It was the end of a day, like any other. I went to the lobby to find out what there
was left to do. Suddenly, a couple came
in with a bundle saying they had found a kitten hit by a car. Usually, this means it is a D.O.A. I did what I always do, assume it is alive,
and run to the treatment area to treat it as an emergency.
It was 1 pound and limp and lifeless. But, the little guy was alive. All my training went into action as I prepped
the leg , got an IV catheter in, and asked for oxygen. I am not sure how I got that IV catheter in
the first try- sometimes vets work better under pressure. His white gums and copious fleas showed me he
was anemic. The bleeding from the ear
and unequal pupils confirmed head trauma as the cause for his state. Some Oxygen, IV fluids for dehydration, IV
steroids for head trauma & brain
swelling, and a tiny bit of medicine for fleas was all there was. That was all I could do. I set him on some blankets in isolation. I told myself these little kittens usually
don’t make it. I told myself I did what
I could and more than most vets would.
The next morning, I came into work, expected to see staff
shaking their heads and saying they were sorry.
The staff was all working, going about their normal business. I just couldn’t go in there if he hadn’t made
it. I had to know. I found the assistant. My eyes asked my question for me. Her eyes were not sad and sorry but brigh,
and she smiled- I had my answer. The
little tiny guy had made it. I had to see
for myself.
He was alive- barely.
He was limp and fairly lifeless but better than last night. And, he was alive. I told myself he still was very sick and still
probably won’t make it. But, he made it
past the first night- it was the first step.
Maybe he could do it. So, he had
some fluids, pain meds and antibiotics.
Later some labwork was normal except for anemia. Some iron for anemia, some dewormer for
parasites, more fluids. Then, some
syringe feeding and lots of carrying him around wrapped up tightly. He was getting stronger day by day.
Several days passed and he could eat on his own. He ate in a weird bird-kitten pecking sort of
way, but he was eating, and by himself- it was a great step. He had a head tilt and walked in circles but
no big deal – he was alive! Then, the
bad news came. He was blind and
deaf. Who would be able to take care of
a blind deaf kitten? How could he get to
his food and water and litter? What if
he fell down the stairs or into a toilet?
He couldn’t spend his life in a cage but how could he live in a home? It was heartbreaking. He made it, but now what.
Several days later, he seemed to change. He was using the litter and eating and
drinking well. I clapped my hands and he
reacted- he heard me!! I set up an
obstacle course, and he walked in circles, but he wasn’t bumping into
things. Could the deaf kitten now
hear? Could the blind kitten now
see? It must be the rest of the brain
swelling went down. I was amazed!
Now, there was one important detail to the story. I had been syringe feeding him for about a
week. He was getting all sorts of care,
medicine, and holding and I was the one
doing it. Now that he was no longer the
filthy little kitten he once was, he was beautiful- he was white with grey ears
and a grey tail. He was so sweet and
gentle and funny. I was attached to him-
so attached. He was my child now. Surely, it would be easy to find someone to
adopt him, but I couldn’t give him up.
One more detail to this story. I have a bunch of cats. They are not always the most easy going and accepting
bunch either. Would they accept
him? Could he hold his own? I had to try it. Turns out, my cat gang kind of knew he was
special and left him alone, just kind of let him be.
I have so many cats that I have a naming theme- it is
weather. I have Typhoon, Tempest,
Stormy, Blizzard, Foggy, Smoggy (it is weather in Southern California where I
grew up), and Partly Cloudy. Turns out
that not only did the little guy walk in circles but he had grey triangles on
his ears and on his nose in the middle of his face. He named himself, really- Tornado it was.
Last piece to the story: Turns out Tornado is really sweet but the
voice of my daughter, Celeste, paralyzes him.
He just goes limp like he is playing dead or something. Turns out, this makes him an ideal candidate
for doll clothes and hi-chairs and strollers.
He is too cute!!
I guess the moral of the story is sometimes the impossible
is possible!!
