I want to tell guys about when my big boy Ripley was shot. It happened almost 10 years ago. We moved into this house in Aug. 1993 and about two months later Ripley slipped out without us knowing. He had never been out before and I was so worried. He was gone for almost two days and then while searching the yard for the 100th time we found him under some bushes. After that there was no keeping him in. We started letting him out against my better judgment. When it turned cool he would spend days outside and nights in. A few months late in Jan. 1994 he didn't show up at his usual time (about 5 pm). I started worrying and had a bad feeling. We searched and searched but couldn't find him. That went on for the whole next day and I had a horrible feeling something had happened. Finally about 6 am on the third day he showed up. He had a hole in his back right leg and could hardly walk on it. Somehow he had managed to climb our 5 foot chain link fence and get up the deck to the back door.
I rushed him to the vet and after surgery the vet called to tell me he found part of the tip of an arrow in his leg. Someone had shot him with a bow and arrow. I couldn't believe it. We aren't sure how the arrow was pulled out of his leg but it had been. The arrow entered at the top of his thigh and went down to his knee without an exit wound. After several days at the vet hospital and then few emergency visits because of the wound was not draining properly, Ripley was finally on the mend.
Since then I made Ripley and in-house cat only. He slipped out on us a few times but we were able to catch him before he got over the fence. Now he doesn't try as much. When I think of Ripley or my other cats going out the door I think of a hurt cat coming back but my husband (being so money minded) see a vet bill coming back, lol!
Just wanted to share the story. I'm so thankful my big boy made it back home to me. I think my RB Pepper (poodle) guided his way.
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