Hi Guys, Well, DH returned home from a 2 day business trip this PM. He walked in the door and the first words out of his mouth were "We have an emergency!" I'm thinking he's had an accident and start to fly up out of my chair only to find him gently walking into the family room with a tiny little kitten clasped to his chest! He immediately give me the little guy who snuggles up to my chest as I wrap him in my lap blanket. DH goes off to get a saucer of milk while I inspect the little guy. It is a boy kitty and he has been hurt something awful! ALL of the fur around his little neck from one ear to the other in a t least an inch wide swath has been ripped away. He's started to heal and there's minimal scabbing but a lot of dried, raw looking angry flesh. DH returns with the milk and the little guy hunkers down and starts to drink for all he's worth. I would be hard pressed to put him at 8 weeks old. Once he's had his fill of milk, he snuggles down and goes right to sleep while I hold him close and pet the top of his little head. He's a little white and gray tabby and DH found him about a mile or two from the house on a busy street. DH first thought he was looking at a leaf skitter across the street but when it wobbled and changed direction, he noticed it was a kitten. He stopped the truck and went to check and found the little guy hunkered down by someone's garbage -- probably looking for food! He let DH pick him up and did nothing more than mewl a bit all the way home. After holding him on my lap for about 20 minutes, I needed to come upstairs and he let me carry him along with no problem. He was likely too weak to be able to do much other than meow. Once up here and at the computer, I had the little guy on my lap wrapped in a large towel. DH brought up the saucer of milk, got another of water and then brought up a little bit of soft food -- maybe a level tbsp. as I didn't want to give the little guy too much at first and have him ralph it all up! Little Guy (his new name for now) immediately started to strain to get to the food and when I rotated the little plate to make it easier for him to get at it, he growled for all he was worth -- LOLOL! He finished the food, had a bit more milk and then snuggled down for another bit of a rest. After that food stayed down successfully I had DH bring in a bit of dry food. The pieces are a bit large for Little Guy but he managed to eat every last bit! After some more milk, a bit of water and another little nap, I decided it was bed time. Besides, I needed to have my bath and get to bed! So we got a huge box and put another towel in it along with a smaller box with litter and the smallest cat bed with Little Guy in it with his towel. The milk and water are ian there too and I covered the top with a screen. No problem keeping Little Guy in
-- he's too weak to climb out, I think -- I don't want the other cats trying to get inside to see who this newbie is!! He got up, had a bit more milk & water and then went right back to sleep and hasn't made a sound since and that was about 1 1/2 hrs. ago. I left a message at my vet about him and said I would phone first thing tomorrow AM and I wanted to bring him in ASAP to have his poor, wounded little neck looked at. So -- NO I won't be keeping him -- I don't do male cats, just female and three cats is one more than my limit. We will foster him until his neck is all healed and hopefully grows some hair back. If the vet can't find a home for him, then we will take him to Cats-In-The-Cradle, the no-kill shelter that we got our two new babies from. I did call DD and let her know about Little Guy. The SMDGD desperately wants to have a kitty and I think this kitty would be great. The problem will be with Steven, my DSonIL. He gets all huffy when discussing a new cat. He says HE wants to be the one to chose the next cat. I bet that Raechel (the SMDGD) will be able to have some say about this. Especially considering that HER GrandFather SAVED this little kitty from going to Kitty Heaven, etc. I told DD that if they should want Little Guy, GrandFather could bring him to AZ when he comes in September to meet me and help close up the cabin :-). Regardless of WHO ends up with Little Guy, he could use some "good stuff" from everyone so that he heals up OK and overcomes any trauma. I told DH this is what we get for being on a first name basis with St. Frank -- LOLOL! Needless to say, until he is all healed, he will be staying HERE with his new foster family. And the other cats didn't seem to mind his smell or anything -- imagine that!! Miracles never cease to happen, do they :-))). CiaoMeow >^;;^<