Friday, December 23, 2011

A Christmas Tail


Yesterday I received a Christmas blessing that is so rich I felt I must share it with you.

Last Friday evening we noticed an odd-looking white cat outside our gate. I very quickly realised it looked odd because it had no ears. That’s right – no ears. It was not pristine and quite rough looking and I feared it had been a victim of some kind of cruelty.

Over the years I have given both time and money to animal charities but still remain very sensitive to this, as many others are. To the point that one day I found holes cut out of the newspaper – my dear husband had censored some upsetting stories for me!

Back to White Cat though, she came meowing out from under a car as we walked past. We came back a few hours later and she was still there, calling out loudly. She was very friendly and allowed me to pat her. I brought some meat out and fed her on the grass verge.

The next day we didn’t see her and I thought she might have gone home. She was back on Sunday and over the next few days I fed her some more. I realised what a fabulous man my husband was when he suggested we take her in when that was what I was thinking too.

On a night of torrential rain we brought her inside (we had already been giving her breakfast and dinner) and she stayed the night. She hissed and growled at Jessica a lot but I thought they would get used to each other. She stayed the next night too.


I thought after Christmas I would take her to the vet for a check-up and see if she was micro chipped to try and track down an owner if there was one, but we feared she may have been dumped.

She didn’t look young and when you picked her up she was light as a feather. Quite a difference from Miss Jessica who looks dainty but when you lift her it’s like a bag of sand in your arms!

Her ears told me another story though. They didn’t look hacked off, but surgically removed, and I realised she may have had skin cancer being a white cat, which would have necessitated ear removal. She looked a little ferrety with no ears I have to say. And I was patting her yesterday morning and my ring got caught on her ear-hole. It didn’t hurt her but I felt terrible.

I thought she must be a lost, loved cat if someone had taken the time and expense to have her ears operated on. Plus she was very tame and operated our cat-door no problem at all. She was not a wild cat Miss White Cat.

At work yesterday I decided to see if I could find White Cat’s owners. First I placed a pet lost and found ad on Trade Me (like eBay here). I rung two vets in the area and asked if any of the cats on their records were white cats with no ears. Then I did an internet search. One of the New Zealand pet websites with a lost and found section allowed you to search by keywords and areas.

Up came a white cat lost in our area but it had ears. I clicked on the photo anyway and what do you know, the description of the photo said ‘this was taken before she had her ears reduced due to skin cancer’. And she was lost in a big park right near us. I couldn’t ring the number quick enough.

I phoned her ‘Dad’ and he couldn’t believe we had his girl. She is 12 years old and had been with him since she was six months old. She had hopped into a friend’s car, unbeknownst to him of course and the friend drove off. When he got to where he was going (right by our street) she jumped out frightened and ran off and that was the last they saw of her at the end of November. She had been living rough for more than three weeks.

Her Dad came around last night to pick her up. He was such a lovely man, a retired police detective. He said he had tears in his eyes after I rung him to say we had his puss.

I still can’t believe it’s worked out so well and Dolly has been reunited with her family (her Dad is a country music fan and named her after Dolly Parton 'because she is blonde'). And only a few days before Christmas. I couldn’t think of a better Christmas present myself.

And full credit to Jessica for being such an accommodating hostess to White Cat. She did not hiss or growl once, despite a strange cat staying with her. And the nice lady at the cat shelter said she liked her own company and didn’t want to be around other cats. Jessica’s my true Christmas angel.

I was so happy last night thinking of them cuddled up together. I asked him if she slept on the bed with him and he said ‘tonight I might let her’, and he was planning on locking her in the house with him.

Merry Christmas to Dolly and her Dad!

33 comments:

  1. What a magnificent story! I think Dolly's owner is calling you his Christmas Angel!

    Have a Merry Christmas Fiona and all the best to you for the New Year!

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  2. What a sweet story! I'm so happy you were persistent in your search and reunited them. So, so sweet!

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  3. What a wonderful story! That was so sweet of you! I am so glad that she was reunited with her dad!!! I had tears in my eyes reading it. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. So sweet! I have a tender spot for animals, too. Glad White Cat found her home. :)

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  5. I'm sure they felt so blessed that you went the extra mile to make sure Dolly was home for Christmas, and you look like an angel in that top picture. Have a wonderful Christmas Miss Fiona!

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  6. So glad she found you! What a sweet story!

