A very cute black kitten with fur that glistened in the moonlight. It had befriended our two other cats and would come to eat with them. After a month I decided it was time for the wild kitty to have a name. Tuxedo Cat it came to be, always dressed for the occasion with a bow tie and white shirt it would attend dinners and dine with it's feline friends. How I wanted to pet this kitty, it looked so soft, and fluffy... I would pine as I watched this very skittish kitty lick her friends, play in the moonlight, and dart the minute I stepped up to the plate. I would give that all back now just to see her play again.
The day finally came where I stood next to the table as my friendly kitty friends dined, and suddenly out of thin air there was Tuxedo two inches from my finger, I froze, lifted my finger and was able to touch her for a brief moment. Her eyes went wild, and she was gone.
Over the next few weeks of finger touches, she became less afraid of me, and came closer every day. Soon she was seen in the mornings, in the afternoon, and always at night, she came running to my song of "Tuxedo Cat, where are you? Come to me my little Tuxedo Cat" and out she would come from a bush or a tree to eat, but never to be touched. Watching her toss sticks into the air, and play with balls, and chase her tail was enough joy for me. I loved to watch this ball of life be a crazy little cat.
One day I thought I was seeing double. There on my outdoor patio table stood two Tuxedo Cats. Identical except for a tiny white patch difference around the mouth. Tuxedo had a twin sister. This must be who she hangs out with, and she has brought her to the party. I was thrilled to see the two of them bonding over a meal. The hubster on the other hand, sighed, and was like, "Oh great another cat to feed, when is this going to end?"
Winter came slowly, till it finally broke and the temperature went below zero. A storm hit and we were hit with a good amount of snow. I had all the cat houses outfitted, the horses blanketed, and heat lamps on, all my animals were bundled and protected from the storm. Two days went by, no Tuxedo cat… I started to worry. I called for her, went looking for her in her hiding spots, looked for paw prints. I couldn't find her.
It was around 8:30pm on a Saturday night when the hubster came in from outside yelling at me to come quick. I went outside and there was Tuxedo, yet she wasn't acting right. She was meowing non stop, loud meows… not her normal kitten mew. She also was around our feet, never leaving us alone. She would grab onto our legs, while yelling frantically at us. We didn't know what to do. "She's nuts! She's acting totally nuts!, what's wrong with her?" is all the hubster and I could muster to say. I finally just scooped her up, and held her in my lap. She quieted down, and would stay still while I stroked her silky fluffy fur. She started to purr. I was in heaven, finally I get to touch this cat, and she is enjoying my company. I finally had to put her down, I was freezing and she went walking away, meowing loudly, acting strange. I went to bed.
In the morning there she was… meowing… still. I got a call from the hubster saying that she had molested his legs as he went to work that morning. She tried to jump in the car with him, and then ran under the car and wouldn't come out… while meowing all the while. I watched her all day…
By Sunday night I was worried… Ron (our friendly cat/dog) was feeling under the weather, he had just had his tail bitten by an animal and had been in the house the past few days. I thought maybe she missed him. I took him outside to see her. He did something very strange.
He hissed
He growled
He swatted at her
His fur stood up on edge, and then he darted back into the house.
And then… she followed him into the house.
She was now in our kitchen. Yet… she stopped meowing, and desperately wanted to be with him.
We blocked him in the kitchen… both the hubster and I sat in the kitchen watching the two interact. Ron growled, and tried desperately to leave the kitchen. Tuxedo ran up to him with wide eyes pleading for his help. He hissed at her, and walked away… she turned her back to him… yet… she stopped meowing.
The hubster and I had a sit down with Ron… "What is wrong with you?" "Why don't you like her anymore?" "Was she the one that bit you?"
Ron looked at us… with pleading eyes… feeling ashamed, but staring at us intently.
"It's not me" "It's her" He was saying to us.
When she was in the kitchen, I noticed she was walking funny.
Perhaps she has broken something.
In the morning I decided to take her to the vet.
She was examined on Tuesday morning, and they found no broken bones or problems. Her back leg would buckle out, and she was walking like a duck. Her temperature was low and the vet advised me to bring her into the house and keep her warm.
The vet casually mentioned that if she dies within the week, it could be Rabies… But he mentioned this very quickly and casually, seeing as it wasn't the top on his list for things wrong with her.
I brought her home and made her a warm nest in the corner of my kitchen.
For the next two days, she didn't eat, pee or poop. She barely moved unless to go and lay in her liter box. She preferred to sleep there. She quickly went paralyzed in her back legs. I was certain it was neurological, and as her symptoms started to come forth, I started to Google like mad.
All signs pointed to Rabies.
The hairs stood up on the back of my neck each time.
I now had a cat in my kitchen that had scratched and licked my hands… that may have Rabies.
I called Animal Control and told them to come pick up this cat that may have Rabies. They never answered the phone, or called me back.
I called the Police. They did nothing.
I called The animal Shelters. They were more worried about me being exposed and told me to call all the same people I already called.
Nobody could help me.
I was able to call each new symptom before it happened.
She went to the Vet on Tuesday walking like a duck.
By Wednesday she was paralyzed up to the arm pits.
By Thursday night at exactly 6:00 pm she started to have seizures, and tried to bite her own paw off. She would growl and howl, and became extremely violent, her tongue would hang from her mouth. I decided it was time to end her suffering. I had spent the last four days holding this cat in my lap and bonding with her… she was now my friend. Yet, this creature… this monster, was no longer Tuxedo. It was a Zombie… I quickly ended the suffering, and then broke down….
My father was freaking out since Wednesday, calling me non stop to ask if Animal Control came yet.… he wanted this animal tested now. There was nothing I could do though… nobody would come get the cat.
My dad finally got ahold of Animal Control. He threatened to call the newspaper and tell them all about a cat with Rabies that they didn't come and get.
Tuxedo was picked up a week later, tested a day later, and then I knew for sure that this poor cat… did indeed have Rabies. Bad news… for me, and my animals.
The Health Department showed up with a letter explaining the situation. The letter went out to the school across the street, and to all the neighbors…. after all… according to this letter... Rabies is an epidemic in our area.
I promptly took every cat I could get my hands on to the vet to get their Rabies shots.
and then….
I had to go get my Rabies shots.
One Tetanus shot in my left arm
A preventative Rabies shot in my right arm, left hip and right hip.
The actual Rabies shot in my left arm.
And then 20 injections of preventative rabies shots around my wrist where I had been scratched and licked.
Not to mention that the only place to get these shots is the Emergency Room.
And…
I had to go back 3 days later, for another shot in my right arm
I then went back 4 days later for another shot in my right arm
and then on Sunday I go for my last shot, and I will be free of this.
In total this has cost a ton of money in medical care.
A ton of emotional stress.
and…
now I'm known as the "Girl getting her Rabies Shots" at the ER.
So please…
Get your pets vaccinated.
Wash your hands with soap and water after getting a scratch or bite from ANY animal.
I am thankful that I am a neurotic hand washer.
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| Tuxedo Cat and Ron in love. |
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| Tuxedo Cat Purring in her box a day before she died. Paralyzed in the back legs. |
