In the Pussycat Lounge
The cats think they must be dreaming!
Tucked far off the beaten path in upper Angel Canyon – home to the sanctuary – and within a glade of evergreens is a small structure that might pass for a circus tent. But there’s no circus in town. This is a yurt, a tentlike building that has been used over and over again in times of disaster.
Inside, over 100 cats are resting or playing as they see fit. They have all the food, water, and meds they need and each has a comfortable, clean bed complete with toys. Considering all they’ve gone through, a plush setup like this must feel like another planet to them. And it was almost by accident they ended up here at all.
These are the cats who were given over to the care of Best Friends at the end of a court case, after county officials had taken them from a local home and charged the owner with animal cruelty.
Many of the 114 cats were starving and had other serious health problems. They needed help... fast: food, antibiotics, fluids, and eyedrops. And Best Friends had been helping care for them at the county shelter until the trial was over.
As soon as the county won their case, the cats were given over to their care, the county promptly handed them over to Best Friends. Immediately, an impressive and well-oiled machine lumbered into motion. Best Friends began preparations to bring them to the sanctuary.
A few of the cats in the most critical condition rode in an airplane piloted by Juliette Watt, Best Friends’ official go-to quick move ‘em out gal. The rest rode in a climate-controlled truck and arrived at the sanctuary around midnight.
Once the truck rolled in, three crews jumped into action. One to unload the animals from the truck, one to introduce them into their cages and tackle the paperwork, and one to clean the carriers. Some of the cats seemed a bit uncertain at first, but by the time the Best Friends staff left for the night many of the cats were already playing with their new toys and stretching out in the larger accommodations.
And what a group they are! You’ll find some specialized breeds in this mix, for one thing. Ever seen a munchkin cat before? If not, you might assume incorrectly that Toulouse the munchkin cat has a preference for walking around on his knees the first time you meet him. He has super short legs on a normal-sized body. What a charmer! Then there are Chartreuse, Siamese, manx, Persian, ragdoll, and Oriental shorthair cats. One thing every cat in the group had in common, though, was want for basic care. They’d all suffered serious neglect.
For example, Loverboy (pictured above) was so skinny his hips and ribs would poke out. He looked like a stiff breeze would carry him away. Caregivers admit now to fearing he wouldn’t make it in the beginning. Back then, Loverboy was so depressed and sick he wouldn’t even eat. What bailed him out in the end was plain old TLC. Literally. If caregivers would hold him, and then hold his food bowl next to him, he would finally begin to try the food.
He’s that way still. Loverboy needs social stimulus to eat, but this extra effort has worked wonders. Even though he still only weighs six pounds—he should probably be closer to 12—he’s put on weight and his fur has begun to grow back. With his FIV status, he would most likely have been put down in many other shelters. But here at Best Friends, he knows that he’ll always have a place to call home.
So many other cats have made great strides too. Handsome Devil, also an FIV cat, had such a serious upper respiratory infection that his eye was swollen shut. But you wouldn’t recognize him now if you’d seen him before. Simple antibiotics and basic medical care have cleared things right up. He’s a new cat, always on the lookout for visitors. Speaking of somebody on the lookout, if you happen to drop by the yurt, now dubbed the Pussycat Lounge, you will most certainly receive a warm welcome from self-appointed greeter, Grayson Pussycat. Grayson is allowed out of his cage for roaming and meet-and-greet privileges. And he handles his job with flair.
All in all, the Pussycat Lounge is a bustle of activity and positive energy. The caregivers practically trip over themselves to tell you story after story about how much progress this cat or the other has made. And the cats are really so resilient. Even the shy ones seem content, loving, and ready to live a better life. They’ve come a long way and still have plenty of progress left to make. But now they’ve been given a second chance at life. Which is the very least these survivors deserve.
P.S. Best Friends has two big yurts, which we use for major rescues. One of them is serving as the Pussycat lounge in this story, and we’re going to be putting the other one up so we can have more space for special care of some of the cats who need extra medical attention. More on this next week....
Story by David Dickson