Lets talk about Mr. Magoo
This is a very long story that went on for many many months. I'm going to only hit the highlights for the new people and for the older members who lived through this with me you might just want to skip it. You guys know the story better than I do!;)
In January of 2004 I was volunteering at my local shelter and I went in one night to find a new kitty. I was told to go check out the new boy and what I saw broke my heart. He was dirty, skinny, and blind. One eye was already gone (hopefully it had been surgically removed at some time) and the other eye was basically a huge green ball of infection. It was one of the grossest things I had ever seen! Some kind soul had found him wandering around outside, on his own, and brought him to the shelter. He was also in intact male and estimated to be about 7 years old.
The vet removed that thing that used to be his eye, and nuetered him. Because the infection had been so bad his eye wouldn't heal, and kept draining. When they went to nueter him they found that one testicle hadn't dropped so they had to open him up for that. He developed a large blood blister on the outside, came down with a URI, and pretty much lived on anitbiotics for the first couple of months at the shelter.
Of course he tore at my heartstrings and when I told his story and posted his picture here on PT he touched everyone. He had many tears and prayers going for him from all of PT.
First pics from the shelter
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...e/f91dc375.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...b/f91dc2e5.jpg
Of course I told hubby about him but it was just a conversation. It never ocurred to me at that point that I might adopt him. We had 9 cats at home already and that was enough!
He had been at the shelter for several months when for some reason I got the bright idea that I might want to adopt him. I had been watching him and spending as much time with him as I could. He was a very sweet kitty and always followed my voice. The shelter had named him Ocular (yuk!) and I nicknamed him Ocky. I sat down one night and told hubby that I wanted to talk to him very seriously. I knew that Ocky had touched his heart just like everyone else. I told him what I was thinking about but I told him I didn't want him to answer then but to think about what we might be taking on. Oh, how little I knew then!
Hubby and I agreed that Ocky would just eventually die in the shelter because chances were poor that he would get adopted. I got permission to bring him home when he was well, we bought a cage and sat it up in the TV room, and waited for the all clear on his health. Finally in April he got the good health go ahead from the doc and we went to get him.
PT set out to help me name the newbie. We had a long list of great names. I wanted to name him Paddington like the stuffed Paddington bear. I thought he looked like an overly played with teddy bear that had lost his eyes. A lot of PT and hubby loved Mr. Magoo and Catmandu sent his angel Scrappy to look over him. His official name is Scrappy Paddington Magoo. Of course Magoo really seemed to fit him and stuck.
This is a few pictures of his last minutes in the shelter cage before he came home.
He looks so skinny!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...2/f8eaa83d.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...f/f8eaa7e5.jpg
We brought him home and set him up in his new cage. We had him in the TV room because that is where we spend most of our time and we wanted him to get used to all the new sounds and smells. The first night was a dream! Hubby let him out of the cage briefly and gave him a good brushing, the Brats were fairly excepting of this stranger and I went to bed happy.
The next morning I got up and fed the Brats breakfast. I fixed a plate for Magoo and told him that he might as well start getting used to the routine. After he had eaten I opened his cage to remove the dirty plate. He immediately stepped out of the cage. I started petting him and kept my arm in front of his chest so he couldn't wander off. True to form nosy Leroy came bounding in and jumped in Magoo's cage. He wanted to see what the newbie had that he didn't. This didn't agree with Magoo and he suddenly clamped down on my wrist! He snarled, growled and bit me like a pit bull! The pain shot all the way to my shoulder. I had been bitten many time before but never had I felt the crushing pressure that came from this bite. I knew he had broken my wrist and he wouldn't let go! He tried his best to remove my hand from my arm!
Our sweet little blind kitty had just turned into a nightmare that would continue for months to come. I ended up with a bad infection, a nurse phone call from Sirrahbed, an emergency room visit, doctors visits, and lots of PT prayers. My hand swelled twice it's normal size. I missed two days of work, and got a hospital bill for over $600. It took several weeks for my hand and arm to regain full use.
From that point on Magoo became a little savage kitty! He vicously attacked any cat that came into the room with him. He tried to bite me constantly. I could not have my bare feet on the floor when he was out for excerise. Only hubby seemed to have any control over him. He never tried to bite him.
We blocked the other kitties from the TV room nightly so Magoo could get some out of the cage time. Now that didn't sit well with the current Brats and their rebellion began. They began peeing all over the house but mainly in the middle of our bed. I was missing out on time being spent with them and yet trying my best to calm the little beast that had moved into our house. The stress at home had become almost unbearable. I actually got to the point that I hated leaving work and having to come home to it.
Hubby and I discussed returning him to the shelter many times. My breaking point came one morning when at 3:00am I awoke soaked in pee. One of the Brats had climbed into bed and peed all over me. I got up, showered, and sat down in the dark TV room and cried. I knew the Brats were suffering but I didn't know what to do. The moonlight showed a peaceful sleeping Magoo in his cage and I was out of ideas.
Pt saved my sanity, and is probably the reason that Magoo is still here. The support and suggestions made it bearable. I didn't want to take him back to the shelter but I was honestly at my wits end. Nine cats, me and hubby were suffering something terrible for the one.
In a nut shell, several PT members suggested medicating Magoo. I talked to the shelter vet and the meds were ordered. It took two weeks to get them so that meant two more weeks of hell. At least there was light at the end of the tunnel and that kept me hopeful.
Once the meds arrived we got started on a heavy dose for the first few days. Wow! What a difference they made. He was my little drunk for a couple of days until we got the dosage figured out. Once he calmed down the retraining began. We would introduce a new kitty to him and when he went to bite them we would pop him from behind with a towel. We didn't say a word so he didn't know where it came from. Pretty soon he got the idea that biting one of the Brats somehow ended up with a big pop on the butt!
He began staying out of the cage for longer and longer periods of time. We slowly introduced him to the rest of the house and eventually the day came that we left him out and headed off to work. He greeted us at the door that night with the rest of the herd. We found no signs of injury to anyone so we assumed the day had gone well. We continued the medication for several months. Slowly decreasing the amounts and watching him carefully. Eventually the day came where no more meds were needed and he had become just one more Brat in the house!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...5/f8550453.jpg
He has turned into a fat and fluffy butterball
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...1/f6188d14.jpg
that can be so goofy,
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...b/f5e7c961.jpg
but so loving. He is a fantastic Grandpa to the babies.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...a/f66652a8.jpg
Today he loves the simple things in life.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...9/f5ff6dee.jpg
For the newer members I would like to point out that I have only hit the highlights. Life was really bad for a long time but today it was worth every struggle.
I say that Magoo belongs to all of PT because everyone cried, prayed, and suffered right along with me. Goo is truly a PT kitty! It absolutely amazes me, even today at how many people this little guy has touched. The emails and PM's still come and tell me how Magoo's tale has helped them through many of their own life's struggles.
He is a pretty amazing little guy that I love with all my heart.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...e/f68161c1.jpg
And that folks, is the tale of Magoo!
Re: Lets talk about Mr. Magoo
Quote:
Originally posted by catcrazylady
My breaking point came one morning when at 3:00am I awoke soaked in pee.
Been there, Had that done, to me.....;)
-------------------------------------------
Magoo, you had such a terrible start
You've grown on us, you little f@rt.
You invaded that house and caused a ruckus.
And took a towel to the tookus.
You tested mom night and day.
We had to get her to let you stay.
We're glad you found a forever home.
and decided to leave the Brats alone.
You should have a swagger to your walk.
As a most beloved kitty on Pet Talk.
