Many may not remember my little boy Jasper, trapped in my own bushes by a nut seeking revenge for damage done to their car when they clipped my car as they passed my house. He disappeared the next evening. I and many others frantically searched, posted fliers, went to meetings, pet shows, talking to EVERYONE.
Almost three months later, someone turned in a scared, scruffy, filthy, injured and starving black cat with a stub tail, and nothing I had done helped in bringing him home to me, except his ID chip. A teen volunteer at the Humane Society called me and I made him repeat himself, and check again to make sure it wasn't a mistake. I was amazed and was there in a flash. My little boy recognized my voice, softly mewed... and my baby was home.
His vet was amazed he was back after so long, so far from my home, in a remote and dry area. He showed evidence of being hit by a car too. Trapped and dumped to be left to die. But how glad I was that he was dumped and not outright killed by the nut. The vet said it was just in time because he may not have lasted much longer. He acted a bit psyco at first, but who could blame him.
Lots of loving attention, good food and time helped him heal. Within weeks he had regained weight and was wanting out. Not again. He sported a new collar with ID and a loud bell to help us keep track of him if he approached a door. Had to get used to a cat box, and adjust to a newly tamed feral kitten. I kept my first and my last rescued feral kitten, but homes were found for many inbetween. Jasper helped with my last one, a girl that took three months to tame, when most were in 1-2 weeks. These two spend the day in play and grooming, but Jasper still comes to sleep with me at night.
I had gotten into feral kitten taming to help some new friends who feed and fix feral cats and trap their kittens in Pearl Harbor. I wanted to do something to help kitties while I hoped someone was helping my Jasper. I no longer tame feral kittens as they are not allowed to trap kittens any longer. Regulations forbid even feeding cats and their jobs were in jeopardy. But the feeding goes on, one way or another.
Jasper was missing when my first rescue kitty came, so the big licks and nuzzling of this tiny creature from my two dogs made him think he's a dog too. His best bud in my younger dog Moses. If I scold Moses, who loves to eat everything, and put him in "time-out" in the kitchen, my kitty Eli runs in with him, rubbing and consoling him. It's so cute.
Anyway, Jasper did not like staying in and gradually got VERY FAT, and started a nervous licking habit, making bald areas on both his right and left sides. I was worried about him. We decided to make more roaming room, opening up a big enclosed patio by keeping the doors open all the time. The cats love it. Put an old couch on end in the corner and the cats claimed it for their own personal tree with platform. Now I can't throw that ugly thing out. The change in Jasper came quickly. He dropped the extra weight, the licking ceased and his hair grew back in.
Oh he does occasionally sneak out still, but as was his habit before, he stays right in the front yard or carport. If anyone tries to catch him, then he thinks it's a game and will take off down the street. So we just ignore him, and after rolling in some dirt, climbing and scratching his favorite tree, he's at the door asking to come back in. I'm so thankful to have him back healthy and whole, back to his old self.
