Posted on 06/14/2006 9:15:30 PM PDT by Serb5150
BELLINGHAM, Wash. Margie Scott was devastated when her 9-year-old cat Sammy was diagnosed with kidney failure, but she never could have predicted what would give her comfort during her pets last days.
Scott, who lives in an apartment just south of Lake Whatcom, had adopted the long-haired white and gray cat when he was just six months old.
Last month, Sammy stopped eating his dry food and would sit in a corner for hours. Scott took him to the vet, who treated him for dehydration. But it wasnt enough.
He was better for awhile, but then he started going downhill, she said. He just had this haunted look in his eyes.
Because Sammy was declawed, he was strictly an indoor cat. But he always wanted to go outside. So, in his dying days, Scott decided to let Sammy spend some time outside each day. Sammy enjoyed his time outside the apartment, which is surrounded by woods and wetlands.
A family of deer regularly visits the complex, and one day, Sammy was sitting outside in the grass when two young deer happened by.
Scott watched in astonishment at what occurred next.
One walked up to Sammy and they touched noses, she said. The deer jumped back and made a sort of a snorting noise, like he was sneezing. It seemed like he was taken by surprise, she said.
What she saw next was even more surprising.
The deer started licking him all around the head and neck, and Sammy just sat there allowing the deer to do this, said Scott.
For several minutes, the young deer licked the small cat. Scott grabbed her camera and got a picture of the tender scene.
It was amazing, she said. I truly believe the deer was able to sense that there was something wrong with Sammy and that was why he started licking him, like he was trying to nurture him.
Two days later, Sammy died.
Though Scott is still grieving the loss of her cherished pet, she takes comfort in the photo she has of Sammy and the deer.
I have some amazing memories, including this one, she said.
You have a great receipt for getting cats with rabies from the raccoons. Nasty, nasty thing to happen to any animal but I know that you keep your animals vaccinated.
Many people think that because they have an indoor animal they are safe from this but they aren't.
Pookie must have been a fabulous cat.
"After awhile they don't want to go out anymore".. Even our once wild starving stray no longer makes a dash..since her last rooftop adventure.
Cats don't sweat, they pant to keep cool.
Maybe that's why our most recent stray stopped - last time she got out it was pouring and she hates water.
Awwww, look at Pansy! She knows she's a lovely girl.
The vet thinks they're both fine - he says that as soon as we get rid of every last flea (we're getting close), it should clear up in a couple weeks.
Dolly (the feisty one) is allergic to fleas and gets bad dermatitis, so she's taking monthly allergy shots that I think are a mix of B vitamins and something Benadryl-like. One out of every five or six times she gets the shot, when we get home from the vet, she shoots out of the carrier like her tail is on fire, and rushes furiously about the house at top speed. Then she sits down and cleans one of her back feet like it's personally offended her.
Not yet! Crossing my fingers. We do have one cat that just likes to throw up to keep us on our toes though... He is about 14 years old now. But, come to think of it, he has always done that. I think that some cats do that more than others.
Sounds great.
That's a beauty!
Thanks... I'm around, I just don't post that much anymore. Too much bickering on the board for my taste.
Spoiled cats??? I have those.
Trouble will be famous soon... He is going on our new lighthouse balloon in one of the windows. They did an airbrush painting of him from a photograph.. Amazing. I can't wait to see it.
Ain't no sense in having pets if you don't spoil them!
You can post to me, I don't bicker.
You have a lighthouse balloon? How fabulous! You still have the flag, anything else? Trouble deserves to be famous! Any idea how big he's going to be?
Found it. It's a beauty!! And I'd forgotten the space shuttle.
With respect to outside cats.....hmmmm.....I have both. The ones that are allowed outside live at my mother's house, on a quiet street. They sleep inside at night. We've never lost an outside cat at my mom's house as I was growing up and otherwise.
However, at my condo I live next door to cat hater man and we battle all the time. Our condos back up to an alley so I maintain the cat colony by trap/test/neuter/innoculate/return program. There are cats that I've missed, or haven't gotten to yet, and they could end up fighting with one of my males who is a notorious "escape artist." So, I have to fight with him all the time to get him back in at night when the ferals come to eat the food I put out.
There are some cats that are just not happy indoors, but my other 25 cats (currently finding homes through our adoption process) do not get to go out, except for the few that can go on my patio and stay there. (They won't jump!!)
My vote is no on outdoors, unless it's a socialized feral that gets out every time you open the door, and your home is in a fairly safe area. (No Coyotes or busy streets, etc.) Keeping them indoors is something they never miss if they've never known the outdoors.
I'll try... the other half of lj will help me later.
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