Seal is one of the permanent special needs cats in the care of our rescue director, Cathy Taylor.

This is Seal's story as told by Cathy:

Seal came to us by way of a vet clinic in Liberty Hill where she had been taken after having been found in a ditch alongside a road where she pulled herself off the road after having been hit by a vehicle; managing to pull herself into the ditch saved her life. This little kitty was showing what a strong will she has early on by getting herself off the road and out of harm's way. She lay in the ditch for at least a day, possibly two as she was quite dehydrated and thin when presented at the vet clinic. Fluids and food were a priority after which the vet examined Seal to assess the extent of her injuries. The obvious were several areas of road rash. The not so obvious were revealed on x-rays which included a broken back and both rear legs suffered numerous breaks. As the vet wasn't sure what course to take with this kitty as she is not a surgeon, she and her staff cared for the kitty with TLC, tested her for Feluke/FIV and gave her vaccinations. After a week of rest and TLC an email was sent out for placement of the kitty and we stepped up site unseen. Guess you could say our director has a very soft spot for the cats/kittens which would most likely otherwise slip thru the cracks or suffer needlessly. Unfortunately upon consulting with a surgeon we were told that Seal's back was irreparable due to the passage of time (which had only been a few weeks ). Also was told she had suffered a severe inguinal hernia. Surgery was performed to repair the hernia, spay her and remove her tail as it was already becoming brittle as a result of dying tissue and nerve damage and would only get worse if left intact. Seal came thru the surgery like a champ, (unlike her foster mom who was a wreck the whole time)! Her recuperation time was a challenge as she did not want to be kept subdued in any fashion. We all prevailed and she healed from the procedures, though she does have a broken back which cannot be repaired and is unable to use her back legs.

 

Unfortunately another medical situation was created when an unsterile section of surgical gauze was inadvertantly left in Seal's abdomen from the surgery causing a terrible abscess of unknown origin until the piece of gauze was noticed sticking out of an incision where a drain tube had been placed (by a different vet) while her foster mom was cleaning the area so it would stay open and draining. The next morning Seal was at the vet so we could determine what this object was and that is when Dr. Meyer pulled the offending gauze out of her drain site. This abscess had been a problem for several weeks however once the source of the infection was known and finally removed the healing was thankfully swift. I just felt terrible for Seal that she had to endure the several weeks of discomfort, numerous medications, sedations for the drain and the twice daily cleaning which she really disliked. But lots of gentle care and attention did go into ensuring that Seal was in as less pain and discomfort as much as possible. And, despite all of those procedures and discomfort, Seal has managed to pull through again due to her very strong will.

 

Now that Seal's immediate medical situations are behind her she is getting around quite well by pulling herself with her front legs which she has actually been doing all along only now it is much easier without the worries of her tummy staples or the drain tube. She is amazingly fast and has even learned to pull herself up on the bed. When I go into the kitchen I had better watch where I step as she may well get there first as she knows that is where food and treats are. One of her favorites is Tuna (Albacore, of course). She also has an affinity for salmon, catfish, turkey and chicken. She gets whatever she wants, just ask her! She won't be denied the happiness she is entitled to. Seal also likes to go outside if you go out with her which is the only way it would happen anyway. From watching her I think she likes listening to the different sounds and seeing the birds flying about. Sadly, I think she misses not being able to climb or jump the most as I have watched her at times when she is pulling herself up on a particular item and you can see her crouch in that position a cat takes when preparing to jump.

When she clearly misses being able to climb, I try not to feel sad but I do. But she is taking her life and it's challenges in stride better than I and probably most other people. Perhaps I am a bit envious of her spirit as she doesn't dwell on what she can't do but instead pushes forward with what she can do. Animals are so much more resilient than humans and Seal is no exception! Seal is a remarkable cat who plays and purrs with much gusto. She is living a happier life than she could have imagined, and though her human friends are glad to do their part in providing for her, the hardest part was accomplished all by herself in having the strong desire to live. She has lots of love and companionship to offer and is a most welcome permanent addition and has brought much inspiration to all of us at Catz Jazz.

Seal and all of the other special needs cats like her will always be cherished here and given all the love they've always deserved. These amazing and strong-willed cats are quite loving towards us and towards life; always reminding us to make every minute count when enjoying life. I would like to thank all of the people that have helped make Seal's life better by their generous donations and willingness to help, I appreciate your kindness so very much.

Sincerely,
Cathy Taylor
      ♥