02/20/2024
“A CAT NAMED SU” BY BROOK GAMBLE
In spring 2022, after two weeks of trying to break up cat brawls on my rural property, I knew a new cat was trying to break through the perimeter. We have a dwindling feral cat posse that SNAP has helped me trap, spay, and neuter for over a decade, and they typically don’t fight unless a newbie is showing up at mealtime.
Fast forward a few weeks, and I finally spotted him – a larger-than-life, marbled tabby sporting the grandest tomcat jowls in town. I knew he’d be a challenge to trap because he was shy, only offering an occasional glimpse before darting into the bushes. The summer went by quickly, and he stuck around, so I called him Su, partly after the Johnny Cash song (“Life ain't easy for a boy named Sue”) and partly in honor of my friend Su, who loves cats as much as I do.
The plot thickened when Su showed up dragging his hindquarters one morning. Time to call in the cat cavalry! I consulted Julie Knudsen, SNAP’s lead cat whisperer, who advised trapping him. A few rainy, sleepless nights and a buffet of grilled ocean delight later, and I had him. I was surprised by how heavy he was to carry (20 lbs!) and how quiet he was in the trap. Su was taken to the shelter, where they neutered him, got his first vaccinations, and they palpated his back end. They couldn’t x-ray him but said if I was willing to keep him in a confined, quiet space for about a month, he might heal. If he didn’t heal, I knew he’d likely need to be euthanized so he didn’t suffer for the rest of his life.
I put Su in a pumphouse on the property with a loaner SNAP crate, a space heater, a mountain of towels, ever-flowing kibble, and a cat box and hoped for the best but prepared for the worst. Su was living the high life but was a tough nut to crack. After weeks of suspense, he finally exited his crate when I visited. Eventually, I could remove the leather glove and pet him with my hand while he purred. After about a month, he suddenly decided to sit on my lap one night. I plastered his wanted posters on the internet in case someone missed him. Spoiler alert: no takers.
The pumphouse was cozy, but cramped quarters make a cowboy restless. I moved him into my own house. He was initially scared, but in a few days, he began to relax with the discovery of a heater. After watching him walk around and finally jump up to settle himself on the couch, I declared him healed enough to go back outside. I opened the door wide and declared him FREE! He looked at me, cautiously looked out the door, looked at me again, and, avoiding further eye contact, flopped over on the couch for another nap. That is how a cat named Su went from wanderer to couch potato cowboy.
SNAP is an all-volunteer organization dedicated solely to offering affordable spay/neuter alternatives for dogs and cats in the hopes of ending the needless suffering they endure due to overpopulation. I am forever grateful for SNAP's technical and financial assistance, but I acknowledge the ongoing challenges. Volunteer support and donations are crucial in alleviating feral cats' climbing populations and suffering. Consider making a donation or volunteering your time to help address this issue.
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