I'll just bet your little 'boogie man" follows you EVERYWHERE.
nice story...I needed a nice story today...Mondays are always difficult for this senior. i have a 10 year old kitty that was also my husband's kitty..and 8 years ago he passed...so I have my baby beside me always. (May probably lose her before I am gone, but to NEVER HAVE loved this little magical baby I would have missed out on some wonderful bonding between a human and a little fur faced baby doll.
Enjoy your Kitty!! Boogie Man is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)A friend once told me that when you take on an animal you are also taking on a heartache since chances are that you will outlive them. Like you, however, I wouldn't miss out on the opportunity to love and be loved by an animal. My life has been made better by the animals that have shared it with me.
DiehardLiberal
(580 posts)catbyte
(34,123 posts)The power of love.
tblue37
(64,860 posts)a little one (15 pounds of black panther gorgeousness!).
redstatebluegirl
(12,264 posts)teacupchi_2000
(8 posts)He is just beautiful....reminds me of our "Shadow" who passed almost 8yrs. ago.
lark
(22,941 posts)He's quite dashing.
niyad
(112,064 posts)many happy years together.
and yes, I do remember when you found him. happy tears right now.
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)I was pretty sure that some of you would remember him. He'd a real sweetheart.
IrishEyes
(3,275 posts)I love all cats but black cats are just awesome. They are lovable, sweet and adorable.
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)Thanks for helping this precious little guy!
Response to Arkansas Granny (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
ArnoldLayne
(2,057 posts)Sanity Claws
(21,815 posts)Maybe we should rename you Arkansas Ma!
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)Boogie thinks we're a couple. He likes to stretch out against my torso, facing me with his head on the pillow when we go to bed. He might not stay there all night, but that's how he generally starts out.
secondwind
(16,903 posts)bench scientist
(1,107 posts)So glad you took him in and that he is doing well.
world needs more people like you.
have a great week.
catrose
(5,035 posts)Thanks for sharing (and for caring).
raven mad
(4,940 posts)Well done!
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)If they approve, I must be doing something right.
raven mad
(4,940 posts)And think you rock!
ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)They are an old "breed", evolved from the originals, who were tabbies in Egypt, when they first ventured north into Europe.
We had four foster kittens this summer, two black and two tabbies who all got sick with upper respiratory infections. The black female, Rosa developed pneumonia, and was only about six weeks old. It didn't look good, but I took her in and the animal care manager nursed her back to health. About a week later, with lots of meds and attention, she was able to rejoin her litter mates.
The manager said that she's cared for a lot of sick kittens, but there was "something about her", a kind of strength or will to survive that she saw in her. Very rewarding for everyone when they pull through.
I still have Rosa and one of her sisters, and they are 3 1/2 months old now. Hopefully they can go back this week. Her lungs are clear now, but she still has had some sneezing and drainage left over from being so sick, so I've kept her here. The other one was sneezing too but has stopped so she's good to go. No spay/neuter surgery for kitties with stuffed up noses!
Here they are: Rosa is the black, Ladybug is the spotted tabby:
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)And good on ya for doing this!
Arkansas Granny
(31,476 posts)I feed them and let them shelter on my back porch, but they are quite wild and won't let me touch them. I'd like to do TNR on them, but there isn't a program in my area and I just can't afford to do it on my own.
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)hifiguy
(33,688 posts)Ya did good, AG.
What a handsome boy!
SusanaMontana41
(3,233 posts)SWEET!
chervilant
(8,267 posts)Your handsome young man reminds me of my Boo-Boo Kitty. I only had Boo for a year, but he was a wonderful cat.