本文由宾夕法尼亚州的莎拉·勒布撰写。
我觉得自己经历了一件非常幸运的事。我养的一只流浪猫，平时比较友善，头上卡了一个塑料罐。它的整个头部都被硬塑料包裹着，完全无法进食或饮水。我是在一个周六晚上第一次看到它这样。我花了几个小时试图让它信任我，好让我靠近并取下罐子。但是，它当时非常脆弱，惊恐万分，极度胆怯，根本不让我靠近。
第二天晚上，我试着用毛巾盖住它，然后又盖上一条厚毯子，想让它失去方向感，这样或许能让我抓住它。但这只猫太敏捷太狡猾了，这些小伎俩根本没用。那天晚上，我男朋友甚至带着一个大篮子出来，我们一起试图抓住这只受惊的猫，但最终，它彻底跑掉了，消失得无影无踪。
我们决定在外面放一个哈瓦哈特捕猫笼过夜，但还是没能成功（虽然这让我抓到了一只可以生育的母猫，之后我把它带到诊所做了绝育和疫苗接种；所以也不算完全白费力气）。从我晚上7点左右下班回家到第二天早上5点，我每隔一小时就找一次。他始终没有出现。我想他一定是死于我能想象到的最悲惨的境地。我心烦意乱，知道自己辜负了这只曾经依偎在我腿边，等着吃晚饭的猫。我无法释怀，彻夜难眠，总在想他是不是还被困在那个可怕的罐子里。
半夜来访者前来帮忙
今晚，像往常一样，凌晨一点左右，我准备好晚餐，端到外面，我的猫咪们在那里耐心地等着。我带着它们走到我们常去的地方（离楼有一段距离），喂完饭，正要往回走的时候，一个女人突然冒了出来，好像是从天而降似的。我之前因为喂猫被邻居训斥过好几次，所以做好了再次被邻居责骂的准备。她直截了当地问我，是不是刚才喂了流浪猫。我不太情愿地承认了，她立刻热情地跟我说她很高兴见到我，也很感激小区里除了她自己，还有人喜欢这些猫，愿意帮忙照顾它们。我当然松了一口气，也同样高兴见到她；终于……找到一个同样爱护流浪猫的邻居了！
她告诉我她叫罗斯，在我们那场热闹的深夜见面会上，罗斯和我分享了各自帮助当地流浪猫的经历。我了解到她在这个小区住了好几年（我搬来不久），尽管她一直努力维持着一个接种疫苗、绝育的猫群，但她也曾受到一些邻居的骚扰，甚至因为喂猫而被物业威胁要驱逐。不用说，罗斯和我很快就成了好朋友。
当时我们正聊得热火朝天，突然那只被困在罐子里的猫出现了！罗斯告诉我，这只猫至少从周四就被困在罐子里了（差不多六天了）！她花了几个小时试图救它，结果还被它咬伤了。她说她都不想再试了，整个周末都在为失败的尝试而哭泣。我完全理解她的悲伤。现在看来，抓住这只猫似乎已经不可能了，我知道如果再失败一次，对我们俩来说都会更加痛苦，但我同时也知道，我们谁也无法就此放弃，必须再试一次。
我毫无计划地坐在地上，开始摇晃钥匙（也就是给野猫的“饭铃”）。因为我家常养的一只公猫有点儿傲慢，总是喜欢一个人吃饭，所以我毛衣口袋里还装着一小袋猫粮（本来打算像往常一样喂给“高傲猫”在附近树下的那只）。我从口袋里掏出猫粮，打开，连同钥匙一起摇晃起来。那只脑袋像罐头一样的猫似乎被这声音和气味催眠了。我迫切地希望它能过来，让我帮帮它。过了一会儿，我注意到罗斯悄悄地走到那只饿得动弹不得、被吓得魂飞魄散的猫身后。我摇晃着钥匙和猫粮，让声音越来越大，免得它移开视线，注意到罗斯的靠近。最后，罗斯像一只真正的野猫一样，猛地扑向它，从后面抓住了它。
猫突然发狂，扑向罗斯裸露的胳膊。令我惊讶的是，罗斯竟然紧紧抓住不放。我跳起来大喊：“别放开它！” 但就在我准备抓住罐子的时候，猫突然从她怀里挣脱出来，飞快地跑开了。我和罗斯气得几乎同时爆了几句粗口，正要垂头丧气地坐下时，我们突然意识到，她手里拿着罐子！
他终于自由了！
我的天哪，我得到了！
不知怎么的，在激烈的扭打中，罗斯竟然真的把罐子拿了出来！罗斯盯着手里肮脏的容器，难以置信地重复道：“我的天哪，我拿到了！我拿到罐子了！”
我一把抱住了她。几分钟前还是个陌生人的女人……现在却成了我的新朋友，我的猫咪救援“搭档”，更是我的英雄！凌晨一点，我们紧紧地拥抱在公寓楼的停车场里，鲜血从她前臂上新鲜的伤口缓缓流淌。我至今仍然难以置信。整件事都像是天方夜谭：时机、运气，一切都美好得令人难以置信。我感觉自己就像中了彩票一样。那种兴奋比百老汇的演出还要棒。而且，我终于摆脱了“锅盖头”的束缚！
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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 :)