Pfc. Hammer Finds a Home (meow!)

DoD-AFPS ^ | April 24, 2004 | Linda D. Kozaryn

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Pfc. Hammer Finds a Home

By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 24, 2004 – A tiger-striped Iraqi kitten that wiggled its way into the hearts of a U.S. Army unit has made its way to the United States, thanks to a host of volunteers and two animal welfare groups.

Pfc. Hammer, an Iraq-born cat that befriended soldiers of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, during their deployment in Iraq, arrives in San Francisco, Calif., enroute to his new home in Colorado. Courtesy photo

Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, dubbed the tiny ball of fur that wandered into their tent early last fall "Pfc. Hammer."

"He was born at the site," said Staff Sgt. Rick Bousfield. "There were two other kittens in the litter, but they ran away. He stayed and kept mice out of our living quarters and out of our dining facility."

Adopted by the troops, the young cat provided warmth and companionship in an otherwise hostile environment. When the unit was attacked by mortar fire, Hammer ran to the bunkers, where the nearest soldier scooped him inside his body armor to wait out the attack.

"He was like our stress therapist over there," Bousfield recalled. "You'd come in off raids where we'd been kicking in doors and guys would be sitting outside by themselves. He'd come over and take their minds off the war."

When Bousfield learned the unit was leaving Iraq to return to Fort Carson, Colo., he sent an e-mail asking for help to Alley Cat Allies, a national nonprofit clearinghouse for information on feral and stray cats, in Washington, D.C. The sergeant said he wanted to ensure his whole unit came home together, and that included Pfc. Hammer.

Hammer "has been quite a morale booster for us, because we consider him one of our troops," Bousfield wrote. "If there was a way that ACA could help get Hammer back to the States, it would be a wonderful boost for the men to see the cat who has won their hearts free – like the Iraqi people."

Bousfield's plea "brought the war home for us," said ACA national director Becky Robinson. "This was a soldier in Iraq writing us. How could we say no to a soldier in Iraq fighting for freedom?"

"His e-mail was so moving we felt like we couldn't say no," she said. "We had never done anything like this, but the moment we finished reading it, it was a given that we were going to figure out how to do this."

Hundreds of people sent e-mails and made donations to help get the cat to the States after ACA posted Hammer's plight on on the organization's web site, said Lynne Cummings, ACA director of gift planning.

"Alley Cat Allies doesn't usually get asked to do things in wartime," she said. "It was a really nice thing for us to be able to do to show our support to Rick and his unit. We didn't really care if we raised any money to help defray the costs."

ACA joined forces with Military Mascots, a grassroots all-volunteer effort dedicated to helping U.S. deployed service members who have befriended a canine mascot on foreign soil. Supporters' donations, combined with money from ACA's Compassion Fund, paid for Hammer's medical and travel expenses, Cummings said.

Working with a veterinary hospital in Kuwait, they arranged an international flight for Hammer. Prior to leaving the region, the cat was neutered and given a clean bill of health.

Bousfield returned from Iraq in early April. It took a week or so longer for Pfc. Hammer.

An ACA volunteer met up with Hammer when he arrived in San Francisco and accompanied the cat on a domestic flight to his new home outside of Denver. Bousfield and his daughter Tiffany, 15, along with another company member, Sgt. Robert Scott, were waiting for Hammer when he arrived at Denver International Airport.

The ACA volunteer who accompanied the cat said he started purring and kneading her arm as soon as he heard Bousfield's voice. The wartime bond formed thousands of miles away had not been forgotten.

Back at Fort Carson, Bousfield reunited Hammer with his former cohorts. "We all met at the same time to sign out on block leave so I took him in on his leash," Bousfield said. "They were happy to see him."

Hammer now lives with Bousfield's family – and five other cats. Bousfield said they all get along now that they've gotten "the pecking order straight."

"We kept him in a room by himself for a week," he said. "Little by little we let him out. He roams around all he wants to now. He runs around. He's fast. The vet says he's an Egyptian Mau."

Related Sites:
1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment
Fort Carson, Colo.
4th Infantry Division
Alley Cat Allies
Military Mascots

	Staff Sgt. Rick Bousfield and his daughter Tiffany, greet Pfc. Hammer at Denver International Airport. Bousfield sought help from Alley Cat Allies in Washington, D.C., to get the Iraq-born cat to the United States. Courtesy photo
	Staff Sgt. Rick Bousfield holds Pfc. Hammer, the Iraq-born cat that joined his infantry company during their deployment in Iraq. Courtesy photo

(click pics)

 

[Moose4]

He was six months old when that picture was taken, Dixie. :) He's 9 months old now and even bigger, somewhere between 13 and 15 pounds we think, and he's not done growing yet. Maine Coons are a very large breed of cat.

}:-)4

[etabeta]

wonderful story! I had an Egyptian Mau but he was a soft chocolate color. In the right light, you could see a hint of stripes. Poor baby, he was born with ulcerative colitis, we spent years trying to keep him healthy but in the end he was suffering too much and we had to put him down. I can still cry thinking of him.

[Lady Jag]

I remember that pic. IMHO, pets are healers, and that kit is doing a great job. What would any of us do without our furry friends!

[Lady Jag]

Pfc Hammer, Viking Kitty. I worship cats; they are all heroes.

[dixie sass]

The story will bring tears to your eyes and smile to your heart.

[dixie sass]

Wow, lol, he's going to rule the roost if he doesn't already!

[MotleyGirl70]

I agree. They know when we cry and know when we laugh.

Here's to "Our fury friends!" that we love so much.

[windchime]

Pfc. Hammer.....winning hearts and minds!

[Poohbah]

Ping. The Cult of the Viking Kittens has a new High Priest!

[general_re]

Either that vet is very tiny, or that kitty is very big...

Seriously. I think they've stumbled on some sort of Iraqi desert jaguar or something ;)

[hellinahandcart]

He's still growing, look at his feet.

[Lady Jag]

Here's to "Our fury friends!" that we love so much.

Cheers

[dighton]

Arrangements must be made for worship.

(Edwin Long, "Sacred to Pasht." Contains mild semi-nudity.)

[Sally'sConcerns]

I think our newest member of the Viking Kitty squad is what's known as a Bengal. Compare the pictures in this link:

http://www.hdw-inc.com/michabo.htm

to the picture of Pfc. Hammer and they have the same markings and color. The Bengal cats also grow to be a large size. If Pfc. Hammer is really a bengal cat it's too bad he was fixed since bengal kittens can run about 500.00 stateside.

I'm glad Pfc. Hammer found a home in America.

[arasina]

Just now saw your photo. That is PRICELESS! One more item proving the superior intelligence of cats.

[Barlowmaker]

The Egyptian Mau

[arasina]

but this can't is beautiful

but this cat is beautiful

I think you were right the first time. Since he was neutered, he's a can't. :o)

[Sally'sConcerns]

If you do a side by side comparison of the Mau and the last picture of the Bengal found in the link I gave above, their markings are almost identical. I thought the coloring of the Bengal was closer to that of Pfc. Hammer.

They're all beautiful kitties.

[Stonewall Jackson]

Just as long as he doesn't end up like my cat, Frank. Before he went to the vet to get fixed, he had a deep, rumbling meow, now he just squeaks.

[AnAmericanMother]

The Siamese Laser Squad of the Viking Kitties salutes Pfc. Hammer!