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  7. What a wonderful story - you are quite the angel too! Merry Christmas! xxoo

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  8. What a sweet, sweet story...you are sweet, your husband, Dolly, Jessica...all of you! So happy that Dolly and her dad were reunited. And I love the picture of the two of you together. You look gorgeous! ~~Bliss

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  9. What a lovely story, I have goose bumps just reading it.
    You truly are an angel. and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.
    This is what Christmas is all about.
    you inspire me

    Thank you,
    Hostess
    XO

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  10. That's so sweet of you! Thanks for sharing this beautiful story:)

    Joyeux Noel,
    Rose

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  11. What a lovely Christmas story!

    Nice photo of you Fiona.

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  12. Only you would go to all that effort Fiona. Lovely story. I feel the same as you about animal cruelty stories.Wasn't Dolly lucky that she ended up outside your house? You must be so proud of Miss Jessica for "allowing " another kitty into her domain! Lovely photo of you and Dolly. Hope you and your husband and Jessica have a wonderful Christmas! x

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  13. What a touching Christmas story! I have a white cat myself and easily relate to the owner's feelings since our cat has been with us more than 20 years already. Thank you for your sympathy to both the cat and the owner!

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  14. I think that you were meant to be the one to find her and help her find her way home. I hope you have a lovely Christmas in your new home.

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  15. So happy you were able to help them reunite. The adventures she must have had - don't you wish they could talk? Love the photo by the way.

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  16. Beautiful story with a happy ending! And you look great in that photo. I love that that you are as nice as you are pretty. My Dad used to tell me that it was important to be useful as well as decorative...

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  17. What wonderful story! Thank goodness there are people like you in the world, who are willing to go the extra mile.

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  18. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful in every way!!! Definitive proof you are not only beautiful on the outside, but on the inside, too. (Which we already knew of course!) Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed 2012! Bess

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  19. I love your blog, because you clearly have a warm, compassionate heart. While you chat with us about a lovely lifestyle, it is made even more lovely by your concern for others and a lack of materialism! Christmas Blessings to you!

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  20. What a lovely story, and I loved that it worked out so well! Happy Holidays!

    Amanda

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  21. Fiona,

    Your love of animals is just so endearing. Dolly is so lucky that you tended to her and helped find her daddy.

    The picture of you is beautiful Fiona. You are just lovely.

    Thank you for posting such a beautiful tail.

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  22. Dear Fiona,

    You are a real angel! Outside and inside! Happy Holidays!

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  23. What a lovely story, and what a remarkable person you are to be so persistent in looking for white cats owner! A wonderful ending to your story.

    Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

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  24. Oh, my goodness - how did I even come here? I also have a white kitty named Dolly! I'm so glad this cat found you so you could find her owner for her.
    Merry Christmas!

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  25. This is just such a wonderful true life Christmas story.

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  26. Oh Lordy, no ears, poor thing, well what a wonderful tail indeed, I am so glad they were reunited.

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  27. What a beautiful story! Hope you had a great Christmas and happy new year to you! xo

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  28. Oh what a lovely story...I hope he doesn't let her out ever again. At 12 years old she does not deserve to be living it up for any amont of time...she should stay home with her Papa! :-) Thank you for sharing this story. I just stumbled across your blog! :-)

    Love & Light,

    Happy healthy New Year!

    t

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  29. Fiona, I can't read stories in the papers or look at TV commercials for the ASPCA or the Humane Society because of my huge, huge soft spot for animals, particularly cats. Your story of taking in a little lost girl and finding her human parent brought tears to my eyes.

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  30. This story touched me more than words can describe. God's little animals require us to love and care for them...even when some are not so lovable. Your act of kindness toward this cat was, in its' own way, your ministry...at least for that day. May God bless you for your act of kindness and may many others learn and be touched by this sincere act of love.

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  31. What a wonderful outcome. Far more than good grooming and lovely clothes, this is what being chic is all about, a kind and loving heart. As a cat lover, Thank you for loving and looking after lost little Dolly, and indeed for taking Miss Jessica into your home and heart too.

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  32. What a heart-warming tale! So nice to know that you were so dedicated to finding Dolly's Dad. Heaven's forbid but if I ever lose one of my kitties, I hope someone like you finds them.

    PS - just found your blog and adore it!

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Merci for your comment. Wishing you a chic day!

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