New photos and update, 7-12-10

[jenluckenbach]

Hello all, sorry to be away so long. Hope this thread finds you all well.

I just had to share with you my little addition.

17 year old Taboo, the silver Persian.

You will have to bear with the story in order to get to the photos.

I have worked at the same grooming shop 15 years now and for most of those years we had a client, a little elderly lady with 2 Shih Tzus and this Persian. She was a REGULAR! those dogs were groomed every 3 weeks. And the cat as needed.

About 7 years ago she (and one of the dogs) passed away and her grow son took the remaining dog and cat in as his own. I was impressed because so many people don't feel the need to care for these orphans, even though they were beloved pets of someone important in their own lives.

But this man lived in a very small place and really wanted to find the cat another home. But, for years, he continued to bring them both for their grooming.

The last time I saw them was in Dec 2007, The dog had died and I assumed that now the cat had too.

Yesterday this man from the past called to say Taboo (now 17 years old) has been returned to him after bouncing from home to home. She was in deplorable shape, matted worse than anyone could imagine! Could we groom her?

When they showed up for their appointment the man told me that he felt so bad that this "supposedly good home" had allowed this to happen to her. But at the same time he was now involved with a lady with EXTREME allergies. He was in a bind.

Then I took her from the carrier. The fur was a solid cast over her frail, thin body, and yet she nuzzled her face in my hand as if she remembered me. I went to clip her nails and they were so long they wrapped around in, not 1, but 2 complete circles. Only God prevented them from imbedding into her pads.

I called the man back and offered to care for her for the rest of her life......and here she is....TABOO! (next post...LOL)

[catnapper]

Oh my gosh -- what a journey she took to get to you! I'm sure you'll do a marvelous job at fattening her up and getting her back to health..... and I dare you to show a photo of your matching shaved hair jobs

[jenluckenbach]

Since I don't have a camera at work I cannot show you a before photo, but I can show you the nails I saved. The one in the lower left was the worst.


I also attempted to take photos of the piece of fur that came off her back, front and rear legs almost completely still attached. Where you see it split, that was over her backbone and I needed to split it in order to get it off....it was actually connected.




So here she is....totally bald since I needed to shave her entire body with a #40 surgical blade. Poor pink kitty, just like a newborn mouse with no fur.



And her still pretty face even at 17



thanks for listening

[catnapper]

OMG.... I had no idea their nails could curl under like that. I'm heartbroken to see that. Poor thing looks terrified, but I bet she'll be perfectly at home in no time.

[Laura's Babies]

The *blankity*blank* person that let her get like that should be reported and jailed! That is horriable! Poor girl did nothing to get neglected like that. Thank God that man got her back and brought her to you! God Bless you Jen for taking this poor, soon to be, beautiful baby in to love for the rest of her life!

[jenluckenbach]

OMG.... I had no idea their nails could curl under like that. .

actually. she is very lucky because they usually dont curl "off to the side", they grow straight back into the pad.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

I saw a matted mass just like that back when I worked at the vet years ago. We had to shear the cat like a sheep and it all came off in one piece. Poor thing could barely move beforehand. I kept the fur for quite a while after that til my boyfriend got too creeped out by it. I'm like "dude, it's just fur", although it was still rather cat-shaped.

[RedHedd]

OMG God bless you for taking her in. She's one lucky cat!

[Catty1]

OMG! Poor Taboo! I know that fur was all glued together, but it looks like a pelt, as if the poor girl had been skinned!

Her fur will grow back beautifully. If she nuzzled you at the kennel with all those tangles and awful claws, then she must be a real sweetie.

God bless you for taking her in!

Welcome home, Taboo!

[Prairie Purrs]

Thank you for taking in this poor little girl! She must feel so much better without all that matted fur. She's a lucky lady indeed to have ended up in your care!

[Killearn Kitties]

It is absolutely heartbreaking to see a cat in that state.
You are a saint, Jen. Thank you for taking her in.

[cassiesmom]

Jen, how are things with Taboo? Is she still eating and using her litter pan? I hope she gets an A+ at the doctor tomorrow .

Paws and fingers crossed,
elyse

[jenluckenbach]

-She has been eating well. She has used the litter box, with one accident after the first one. She drinks an awful lot and pees profusely...so we can be sure something will show up on the blood work. Age related, I am certain, but if we can control it all the better.

She still growls when I lift her out of the cage, but I assume most of that is pain...sesitive skin from being shaved so closely...maybe arthritis...and simply not feeling like herself with that cast of fur on.

I'll report tomorrow after the vet, but the blood results wont be until tuesday.

She loves her chin scratched and we got our first purr.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I hope that whatever condition that she may have that it's easily treatable. Good luck at the vets tomorrow.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Jen, you have such a big heart and are such a wonderful person. Thank you so much for taking this sweet girl in and giving her a loving caring home for the rest of her days. She reminds me so much of Peanut as she got older - long hair that takes maintenance that the old girl can't give herself, and so very frail, and especially the little puppy diapers. I always have a bittersweet smile on my face when I see pics of Peanut with her little diapers. She was such a trooper in her old age and never complained about anything, and I have a feeling Taboo is going to be the same for you once she settles in and knows she is loved again.

Please tell me she is doing well now and pics of her with her new fur growing back in please?