I was intently writing an important letter. My phone rang over and over with calls for the "car for sale" ad my son put in the paper. He wasn't home, so I had to deal with it. More irritated with every interruption, I impatiently said "hello" to another caller.
The man said, "I am Roy from the Hawaiian Humane Society and I have your Jasper." I stupidly, in tears already, said, "Are you sure?" He actually got off the line to check again and came back to say yes.
After almost three months, I had begun to give up hope that he was alive.
He said he would hold him at receiving if I came soon, and I told him I'm on my way, abandoning my letter. Grabbing his carrier I was out the door in a flash, calling one of my sons on the way. I couldn't believe it and feared it was a mistake. I had to talk to myself for I was a wreck, heart pounding, tears flowing, slow down, pay attention to your driving!
Arriving I was greeted by two ladies who avoided eye contact. I waited several minutes, the only one waiting at the counter, and finally one lady, running her hand through her hair, over and over, tersly asked what I wanted. I told her of the call to my house. She yelled through an almost totally closed door, to Roy, "bring that black cat". Poor lady, having a bad day?
She handed me a card about being a good neighbor, keeping my cat indoors because my neighbor has a right to trap nuisance cats. She never asked, didn't care, but her card had nothing to do with Jasper. I told her I didn't need it. I only know the contents of the card because I read it hours later.
Roy, a young man, somehow a familiar face, came out with a carrier and a big smile. I looked in the door and said, "Jasper?" to a black kitty. He raised his big round yellow eyes to me and meowed, revealing the white tuft just under his chin. MY JASPER!! Roy asked if I needed help, I declined and opened the door. He turned around and I had to dislodge him he was so scared. He melted in my arms, I looked at his tummy markings and felt his back, right down to his STUB TAIL, it was MY JASPER. I hugged him and cried, Roy smiled. The two ladies sullenly ignored me. I told Roy I had a lost report there with pictures and he said he hadn't checked it. He called me just because of the AVID chip information. Twice requesting an update from the HHS on Jasper's chip after he disappeared, I had finally called directly to the company, and they were more than happy to update phone numbers and other information.
I put Jasper in his crate, asking how he came to be there. Mz Grumpy, since I shouldn't post her true name, said she wouldn't tell me anything except that he was trapped in Hawaii Kai. This is an area many miles from my house. She admitted he was probably trapped for being a problem animal and dumped in that area. I said no, he was trapped for revenge by someone from another area, involved in a traffic accident in front of my house, angry at us, and dumped by them there. Everyone knows cats in our neighborhood, everyone was looking for him, and no other cat but mine was missing. I am immensely grateful to the person who he eventually did become a problem to, so they brought him or even trapped him and took him there. He was probably asking someone for help and they listened, whether they know it or not. I wanted to reward the person but she wouldn't tell me anything more. Later I read the release form and it revealed the street where he was found, a long, long way from home, down a long road that is a prime dumping area.
He is constantly interrupting this writing for reassurance and affetion.
Everyone came into my bedroom to see him, excited and tears flowing. He remembered all of us, doing head butts to all, which used to be reserved for me and my son's girlfriend Carly. Now he gives them freely all day long.
He had a rough night, his first night home. He paced, cried, ate fractically every few minutes, and needed to be touched all the time. He drank his bowl of water I offered and later when I opened the bathroom door he bolted in, jumped onto the toilet seat, and drank for over 2 minutes. I realized he was severely dehydrated. I got the call in mid afternoon and he never used the litter box until almost 24 hours later.
When he arrived, besides being scared, his fur looked very scruffy. Today it looks better, probably because of the water rehydration and from our petting him so much. He has a fresh long cut below one eye, with hair gone and a few more other spots like it. Bumps along one side of his neck, probably scabs from injuries. He drooled whenever we petted him, a sign of deep stress he usually reserves for the vet. Today he has stopped that and seems more relaxed.
When he lays next to me, which is most of the time, I can feel the bumps on his backbone, the hip bones protruding, and his ribs too. His head and legs look too big for his shrunken body.
This "never in your lap" cat now comes up behind me in my desk chair, pushes his head under my right arm, crawls onto my lap and then onto my chest, making me stop and pay attention to him. What a change. I got him a collar with a bell today. Then we can hear him if he nears a door. I won't let him go out now. I can't go through that again, and he isn't safe outside anymore. He only used to go out to potty and for short periods when I was outside, but no more. He never left the yard, was always with me and the dogs, and neighbors even said they had never seen him outside our yard and usually with us. A potty break into a trap I fear, which are given out freely by HHS, to anyone who asks, and no questions, no names. Just bring the cats in they say. And the State pays for all destroyed cats. Nice way to make money.
Jasper goes into the vet in just a few hours, for a day of observation and testing, then home again to my room. Depending on the outcome of the vet visit, he will be reintroduced to Moses, my lively 1 yr old Golden Retriever, and then our little feral rescue kitten, Eli, who is our home entertainment system. Jasper remembered my dog Sandy and they have been keeping each other company. Now when I leave my room, he cries and cries until I return. Seems he wants the new name Shadow, joke-joke.
I waited a day to tell everyone, for I was exhausted from the experience and my eyes burned, and he needed me. Hopefully he will be well again. All his shots were current. And he eats all the time, I think just because it's there and he can.
Five days before I brought him home, I had a dream that he had come home, I picked him up and carried him into the house. Well, dreams do come true. He is weary, but safe, my Jasper is home again.
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