Thank you, donors!
Posted: December 23, 2011 Filed under: cats, Donation, Fitpup!, GiveForward | Tags: cats, donation, Fitpup!, GiveForward 1 Comment »I do apologize for not updating this blog more regularly but, well, as you know, I am still recovering from my terrible injuries, so I don’t always find the energy to type. However, the incredible generosity of my human’s friends is helping me heal faster every day. So far, seventeen people have contributed to the “Save Garbo! Fund” and we have raised $493, which is nearly 10% of the total we need! I just cannot believe how incredibly generous everyone has been, and I would like to take a moment to thank everybody personally. If your name is on the following donor list, then rest assured that I will be glad to rub my face against your legs any time you pop by for a visit!
Andrew Gauld of Edinburgh, Scotland
John Brown of Austin, Texas
Lucy Jordan of Austin, Texas
Carolyn Gibson of Belfast, Northern Ireland
Serena Ferrando of Stanford, California
Gordon Kennedy of Glasgow, Scotland
Lynn Dunlop and Gavin Morrison of Glasgow, Scotland
Steven Tulloch of Belfast, Northern Ireland
Kristen Schultz of Austin, Texas
Janet Johnstone of Glasgow, Scotland
Douglas R. Graves of Austin, Texas
Andrea Sicco of Brooklyn, New York
Philip Arno of Austin, Texas
Alison Wood of London, England
Alex McChesney of Austin, Texas
Alessandro Piovaccari of Austin, TX
And “Anonymous”
All of the above people should know that if you ever need me to return the favour, I will be more than happy to do so! While we’re on that topic, I would like to give a shout out to Kristen Schultz, one of the above donors, who is also my favourite pet sitter EVER! She and her lovely sister, Kirsten, run the pet sitting service “Fitpup!” and I just can’t say enough good things about them. Kris is a fabulous human being, and looks after me so well whenever my human is out of town. She has a real way with animals, so if you’re in Austin and need a pet sitter, call “Fitpup!
Dog Attack!
Posted: December 10, 2011 Filed under: AM/PM Animal Hospital, cats, Central Texas Veterinary Specialty Hospital, dog attack, feral cat colony, feral cats | Tags: AM/PM Animal Hospital, cats, Central Texas Veterinary Specialty Hospital, dog attack, feral cat colony, feral cats 2 Comments »
Me, recovering from surgery.
My name is Garbo, and I am a wee black cat who was born in a feral colony near the infamous corner of 12th and Chicon in downtown East Austin. My human, Jenn, captured me in a humane trap in the summer of 2010 while she was volunteering for the Austin Humane Society’s “Trap-Neuter-Return” Program for feral cats.
The Austin Humane Society couldn’t spay me when Jenn brought me in because I was far too small – only two pounds! However, Jenn couldn’t bear to put me back in the colony because she knew my life would be short and brutal, so she kept me and tried to tame me.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I did not make things easy for Jenn at first – I bit her and scratched her, and then I hid behind a bookcase for three days, refusing to eat! But, well, I didn’t really know any better at that point, and I was really scared!
For a long time I wouldn’t let Jenn or her long-suffering husband, Michael, anywhere near me. If they got close to me, I would dart away with a wild look in my eyes. However, eventually I grew to love and trust them. I’ve actually turned into one of their most affectionate cats. They’ve given me so much – love, attention and an education of which any cat would be proud! Jenn even sent me to the “Miss Jean Brodie Secretarial School for Young Lady Cats” where I learned how to type! That’s why I have such a great command of the English language, unlike those ridiculous “Lolcats” and their disgustingly poor grammar! Ugh!
Things were going so well for me until Saturday November 19th when I decided to scale my neighbour’s very large fence and jump into his yard. Since the fence was made of wood, and very tall, I didn’t see the two very large dogs on the other side. I only weigh eight pounds and those dogs must have been about sixty pounds each! I would never have survived if Michael hadn’t heard my pitiful cries for help and hadn’t bravely jumped over the fence to rescue me , with nary a thought for his own safety!
The dog attack left me in a state that the cats back in my feral colony would call “fucked up”. I have three broken ribs, internal bruising (but, thankfully, no injuries to any of my internal organs); a big wound on my right hind leg, and puncture wounds to my fat pad. Jenn took me first of all to AM/PM Animal Hospital (trust me to choose a Saturday to get attacked by dogs when all the regular, cheaper vets were closed!) where Dr. Parker kept me alive in intensive care for two days! That cost my poor human, Jenn, $2000! I was then transferred to Central Texas Veterinary Specialty Hospital where the amazing Dr. Gower operated on my fat pad to remove flesh that was turning septic and necrotic. That was another $3000!
I know that there are probably a lot of people out there who think that my human is crazy for spending so much money on little ol’ me, who’s “just a cat”. Jenn has heard that point of view before, and, well, quite frankly she doesn’t care to hear it again. However, If there are any other animal lovers out there who can spare a dollar or two to help my human offset my medical expenses, please click here.
Well, that’s it for today. Going to take a quick cat nap! All this typing sure takes it out of a cat!
