From My Window 7/6/22

Janie Thibodeau Martin

(This took place in the middle of a solid week of below-zero weather last winter. This event was unrelated to my volunteer work at an animal shelter.)

Every week, we get a "shopper" type newspaper in the mail. I usually look through it, and got in the habit of reading a mini-editorial that appeared in an ad for an agricultural-related business in Central Wisconsin. The little editorials were intended to be humorous and frequently had a political tone to them. The business owner's viewpoints are diametrically opposed to my own; I read it as I like to understand the perspective of others.

One frigid day I opened the paper and read this: "Last night I told my wife I was going to shoot the annoying stray cat hanging around. I didn't think our kids were listening to me, but this morning my son asked me which gun I was going to use to shoot the cat." His point was something like "little pitchers have big ears," and he thought the boy's interest in weapon selection was cute. Or something.

As soon as I read the editorial, I sent an e-mail to the writer/business owner. I told him I occasionally helped locate stray animal's owners; and if I can't, try to re-home them. I would be more than happy to come and get the annoying stray cat as soon as I had the address. My email was emotionally neutral and short.

I got a near-instant response. I can't be sure why. It's possible he'd already gotten feedback from someone who found the editorial disturbing, like I did. Or maybe my contact prompted him to think about the perception of his business by my fellow animal lovers. At any rate, he gave me his address, and told me he'd call his wife and tell her I'd be coming. I asked if the cat would be easy to find, and he said his sons would be home and could help me. So I packed up some cookies for the kids and set off on a 45 minute drive with some canned cat food and a crate. I was relieved the cat wasn't already dead, and mulled what I might find on arrival. An "annoying" cat was probably trying to get in the house, crawling up on warm hoods, or pestering people for food or attention. Of course my dream endings are finding a lost animal's owner; a rush that never gets old.

When I got there, I was surprised to find the pleasant wife and children waiting outside in the bitter cold for me. A little boy wiggled under an unenclosed deck, came out with a lump of black fur and tucked it into my crate. I was relieved it was so simple; rescuing animals is often challenging because you can't capture them. I thanked them profusely, told them if I couldn't locate the owner, I'd find the cat a good home; and gave them the cookies.

My first hint something wasn't quite right was the utter silence from the cat carrier on the drive home. No yowling, no escape attempts, no panic. Perhaps it is just happy to be warm, I thought.

I got home and brought the carrier into the heated workshop where I'd prepared a big dog crate with water, canned cat food, a litter box and a cat bed. I cautiously opened the carrier, prepared for a frantic escape attempt.

Instead, the pitiful skeleton of a black and white cat, maybe a year old, staggered out. Her shaking legs barely held her up, and I guided her gently to the food. She wolfed down maybe three bites, then tottered to the cat bed and collapsed.

I was stunned. This pitiful waif, starving and half-frozen, was "annoying?"

It was past five, too late to call my vet. I thought if I could just pull her through the night, I could get help in the morning. I tried to rouse her an hour later to eat more or drink, but she just laid limply in the bed. After consulting a trusted animal rescue site on line, I boiled ground venison and strained the broth, using a needless syringe to squirt small amounts into her mouth. She swallowed a little but not very much. I set alarms and all night, every two hours, I went out, willing her to live until eight a.m. But about seven a.m. she started seizing every few minutes. Mike validated my instinct, it was time to give up. We did the kind thing and ended her suffering. There would be no happy ending this time.

I named the cat "Feather," after her death because there was literally nothing to her. I saved her body all winter, and buried her under a marker I made this spring with her name on it. She is in a lovely spot near Hank Lake that I pass almost daily, and she is not forgotten. I believe I'll see her again, as I will be her person at the Rainbow Bridge. I hope she sensed in the last 14 hours of her life someone cared and tried to help. It was just too late when I saw the ad. People utterly failed her. Her little body burned up all her fat and then muscle to try and stay warm in the week of below-zero weather, and she was no doubt drastically dehydrated from lack of water.

Some of you may be wondering why I didn't report this as abuse or neglect. I know the laws; this was neither. There was no sign she'd been physically abused; no one is under any legal obligation to reach out and help an animal they say is a stray.

I am still offended Feather was described as "annoying." Words matter. But maybe "annoying" sounds like more of a justification for telling his joke about shooting her than "starving."

I was surprised, and a bit gratified, to see a notation in the ad the following week. "A nice lady came and got the cat, and all is well." (It wasn't.) I'd like to believe he caught some heat for his original editorial. Or maybe it gave him something to think about, that I was warm to his family, and didn't criticize or attack him. Some people have a very suspicious view of animal advocates. If I had any positive impact on his thinking or that of any of his family, I'd be pleased. Hearts and minds can be changed, but in animal rescue, attacking people seldom helps the animals.

As I often do, I think of the story of the little boy picking up and throwing stranded starfish back into the ocean. When told he can't save them all, he responds that he can save a few. I try and save a few; like the little boy I simply can't save them all. Shelters overflow; unwanted litters keep coming.

I share this story, which is still painful for me, because some of you might have an opportunity someday to reach out to a suffering animal. If you can help, please try. Be gentle with people as you try. Raise your children to have empathy for animals and people. And please consider spaying and neutering your pets. So much suffering could be avoided.

You can reach me for commentary, alternative viewpoints or ideas at this e-mail address: JanieTMartin@gmail.com.

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