Autore Sāra Lēba no Pensilvānijas
Man šķiet, ka esmu piedzīvojusi patiesi svētīgu notikumu. Kādam manas savvaļas kolonijas dalībniekam, parasti vienam no draudzīgākajiem kaķiem, galvā iestrēga plastmasas burka. Visa viņa galva bija apvilkta ar cietu plastmasu, viņš pilnībā nevarēja ēst vai dzert. Pirmo reizi es viņu redzēju sestdienas vakarā. Es pavadīju stundas, mēģinot panākt, lai viņš man uzticētos, lai es pietuvotos pietiekami tuvu, lai es varētu izņemt burku. Bet, būdams pilnīgi neaizsargāts un pozitīvā panikā, kaķis bija pārāk niķīgs, lai ļautu man pietuvoties.
Nākamajā vakarā es mēģināju viņam uzmest dvieli, pēc tam smagu segu, lai dezorientētu viņu, cerot, ka tas ļaus man iegūt stabilu satvērienu, taču kaķis izrādījās pārāk ātrs un viltīgs šādiem trikiem. Mans draugs pat vēlu vakarā iznāca ārā ar lielu grozu, un mēs kopā mēģinājām notvert nobiedēto kaķi, līdz beidzot viņš pilnībā aizbēga, nekur nebija atrodams.
Mēs nolēmām uz nakti atstāt Havahartas slazdu, taču arī tas neizdevās (lai gan tas man ļāva piekļūt auglīgai mātītei, kuru pēc tam varēju nogādāt klīnikā, lai veiktu sterilizāciju un vakcināciju; tātad tas nebija pilnīgs zaudējums). Es meklēju katru stundu tajā pašā stundā, sākot no brīža, kad atgriezos mājās no darba, apmēram 19:00 līdz 5:00. Viņš nekad nerādīja. Es domāju, ka viņš noteikti ir miris vienā no sliktākajiem veidiem, kādu es varu iedomāties. Es biju bez sevis, zinot, ka esmu pievīlis šo kaķi, kurš reiz bija pieglaudies man pie kājām, gaidot savas vakariņas. Es nevarēju to atlaist, nevarēju aizmigt, prātojot, vai viņš, iespējams, joprojām varētu būt tur, iestrēdzis tajā šausmīgajā burkā.
Nakts vidū ierodas apmeklētājs, lai palīdzētu
Nu, šovakar, kā parasti, gandrīz pulksten 1:00 es sagatavoju vakariņu paplāti un iznesu to ārā, kur mana kolonija pacietīgi gaidīja. Es devos ar kaķiem vilktā uz mūsu parasto vietu (pietiekamu attālumu no ēkas), pasniedzu maltīti un biju sākusi iet atpakaļ, kad man tuvojās sieviete, kas, šķiet, parādījās no nekurienes. Man ir vairākas reizes aizrādīts par kaķēnu barošanu, tāpēc es sagatavojos vēl vienai kaimiņu mēlei. Viņa man pajautāja, vai es tikko esmu pabarojusi savvaļas kaķus. Es negribot atzinu, ka esmu, un viņa uzreiz sāka stāstīt par to, cik laimīga ir mani satikt un cik pateicīga viņa bija, zinot, ka kāds kompleksā, izņemot viņu pašu, novērtē kaķus un bija gatavs palīdzēt rūpēties par viņu labklājību. Es, protams, jutos ļoti atvieglots un tikpat sajūsmā, satiekot viņu; beidzot... savvaļas kaķu sabiedrotais!
Viņa man teica, ka viņu sauc Roza, un mūsu rosīgās, vēlās vakara tikšanās un sasveicināšanās laikā Roza un es apmainījāmies ar stāstiem par savu pieredzi, palīdzot vietējiem kaķiem. Es uzzināju, ka viņa dzīvoja kompleksā vairākus gadus (esmu salīdzinoši jauns īpašumā), un, neskatoties uz viņas centieniem saglabāt vakcinētu, sterilizētu un kastrētu koloniju, viņa arī bija vajāti no dažādiem kaimiņu īrniekiem un pat saņēmusi draudus par izlikšanu no namu pārvaldes par kaķu barošanu. Lieki piebilst, ka mēs ar Rozu ātri sadraudzējāmies.
