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Miracle ‘Matson’ making comeback [Very lucky kitty!]
starbulletin.com ^ | October 17, 2004 | Pat Gee

Posted on 10/17/2004 9:41:35 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows

Miracle ‘Matson’ making comeback

The all-but-dead kitten is recovering thanks to some animal lovers

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By Pat Gee pgee@starbulletin.com

Matson, a newborn kitten who survived 10 days without food and water in the cold of a Matson shipping container, has probably used up eight of its nine lives, says Tedra Villaroz, founder of Joey's Feline Friends.

The "miracle" kitty has made it through a tenuous six weeks against all odds, says Villaroz, founder of the rescue shelter in Kaneohe.

In late August, a Safeway employee brought Matson, barely alive, in to Kahala Petland, where Villaroz sets up an adoption table on Saturdays.

The employee, who chose to remain anonymous, told Villaroz the container driver "kept hearing noises" from a sealed container that was delivered to Safeway, Villaroz said.

He opened the door and found two dead kittens, one barely breathing (which eventually died), and Matson. After seven freezing days on the ocean, and a few days sitting on the docks under the beating sun, Matson employees kept saying "there's no way" the kitten could have survived, Villaroz said.

"This is a real miracle story ... This is an amazing kitten. Usually they die of cold when they're that little," she said.

The gray and white kitten was so young that she "still had her eyes closed," and weighed six ounces when Villaroz first saw her.

Villaroz and her staff tube- and bottle-fed her the first few days round-the-clock, and kept her warm. She then faced the dilemma of having to quarantine the kitten, flying her back to Oakland, or euthanizing her. She called her friend, Dr. Jenny Brundage, who works at the Companion Animal Hospital in Kailua, which works with the animal quarantine station to take care of debilitated animals.

Brundage has been caring for Matson since late August, and the kitten now weighs two pounds.

"She was ice cold, and near dead when they found her, but she had a very strong will to survive," Brundage said. "She survived on essentially her own reserves. She should've died of dehydration but she didn't,"

A collection has been started to pay the kitten's quarantine fees, which are $20 per day for 120 days.

"We're not worried about not coming up with the money ... because we're not doing this to get paid, we're doing this because it's the right thing to do. Feline Friends said it would be responsible for her even if no one comes up with the money," Brundage said.

And there's already a long line of people who've helped with her care asking to adopt her after she finishes her quarantine period.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; US: Hawaii
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And here she is...

You'd better believe I'm going to start a "Caption this pic" thread for this one!

1 posted on 10/17/2004 9:41:36 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows
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To: Slings and Arrows

Wow! That's one tough - and lucky - kitty!


2 posted on 10/17/2004 9:42:35 PM PDT by .38sw
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Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: Slings and Arrows; Glenn; quantim; republicangel; Bahbah; Beaker; BADROTOFINGER; etabeta; ...
---
Kitty Ping List alert!

[Freepmail me to get on or off the Kitty Ping List.]

4 posted on 10/17/2004 9:43:12 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Am Yisrael Chai!)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Thanks for posting this story. Now the next time our cat squawks about not getting fed for 2 or 3 days, I'll just say, "Quitcher cryin'. Just be thankful you're not that Mattson cat."


5 posted on 10/17/2004 9:44:03 PM PDT by Texas Eagle ("It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of what he was never reasoned into." Jonathan Swift)
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To: ArmyBratCutie

Nice cat story ping.


6 posted on 10/17/2004 9:44:50 PM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: Slings and Arrows

Love this story!


7 posted on 10/17/2004 9:46:23 PM PDT by LibertyLight (I've got more hair than Kerry & Edwards together!)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Awww! Very cute very mixed breed kitty.


8 posted on 10/17/2004 9:46:35 PM PDT by right way right
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To: Slings and Arrows

Hamming it up for the camera, Go-KITTY Go-KITTY


9 posted on 10/17/2004 9:47:16 PM PDT by IllumiNaughtyByNature (I'm George W. Bush and I approved this message.)
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To: Slings and Arrows

What a beautiful, tough little cat! How do I get on her adoption list?!


10 posted on 10/17/2004 9:48:52 PM PDT by Not A Snowbird (Official RKBA Landscaper and Arborist, Pajama Duchess of Green Leafy Things)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Heard the story on AM radio - made natioanl news.


11 posted on 10/17/2004 9:49:41 PM PDT by quantim (Victory is not relative, it is absolute.)
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To: Texas Eagle
Thanks for posting this story. Now the next time our cat squawks about not getting fed for 2 or 3 days, I'll just say, "Quitcher cryin'. Just be thankful you're not that Mattson cat."

But how do you get it to listen?

12 posted on 10/17/2004 9:51:20 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Am Yisrael Chai!)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Great story...Thanks!


13 posted on 10/17/2004 9:51:57 PM PDT by lainde (Heads up...We're coming and we've got tongue blades!!)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Bump, Rock on, Quat.


14 posted on 10/17/2004 9:52:06 PM PDT by Not now, Not ever! (Juc the Fohns)
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To: SandyInSeattle

There's adoption info at the source link, but the waiting list is pretty long.


15 posted on 10/17/2004 9:52:34 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Am Yisrael Chai!)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Caption thread for the pic:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1248416/posts?page=5


16 posted on 10/17/2004 9:54:37 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Am Yisrael Chai!)
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To: SandyInSeattle

I presume you could call the quarantine facility here and offer to ransom her and pay the flight back to Seattle. I did the math- total for quarantine for this little kitty is $2400 if she stays the full 4 months. They finally revised the medieval quarantine laws here so if you know you're coming and jump through the right hoops the little beasties can avoid it now. Poor Matson didn't jump through the hoops obviously.

And to think we thought the approximate $1000 in vet fees, quarantine fees, and flight we paid 3 years ago to bring our pet cat here was ridiculous.


17 posted on 10/17/2004 9:58:13 PM PDT by Spyder
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To: Slings and Arrows

Now THAT'S a Viking Kitty!!!


18 posted on 10/17/2004 10:03:18 PM PDT by Politicalmom ( Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but they're not entitled to their own facts -D. Rumsfeld)
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To: lainde

My pleasure. You wouldn't believe where I found it!


19 posted on 10/17/2004 10:04:04 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Am Yisrael Chai!)
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To: Politicalmom

All your Matson container are belong to us!


20 posted on 10/17/2004 10:05:00 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Am Yisrael Chai!)
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