Cat Rescue Story - Hurricane Shinji

by Troy Wayne
(Houston, USA)

This is my baby Shinji. She got her name from the Japanese anime Evangelion. When I first met her, she was at the apartment complex I was moving into. A good two thirds of her fur had fallen out, she had bumps all over her skin and she was obviously desperate for human affection. I took to feeding her regularly and spending time with her outside. I wanted to take her in but the cat I had first, Amatai, is psychotic with other animals and would have eaten her. So, for the first year I lived at this place, I had a large cat carrier outside my front door with a blanket on the bottom (and a heating pad for the colder months, I live in Houston so not many of them) that she slept in occasionally and I would feed her several times a day. She would let me she wanted food or company by jumping up on the railing by my window and scratching the window with her paws. My neighbor took her to a vet and got the initial skin problems taken care of but her fur was still thin and I took her to my vet and got her all her shots, got her fixed (she really didn't want to be a mommy again!). Little by little, I was able to let her in my apt. by putting Amatai in the bedroom for a bit either when it was raining or too hot out for a cat.

Ever since I met her, she'd been trying to sneak into someone's apt. at the complex, no doubt trying to convince someone that she'd look wonderful on a human's couch (which she does:).

Finally, last year, hurricane Ike was about to hit and there was no way I could leave her out in it (I couldn't even stand her being outside when it rained). So, I brought her inside, with isolation zones to keep her and Amati apart. Eventually, Amatai got used to her (I think he realized there was no way I could put her out again) and she's been a permanent indoor kitty ever since. Her fur has been restored, and a diet change (food without any wheat or corn products) helped the skin problems.

She and Amatai still don't like each other but they put up with it for my sake, I think :) After the rough life she's had, she's still an incredibly sweet and affectionate cat and it makes me happy to think she'll never have to sleep on concrete again.

Lucky cats
by: Mia

Your cats are lucky to have someone like you. I wish you all many many happy years together.

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