Tā nu mēs pļāpājām, kad parādījās kaķis ar burku galvu! Roze man paziņoja, ka kaķis ir bijis iestrēdzis burkā vismaz kopš ceturtdienas (gandrīz sešas dienas)! Viņa arī bija pavadījusi stundas, mēģinot viņu glābt, un viņa centienos bija viņu sagrauzusi. Viņa teica, ka vairs pat nevēlas mēģināt, ka visu nedēļas nogali raudājusi par saviem neveiksmīgajiem mēģinājumiem. Es pilnībā sapratu viņas bēdas. Kaķa notveršana šajā brīdī šķita neiespējama, un es zināju, ka vēl viens neveiksmīgs mēģinājums mums abiem būtu vēl postošāks, taču es arī zināju, ka neviens no mums nespēs aiziet, neveicot vēl vienu mēģinājumu.
Bez jebkādas plānošanas es vienkārši apsēdos uz zemes un sāku džinkstīt savas atslēgas (pazīstams arī kā savvaļas kaķu vakariņu zvans), un, tā kā viens no maniem parastajiem kaķu tēviņiem ir nedaudz snobs, kurš uzstāj, ka jāēd atsevišķi no pūļa, manā džempera kabatā joprojām turēju nelielu maisu ar pārtiku (kuru biju iecerējis pasniegt blakus esošajā kokā Catty Aloof, kā parasti). Es izvilku no kabatas maisu ar pārtiku, atvēru to un sāku kratīt kopā ar atslēgām. Kaķis ar burku galvu šķita gandrīz hipnotizēts — skaņa un smarža kopā. Es izmisīgi cerēju, ka viņš tuvosies un ļaus man viņam palīdzēt. Apmēram pēc minūtes es pamanīju Rozu ložņājamies aiz tagad bezpalīdzīgi pārdzīvotā, izsalkušā kaķa. Es pakratīju atslēgas un ēdienu, lai padarītu skaņu arvien skaļāku un skaļāku, lai viņš nenovērstos un nepamanītu Rouzes ložņāšanu. Beidzot Roze kā savvaļas kaķis pieskrēja viņam klāt un satvēra viņu no aizmugures.
Kaķis satrakojās, cirtīdams Rouzas kailajām rokām. Man par izbrīnu Roza satvēra viņu. Es uzlēcu un kliedzu: "NELAIST VIŅU AIZMĀT!" Bet tieši tad, kad grasījos satvert burku, kaķis izšāvās no viņas rokām un metās prom. Es un Rouza, aizkaitināti, gandrīz unisonā izrunājām dažus izvēles izteicienus, un mēs abi sākām slīdēt nožēlojami, kad pēkšņi sapratām, ka viņa tur burku!
Ak Dievs, man tas ir!
Kaut kā vardarbīgās kašķēšanās laikā Rozai tiešām bija izdevies izņemt burku! Roze skatījās uz netīro trauku rokās, neticīgi atkārtojot: "Ak, Dievs, man tas ir. Man ir burka!"
Es apmetos viņai ap rokas. Šī sieviete, tikai dažas minūtes pirms svešinieka… mans jaunais draugs un partneris kaķu glābšanas “noziegumā”, un tagad mans varonis! Mēs stāvējām tur mūsu dzīvokļu kompleksa autostāvvietā pulksten 1:00 no rīta cieši apskāvienos, un asinis slīdēja no svaigajām kaujas brūcēm uz viņas apakšdelmiem. Es joprojām nespēju tam noticēt. Viss pasākums šķiet gandrīz neiespējams; laiks, veiksme visam, gandrīz pārāk labi, lai būtu patiesība. Man likās, ka esmu laimējusi loterijā. Skriešanās bija labāka nekā Brodvejā. Un Jarhead ir bez burkām!

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I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. What a wonderful story!! Thank you!
I totally understand saving those precious little souls. Attached is Sister Chic. She was found by my daughter and her friend after being mauled by a dog. It bit her tail off and messed up her back and ears pretty bad. She has six toes on all four feet and is rather unique looking. She has such a personality! In the beginning I told my daughter we'd keep her until we could find her a home. Well, guess what? She found a home alright, with me. We've had her 5 years now and I can't imagine life without her. She is my little soul mate. Guess it was in the cards. We are meant to be together, Sister Chic and I!
You are heros!
Love this story. And thank you to the commenter below who cautions people about their discarded containers, which are indeed a hazard to wildlife. There is a young deer living behind my property who has a length of PVC pipe stuck on this leg. He must have stepped on it and it went right over his hoof. Now he's stuck with it for life. Poor guy. There is no way to catch this wild deer and I am hoping that he will be able to adapt to the plastic pipe and that it won't get infected.
