# Found a Blind Stray



## magscat (May 13, 2009)

We found a blind, half starved, cat hiding in some old boxes in our garage 2 days ago. I've been running myself ragged trying to find its owner. The cat is so sweet I was convinced some one HAD to be frantically looking for her. I've spent hours on the phone with shelters and vet's offices, put up a ton of "found" fliers, and have worn out a good pair of shoes going door to door to see if any one recognized this poor cat. I finally found some one who new who the cat belonged to. The people moved away and tossed a whole bunch of cats out the door on their way out!!! I'm so angry about this! This poor cat is entirely BLIND and they just threw her out like garbage to fend for herself. It's bad enough they did it to normal cats but to do it to a blind animal is just disgusting!! I swear I wish I could gouge out these people's eyes and make them go dodge traffic!! That's essentially what this poor animal had to do to make it to our garage.

We named her Tippy and I took her to the vet once I found out no one was looking for her. I doubt she's ever been to one as little as she seemed to matter to her previous owners. Being as I have 4 cats already I can't provide a permanent home for such a special needs kitty but I'll be damned if she's going to have to suffer any more. I'm doing every thing I can to make sure she finds a safe home.

The vet estimates she's some where between 10-15 yrs old. Because the vet found that several of her teeth were broken I had him do X-rays. She's had at least 9 broken bones that have had to heal on their own. Most of them are ribs but she's also survived a fractured skull and jaw. The vet believes that the blow to the head that caused the skull fracture could have caused her blindness. Even after the vet poked, prodded, and stuck her with needles she still reached up to give him kisses and purred like a sports car the whole time we were there. You know, if I had endured a decade or more of abuse (especially if it left me with a severe handicap) I don't think I could be so forgiving. I think I'd bite the **** out of every person to lay hands on me.

We are actively looking for a home for Tippy but given her age and disability we are not holding out much hope. My husband and I have decided that if no one comes forward to offer her a home then she will just live out the rest of her days with us. Despite all she's been through she's the best lap cat I've ever known. She deserves to be loved in her last days. It's the least we can do for her I think.


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## melysion (Mar 12, 2007)

she is beautiful and very lucky to have met you!


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

I wanted to cry when I read your post. I have two blind kitties we rescued. They are the greatest cats. They can do anything my normal foster cats do. Theyve never missed thier litter box, they have my house memorized and come running when I walk in the door, they play, follow me around, and love to be picked up and loved on.

So many people think a blind cat will be a lot of extra responsiblity but they arent. They are an inspiration and give more back than you ever give to them! *Bless you for your compassion and willingness to help this sweet cat.*

There are a couple rescues in the US that are for blind cats. Rolling Dog Ranch and the Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary. There is also a wonderful book that just came out last fall called Homers Odyssey by Gwen Cooper you would enjoy also.

I cant concieve people tossing out animals like garbage. May thier horrid deeds come back to visit them in the same way they did to this poor kitty


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## faithless (Dec 4, 2009)

Shes very pretty, poor thing.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

*_closes eyes to send good thoughts and prayers for you and this beautiful kitty_*


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## Xanti (Nov 4, 2008)

That really is so so heartbreaking, I hope karma gets those owners, poor kitty and how lucky she was to have found you


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

Awww, she is such a sweet cat! :luv 

Her former tortureres are the kinds of rotten humans that haunt cats' nightmares.  
May their meanness come back on them five-fold!


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

I think it should be legal to just shoot people for that.

But then I think that about a lot of things.


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

In some areas there are severe penalties for animal cruelty. Have you reported this? The authorities should be able to track the people who did this down. Call (or e-mail with pic) a local newspaper. Many would want to use such an item.

Such a pretty cat. Thank you for helping her.


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## nxmom (Mar 4, 2010)

She is so lucky to have met you guys!  
I can't believe she has had a lifetime of abuse & that the skull fracture might have been the result of her blindness how sad. 
God Bless you guys for taking this girl in.

