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From commentor WereBear:
When I first saw RJ, he was so thin his eyes looked odd; there was no subcutaneous fat in his eye sockets. The only way I could tell he was a long haired cat was the fur in his ears. He looked like an very old cat; instead of the four month old the shelter said he was. And this was after three weeks of medical care once the police had dropped him off as a material witness in an animal abuse case.
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I leaned close, hands behind me to show I had no grabby motives, and asked, “So what’s your story?”
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He extended his paws, claws held in, and patted my cheeks. And it was over.
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We named him Reverend Jim; because he had the same wide eyed astonishment, at everything. I knew, even as I signed the papers, that his problems were even deeper than the divots in his hips where the tendons stuck out like bridge cables. He hadn’t gotten to his developmental milestones; he couldn’t control his face; when we got him home, he didn’t know how to play.
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The third day we had him, he got an eye infection and was whisked to our vet. I drew the new guy for the first time, so I took RJ from his carrier and started talking about all the stages of his weeping eye… and noticed he was looking at me, really oddly.
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It dawned on me that he was debating calling the police. RJ looked that bad. Once I realized, I had my paperwork out in an instant.
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But I thought it was all fixable. And I was right. It helped that from the beginning he was the sweetest, cuddliest, happiest little fellow in the world. And, inexplicably, he smelled like cinnamon. So one of his nicknames is Muffin Head.
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After three years of proper care, and the help of some special games and toys I created to help his deficits, you’d have to live with him to know there was ever anything wrong with him. The final steps were helped along a year ago by RJ’s kitten, Olwyn, (gray, behind RJ,) who modeled the kittenhood he’d missed out on.
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Now, he can figure things out. He no longer “freezes up” when he’s confronted with something upsetting or puzzling. In fact, he’s become actually clever; and displays the wicked sense of humor that Maine Coons are known for.
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I knew, that day in the shelter, that he could make it all the way back.
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And he still, inexplicably, smells like cinnamon.
geg6
I am not a cat person, but that face! Those eyes! RJ is just adorable. Good on you, Were Bear.
And can I just say fuck the Rev. Terry Jones and fuck the media for giving this media whore everything he could ever have wanted. Fuck, fuck, fuck the goddam media in this country. We are so totally screwed.
Nicole
I too am not a cat person (even after having had them myself, years ago), but this was a delightful story. I’ve been up all night with wicked insomnia ( a ten-week-old who is hungry every two hours doesn’t help) and tales like this make it easier for me to face the day on no sleep. Hooray for happy endings!
JWL
My feral cat adopted me 16 years ago.
Her terms are simple.
Food, water, litter box…
Affectionate attention, on demand.
That’s about it….
Rosalita
Beautiful story and a beautiful kitteh Werebear, I’m happy JW was found by you.
WereBear (itouch)
That’s my boy!
We had Mr WereBear’s 2 brothers up for a visit, and RJ appeared for the meet & greet just as a documentary on the band Rush began on TV. He stayed through the whole movie and settled in for the concert film. That’s when the brothers realized we hadn’t been joking.
Reverend Jim IS a big Rush fan.
p.a.
These are the truly NSFW items. I have to keep making excuses about allergies as my eyes water and nose runs. Great stuff.
Southern Beale
Well that story made me cry.
{ wipes eyes }
HeartlandLiberal
Well, thanks, seriously, for making me tear up this morning while finishing breakfast at my workstation reading this.
We have a part Maine Coon, Buckaroo Banzai, who weighs 15 lbs. We got him and his sister, Josephine Bake, as tiny kittens, and they are the most loving, intelligent, affectionate cats I think we have ever had.
Of course the male, Buckey, woke me in the middle of the night, around 2:00 am, sitting at the foot of the stairs on the main level, howling repeatedly, till I got up to express my appreciation for the poor, almost dead mouse he had dropped at the foot of the stairs. Plus the one I found in our bedroom at the entrance to bathroom. Both dropped into a wastebasket and deposited in the back yard before I managed to stumble back into the sack.
I suppose it is nice to know we are loved, to receive such expressions of gratitude.
Emma
And how do I explain to people walking past my office that, really, everything is fine and I’m only crying because someone in the Internets made me happy?
Linda Featheringill
Lovely story.
I had a cat once, Agnes, who smelled like the loose face powder old ladies used to keep on their dresser. Perhaps with a hint of a mixture of flowers?
And my Timmy (the white and orange one) has a touch of vanilla in his personal odor.
How do these animals produce plant smells? Amazing.
[To folks who don’t live with cats: Each cat smells different, sort of like a personal aura.]
Trinity
These stories absolutely make my day.
Mister Papercut
I love it, WereBear.
Dog is My Co-Pilot
What a great story. These animal rescue stories are my new anti-depressant.
tesslibrarian
Oh, RJ looks so much like a big boy version of my late Gilda! I’m so impressed you were able to help bring him to a full life, WereBear.
Thank you for posting rescue stories regularly. Lately the news makes me hate this stupid, terrible world, then I read a rescue story and I realize the world can’t be truly terrible when there are this many people with big hearts living in it.
WereBear
Thanks so much!
He’s one of my proudest kitty accomplishments; and all the better because his problems wouldn’t show up in an xray or blood test; and thus, most people wouldn’t quite realize he had them, much less how to fix them.
I used a lot of developmental theory used to rehabilitate people after strokes and other brain insults. It seems to have worked.
Here’s him in full magnificence; click for picture.
tesslibrarian
@WereBear: What a great picture! It’s so wonderful he’s had a chance to have a kittenhood.
I was never able to get G to hold still long enough for a good picture of her with her tail up–she was constant fluffy movement. We do have a nice short film of her trying to cram her whole 13-pound body into a cracker box, though.
Hillary Rettig
great story, and you’re a terrific writer!
psychobroad
What a great story. I’ve really been enjoying these rescue tales.
asiangrrlMN
@WereBear: RJ is magnificent. Yes, I was in tears as well as I read his story. Thank you for having the patience and love to help him blossom. He’s gorgeous.
moe99
There’s something in my eye. sniff. what a great story. Werebear you are the best!
Felonious Wench
@Linda Featheringill:
What a wonderful story, werebear. Thank you so much for it. From my Mia to her fellow rescue kitties “Keep the humans in line, comrades.”
My cat smells like baby powder. I don’t know why. We don’t keep it in the house, but she still smells like it.
FW
Jody
Awesome. A friend of mine in Sacramento is watching a Sphynx cat for her agency. She smelled like, well, cat skin.
I hope someone adopts her soon. She’s one of the friendliest cats I’ve ever seen, but that doesn’t stop her from giving me the creeps.
WereBear
Thanks. I think the constant practice helps :)
WaterGirl
What a face! How could you not fall in love with that cat?
jebediah
Werebear, I think I love you.