I too rescued a feral with a plastic jar on her head. She would frequent my deck late in the night for a meal, Always Frightened and would scurry off quickly if she noticed me looking. One evening as i peeked out, I spotted her under my car with the jar on her head. I didn't think too much of it other than a small chuckle. To my dismay, she was on my deck still the next morning with the jar still on her head. Fearing the worst for her at that point i proceeded to sneak up on her and try to grab the jar. Didn't work. She ran away , the plastic jar clunking as she frantically ran . Each day I would see her on the property somewhere during my search. Day three, I was alerted by the neighbor's Jack Russel to their barn. I approached thinking that she must be there as the dog was very insistent on entering. Oh what a surprise, I found her stash. Three orange tigers, one silver tiger and a calico, all about three maybe four weeks old and very hungry. Day four and five, no luck, didn't even see her. I though she had perished. Day six came. With some help in the search we located her in the overgrowth and of course she got away. Later that same day, I went back to the area where she had been spotted earlier and to my surprise she was there. I called for help again from my family and one of my "crazy cat lady" friends, Carrie Bartz of Shadow Cat Advocates. Together we surrounded the area. Being cornered little miss ran down in a groundhog hole. Nothing left to do but dig now. After an hour of digging we were able to open the small cavern and force her into a trap. Thank God Carrie was there with her unrelenting grip and guidance. We took her to the clinic where they were finally able to free her from the plastic prison. Friends flocked in to see the cute kittens and they have all been adopted to wonderful homes. Being a feral, momma was very stand offish. While feeding the babies in the other room she heard them and started calling out and after two times before, and against advice, I took the three remaining kitties to her. Instantaneously she loved on them and is now allowing me to hold her and pet her. I think I made the right decision. She has been tested and vaccinated and is now joining our home. Oh and btw Her name is now Mayo.
[Hide Full Comment]God Bless you two, from another rescuer and TNR'. How is Jarhead now?
Sarah and Rose: Congratulations for helping this poor cat and thank you on my behalf, and of my small zoo of abandoned dogs and cats for being an animal lover, that is a great story keep up the good work.
Animal Angels all around us . . .
Awww that is the sweetest story
What a wonderful story--and thank you for being so persistent in your rescue efforts. "Jar Head" kitty has one heck of a will to live! Nonetheless, he must have been scared out of his mind not being able to see where he was going, eat, or drink. Thank goodness he didn't suffocate!
I think there is also a lesson in here about why we can do with less plastic bottles and jars in the world and why the thoughtful thing to do is either reuse the containers or (as a last resort) recycle them. Please don't toss plastic bottles and containers onto landfills or vacant lots--they are harmful to feral kitties.
wonderful story! thanks to people like you these cats have a chance..
Thank you for your kindness and your bravery. You are heroes.
Beautiful, Hui Pono Holoholona understands your love. Mahalo for all you do.
How kind of you and Rose to save this kitty, and know you'll be right back at it. I once knew two old lady cat and dog lovers. One of them was quite wealthy, and they would both hop in her Cadillac and drive around saving neglected and abandoned animals, even going so far as to steal chained up dogs in yards that had no food, water, shade or warmth. She said she didn't care if she was arrested because she had plenty of money and plenty of lawyers. All the evacuees were taken first to the vet, then to the groomers, and home to the best any of us could wish for, until perfect permanent homes could be found. I always thought that if my ship ever came in, it would be a great way to spend my life. I"m 71 now, still without money, but still rescuing.
Wow, thanks for the tears. And thanks for the bravery on both the rescue and the long term endeavor. I too would be a feral cat feeder if I could brave the hatred from the others.
Sarah and Rose... lots of love to your and your cat tribe... what you are doing to serve the animals is a big part of saving the humans and the world...
What a beautiful, heartwarming story Laura! :)
Sweet story.
That is such a touching story! It does my heart so much good to know there are others out there who care about animals enough to really try to help them.
Thank you both for not giving up!! You are angels. :)
Great story! Thanks for being such a kind, compassionate soul! :)
He looks like my very first, much beloved cat Wallace! Gorgeous boy!
Thank you for your kindness and care. It does my heart good to know that both you and Rose found the help you needed and were successful. Meeting a kindred spirit is such a huge blessing too!
What a great story of love and blessed "timing".
The love, caring and knowing that kitty is free made my morning!
Thank you both!
What a wonderful story of caring & friendship- human & feline together!
OMG, this reminds me of my own cat who I originally thought was feral. One terribly hot summer he got his head stuck in a plastic bag. Lucky for him it had a hole that he could breath through but otherwise he was encased. We tried in vain to help him, but he finally managed to get out of it. He turned out to be a traumatized abandoned cat and I slowly befriended him - he's our beloved pet today. Sooo, glad you were able to free that poor cat from the jar!!
Thank you for the tears of happiness :)