Lucky - the cat, lucky to have survived.

[GrahamH]

Paradise island - well sometimes yes and sometimes no.
Sometimes there are ****ty people no matter how nice the place.
Across from the studio there is some waste land, overgrown with shrubs and a few open spaces of grass. Left the studio with a student (aiming to get some promotional shots done, (she is a hog for the camera and willing to get involved, so that is good).
We then heard this yowling and howling from the wasteland. We ran over to see two mongrels surrounding a poor little cat. Cat ran off and dogs followed, one came back a few seconds later with the cat in it's mouth, shaking it viciously (I managed to stop the student from seeing that particularly disturbing scene). Perspective revealed the cat to be a very young kitten, could have only been a few weeks old. We suspect it was abandoned (hence the ****ty people comment).
Anyway, being brave and there being a fence in between, I threw some stones nearby and after several attempts managed to scare off the dogs, dropping the kitten as they did so. We ran around, big stick in hand (such a brave-heart aren't I) and the student had pepper spray, found the location of the kitten - still alive. I push her back and approached, not much blood luckily (more dog slobber), seems the dogs had still been in the play phase of the attack rather than the final phase.
Student picked it up while I kept my eyes open for the dogs, back to the car, straight off to the Humane Society (closed of course), off to the local drugstore to buy some antiseptic. We were able to wash the wounds (only a few minor puncture wounds) and I tried to assess for any broken bones, but no flinching when I gently prodded various bits (ribs and legs), so that seemed good. Given that everything seemed okay, a visit to the vet was decided against. Carefully we fed the poor little thing (now called Lucky) using a small dropper and some milk, and put it into a large container for the night, along with water, cat food and a litter tray, plus an old towel and a cushion. Eventually Lucky went to sleep.
Next morning (this morning, 26th, Sunday, August) everything still seemed to be okay, so I picked Lucky up to feed it again. Somewhat stronger and feistier, apparently, I now have a lovely 5" scratch mark to show that . An advert has been put online for a new owner, so here's hoping. The student can look after the kitten for a while, but is on holiday soon, I am at work for long hours so not fair on the cat either. Here's hoping a little more luck will be coming Lucky's way. (Hot off the e-mail, new owner found, merely minutes ago).
Just so you know, I am terrified of uncontrolled dogs but have a soft spot for the under'cat', hence my involvement.
Have a good one, and I hope you are lucky too.

Graham
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[Maritimer1]

So glad that story had a happy ending. Beautiful little kitten. What a look of innocence you've caught in the second photo. He/she has quite the impish look in the first. (Maybe that was right after the scratch<BG>?)

[GrahamH]

Thanks Myra,
The young lady looking after the cat is now also having second thoughts about passing it on to a new owner.
However, if there is a family who can spend more time with it, that would be better than Lucky living with a single person who is at work all day long. More loving to get it over the trauma.
Graham
(I miss Canada, never got out to the east coast much, mainly in southern Ontario, some beautiful scenery I would have loved to see).