4 Attachment(s)
Narley has been adopted! ; Another update; 6/1; post #25
I've been on the streets for so long that I can't even recall when I ever had a home. I'm not even sure of my age; I think maybe 5 or years old. I've lost my tail and a few teeth and I've got a lot of battle scars to show for all the street fights that I've been in, hence my name Narley, except that I spell it w/out the G. I really am pretty gnarley looking but life is tough on the streets for feral tom cats. At one point I was so sick w/an upper respiratory infection and a very bad case of ear mites. I was cold, hungry and just plain worn out and I was ready to give up. Luck was w/me one day, though, because I wandered up to an old house that is also a real estate office and I could smell good food and I knew there were other cats in there. The kind lady who works there took me in and gave me the first meal that I'd had in ages. Then she took me to her vet for tests, shots, neutering and treatment to get rid of my URI and ear mites.
The vet told the lady that I'm a flame point Siamese. I guess my blue eyes gave it away. Sounds pretty good, huh? Well, not so much. As it turns out, I tested positive for something called FIV and so humans are afraid to adopt me and a few vets said that I should be put to sleep. The kind lady and her rescuer friend don't want to give up on me, though, because I'm a good cat. All I want to do at this point in my life is sit in a sunny window. I even like to be brushed. It feels so good to enjoy the human touch. I went so long without it. But time is running out, I'm afraid, because my rescuers have been trying to find a furrever home for me for over a year now. The house where I've been staying is soon to be rented, in about 3 weeks actually, so there goes my sunny window. I guess it isn't dramatic to say that I need a miracle, some kind angel to give me a home. I play well w/others and I like humans, too, so no worries there.
If you have a home w/other FIV cats or even if you could take me in and let me have a room to myself so that I wouldn't have to be caged again, I would show you my appreciation w/purrs and head bumpies and lots of eye kisses and I'll sit on your lap and let you brush me til my coat is silky. Please. You're my last hope.
5 Attachment(s)
He's been adopted by a wonderful family!
This is an incredible story. I've edited their email because it's quite long but their story is in the following info:
The couple are long haul truck drivers from Southeast Texas who are also Texas Animal Control Officers, and they are also a permanent home for special needs cats. They have adapted their truck to accommodate the cats. They have several who for various reasons do not travel with them and for those cats, they have a network of people who care for them in their home in their absence. For those who do travel with them, because they are a trucking team, one of them is generally awake while the other one of them medicates, plays with the cats and sleeps, and thus, these kitties have pretty much 24/7 monitoring. They have a pet sitter team they utilize both for those who do not travel with them and for their entire bunch when they vacation without them or do post disaster animal rescue.
They attended a seminar a while back at which an esteemed Doctor of Veterinary Medicine stated that FeLV and FIV cats NO LONGER need to be separated from the general populace as long as all of the cats are not fractious or tend to fight. There are also dietary supplements that can be given to minimize the risk of secondary infection, which claims the lives of most FeLV and FIV cats. They are willing to give these to Narley to boost his immune system. They take their responsibility to those in their care very seriously, as you can tell. They consider all their cats to be family members.
Narley will certainly not lack for love and affection or medical attention, regardless of where they are in the nation. They have developed a network of vets across the country through the years, and they don't hesitate to take any of their cats in to these vets (or call them for referrals should they be somewhere their vets aren't) if the need arises.
Their cats greeted Narley and began to groom him immediately. He hissed once and then was ok after that and now all is well. Can you in your wildest dreams imagine a happier ending for Narley or for any cat? What an amazing story and an even more amazing couple. (I've withheld their names.)
Prayers needed for sweet Narley
Narley has refused to eat or drink and he's peeing on the seats in the truck. At this point, who's to say if it's behavioral or medical? The streets that he came from were mean streets, to be sure, but it's what he knew. Now he's in new territory w/all new cats and new people, so it could be that he's just plain scared. Can you spare a prayer for this boy that it isn't a medical issue after all he's been through and that things will settle down for him and his wonderful new family?
New update: perhaps a candle for Narley?
Here is the email that I received this morning. I edited only names of people who may not want to be revealed.
Hi
Your email got buried under tons of rescue "stuff" and I just now found it. I'm copying (____) as he also asked for an update, and it's easier to just type all this once.
For a while there, we weren't sure we were the right family for Narley, as he had gotten it in his mind to not like us and tried to take a piece out of us at every opportunity. He also refused to use the litter box, and in the truck, it made life nearly unbearable. He never had seen a covered box before coming to us, and covered boxes are all we use, so we were pretty much at an impasse. We've compromised now...he uses puppy pads in one of the crates, and Keith and I clean it as soon as we know he's gone potty. He is probably going to be one of the cats who stay at home and are cared for by our friends and petsitters in our absence, but we're still not sure. We haven't ben able to get home just yet...the freight that pays best isn't going to Texas, and we have to take what will pay the bills and keep these fur children in groceries and medicine.
Just in the last day Narley has decided he wants some of what everyone else is getting..petting, stroking, snuggling, etc. He's now coming out of the crates where he's been mostly hibernating, and he's currently laying on the top bunk, just over my head, with his head hanging down watching me type. He has allowed us to pet him, and clean the "eye buggars" from the corners of his eyes. We will, of course, continue to work with him, in the hopes we can make a "continental traveler" out of him. It would make monitoring him 24/7/365 for any sign of URI, etc., much easier if he will consent to travel with us, but if not, we have a good alternative in our friends and petsitters. We currently have 5 fur children that don't travel with us...3 have tried it and didn't do well, 1 was a feral we trapped-spayed-released, but she liked our pool cleaner guy so well that after a year of him feeding her while we were on the road, she became an indoor-outdoor kitty, and still is, and the 5th little guy is an older cat who has NEVER had any attention, and is quite wary of humans...he's one of the ones we adopted from the lady in New Orleans and was one of the 97 or so she had at the time the levees broke in 2005 after Katrina...92 survived and tread water 3-5 feet high in the house for 3 weeks before anyone got to them, so this little guy has reason to be wary. He's safe, has a comfortable life with plenty of food and fresh water, along with his choice of snoozing locations, and a bevy of folks to watch over him while Keith and I are on the road. All in all, not a bad life. Anyway, if Narley chooses to not travel, we understand and wil respect that decision. We'll keep you posted.
And don't worry..Narley is fine, eating and drinking, and even had one of my french fries this afternoon. He was sunning himself on the dash earlier this morning, and FINALLY seems to be adjusting to Keith and me. Regardless, as we said above, he has a place to live out the rest of his life in relative comfort. Sooo, RELAX and DON'T WORRY. He's fine!!
Amanda and Keith
