Rocco, our formally chicken hearted, feral, porch visiting tuxedo Tom is def healing after his run in with death. Thank Bast!
On the morning of August 8th he looked as though the left side of his face had been ripped clean out by some Freddy Kruger-ish monster. The damage done possibly/probably by one of the big asshole dogs who live across the street. They’re never on a leash and, I’ve heard from neighbors, that they go after the local felines like drunken frat boys after freshman coeds.
Yeah, the owner’s been spoken to repeatedly.
At this point, a month and a half after the fact, our Rocco’s appetite is as big as ever. He’s here faithfully for breakfast, lunch and, on occasion, dinner. Apart from the obvious injury he looks and seems fine -- healthy as all get out. He’s even letting The AB (The Amazing Bob™) and I get so close we could maybe even attempt patting his poor abused head.
But we don’t. Why? Eh, this level of trust took a long ass time to build. It’s only recently, since the attack, that he doesn’t run off the minute we set foot out the door (and then return for his meal after we vanish inside again). Gaining his trust has been a teeny tiny baby-steps kind of a deal. Plus, to kidnap him off to the vets would surely end in the animal shelter cages. I don't see any of that concluding happily. Rocco's not the gregarious 'pick me, PICK ME' type.
We don’t really know what would be best at this point -- what we can or should do for Rocco. His wound is healing but he seems to be reopening it when he bathes. That’s what we surmise anyway.
It’s clear that the people who, theoretically, owned him have moved, turned him away or maybe he's the one who ended the relationship. Dunno. If he did have a home with people, he’d be wearing a cone and not permitted out of doors.
Our last regular visitor beastie, B.O.P. (Big Orange Pumpkin) was way into people. He moved in but HAD to have his daily outdoor time. The nastier the weather, the better. He reveled in a good ole nor'easter. Seriously. I swear, apart from the whole timeline issue, he was Jack London's inspiration.
It was easy enough to tote B.O.P. into the vet when he got into fights. NOT simple AT ALL was the part about keeping him indoors and in the cone for a month. I only mention it but cats do NOT listen to calm reason when they want to go out at 1, 2 and 3 AM.
I learned my lesson with B.O.P. which is why Coco’s an indoor baby. I take her for walks and we sit in the yard together but that’s it. NO unsupervised outdoor time. Yeah, I feel guilty. Cats gotta roam, explore and conquer their universes. I just don’t think I could lose another furry friend to the local foxes and dogs though.
Any suggestions on what we can do to keep Rocco from reopening his wound?
On the morning of August 8th he looked as though the left side of his face had been ripped clean out by some Freddy Kruger-ish monster. The damage done possibly/probably by one of the big asshole dogs who live across the street. They’re never on a leash and, I’ve heard from neighbors, that they go after the local felines like drunken frat boys after freshman coeds.
Yeah, the owner’s been spoken to repeatedly.
 |
| Rocco -- The Wounded Warrior |
At this point, a month and a half after the fact, our Rocco’s appetite is as big as ever. He’s here faithfully for breakfast, lunch and, on occasion, dinner. Apart from the obvious injury he looks and seems fine -- healthy as all get out. He’s even letting The AB (The Amazing Bob™) and I get so close we could maybe even attempt patting his poor abused head.
But we don’t. Why? Eh, this level of trust took a long ass time to build. It’s only recently, since the attack, that he doesn’t run off the minute we set foot out the door (and then return for his meal after we vanish inside again). Gaining his trust has been a teeny tiny baby-steps kind of a deal. Plus, to kidnap him off to the vets would surely end in the animal shelter cages. I don't see any of that concluding happily. Rocco's not the gregarious 'pick me, PICK ME' type.
We don’t really know what would be best at this point -- what we can or should do for Rocco. His wound is healing but he seems to be reopening it when he bathes. That’s what we surmise anyway.
It’s clear that the people who, theoretically, owned him have moved, turned him away or maybe he's the one who ended the relationship. Dunno. If he did have a home with people, he’d be wearing a cone and not permitted out of doors.
 |
| B.O.P. -- King of the Neighborhood |
 |
| Coco -- Princess and Mouse Assassin |
It was easy enough to tote B.O.P. into the vet when he got into fights. NOT simple AT ALL was the part about keeping him indoors and in the cone for a month. I only mention it but cats do NOT listen to calm reason when they want to go out at 1, 2 and 3 AM.
I learned my lesson with B.O.P. which is why Coco’s an indoor baby. I take her for walks and we sit in the yard together but that’s it. NO unsupervised outdoor time. Yeah, I feel guilty. Cats gotta roam, explore and conquer their universes. I just don’t think I could lose another furry friend to the local foxes and dogs though.
Any suggestions on what we can do to keep Rocco from reopening his wound?
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