|
SASSY - THE GOOD PET
By Donna Ramsey
The first time I saw the little cat at the shelter where I worked, my heart went out to her. She was so scared and
shaking. Her beautiful coat was dirty and knotted; her big eyes infected and sore; and her ears were so painful,
she could hardly hold them up. I just wanted to take her in my arms and hold her, but she was hissing and growling
and just too afraid to trust anyone.
She had just been rescued from a Puppy Mill with her brother, who was in worse shape. She had lived in a cramped
lobster trap her entire life. Never touched; only to be bred at every heat. Sassy didn't eat every day, like most
cats do; in fact, there were times when she went weeks without a bite of food and when she did get fed, it was table
scraps or the cheapest food the Mill could find. No one knows for sure how long she lived like this, surrounded by
over eighty-two barking, hungry dogs who would sometimes escape and kill the puppies and kittens to satisfy their
hungry bellies.
When checked by the vet, he said she would never make a good pet. He thought she was pregnant, which was wrong,
thank goodness. She had given birth to enough kittens in her short life. The Vet was shocked by her insides when
she was spayed because they were a mess from having so many litters.
I named her Sassy and took her home to get her away from the shelter. Sassy had spent too long living in a cage, so
I let her be free in the house. She liked being free and, although she was cranky, I didn't care. She deserved to be
mad at the world. She had suffered enough. Unfortunately, my four cats weren't interested in a new fur sister and we
found out we were expecting a baby. I knew Sassy wouldn't be happy in a house with a small child and I didn't want her
to feel scared. It broke my heart, but I knew I couldn't keep her and feel right.
Well, my sister visited us and Sassy fell in love with her and her family. She couldn't seem to get enough of them.
They had an old cat who wasn't well, so I asked them if they would want my little fur girl. Well, it's been two years
now and Sassy is as happy as a bug. She has the run of the house, a nice new hair cut, and she's become a very nice
pet, regardless of what people said. So, this once sad cat, caught in a lobster trap with no reason to live, has a
family who loves her and she loves them. I saw her about a month ago. I was so happy because I knew I had made the
right decision.
|