There is a dog down the street that is tied to its owners front porch who is blind, he's got less than 6feet on his chain & is used only to alert them when people are coming up on their house. It's very sad & The little boy who lives there was talking about getting a new puppy when he came up talking to me when I was walking my Great Dane. :dis   :roll: I guess he's now not useful.
I forgot to add, I think his blindness is from old age or something happened because when we moved here 8months ago he could see, now he cant.


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## magscat (May 13, 2009)

jusjim said:


> In some areas there are severe penalties for animal cruelty. Have you reported this? The authorities should be able to track the people who did this down. Call (or e-mail with pic) a local newspaper. Many would want to use such an item.
> 
> Such a pretty cat. Thank you for helping her.


We and the family who did this are military so we reported this to the command. The Navy has a zero tolerance policy for this kind of thing. From what I'm told by the investigators these people abandoned 7 cats and 4 dogs that we know of for sure. They've racked up 11 counts of animal cruelty so far and the navy usually serves up a dishonorable discharge. They are still being investigated at the moment to make sure all the facts come to light though.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Im so glad to hear you had recourse to report these people. Hopefully they will be punished for this and learn a hard lesson. 

If you ever have questions on blind cats you can PM me. Ive gotten quiet an education after working with my blind girls. I cant express how awsome I think you are for taking on this sweet blind kitty. 

Tell us how she is doing. Is she in with the rest of your cats?


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## magscat (May 13, 2009)

I was keeping her isolated b/c I was afraid my dominate cat might hurt her. My other boy and the girls are never an issue but Kale is huge and can be a real butt head if you don't supervise him with new kitties. My 4yr old daughter actually carried Tippy out and plopped her right down in front of the butt head. I had a heart attack at first but all they did was sit there and hiss back and forth at each other. It was like each was trying to get the last "word" in :lol: My brown tabby, "Kat", likes to sit with Tippy in that memory foam heated bed I bought for her. I've even caught Kat grooming Tippy. My 6yr old Calico, Skittles, hasn't met Tippy yet. Despite our efforts to gain her trust, so far Skittles doesn't leave her corner in the kitchen unless she's getting food, water, or going to the litter box. The youngest, Kevin, is happy go lucky and doesn't pay attention to anyone who isn't jumping to play with him.


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## Einherjar (Feb 10, 2010)

That's so sad to hear, but i'm very glad you rescued her. What a sick thing, people that throw out animals like that with disabilities or just because they don't want them anymore.

I had a cat a long time ago that was around the ages 11 or 12, she became blind in both eyes and deaf in both ears. I felt so bad for her, she lived like that for awhile.. we thought she was just suffering basically. There were neighbors at the time, that had dogs that would bark all the time, but were fenced in. She ventured into the woods and the dogs kept barking at her, she just stood there all confused, yet seemed scared.. she couldn't hear nor see anything. I had to go and rescue her from the dogs. She would even start to run into things as she got older, she was an outdoor cat for the most part, which was even worse. Eventually it went on for so long, we decided to put her down and that it was for her own good, poor cat.


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## sweetyanna (Apr 13, 2008)

jusjim said:


> In some areas there are severe penalties for animal cruelty. Have you reported this? The authorities should be able to track the people who did this down. Call (or e-mail with pic) a local newspaper. Many would want to use such an item.
> 
> Such a pretty cat. Thank you for helping her.


I agree!! Since you found someone that recognized her, maybe get their names? It is an uneasy spot for sure. But I think you can stay anonymous or have someone else inquire for you and report to the authorities. That should not go without justice being sought especially when it is clear which household she came from. Plus, the abuse is obvious: skull and jaw fractures, good grief. Those people need to be arrested. My post sounds extreme, yes. But it is the right thing to do especially as many abusers move on to humans.

Edit: I see you have already reported. Hooray!


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## magscat (May 13, 2009)

:lol: You didn't sound extreme. I wanted to "gouge out their eyes and make them go dodge traffic"


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

magscat said:


> I was keeping her isolated b/c I was afraid my dominate cat might hurt her. My other boy and the girls are never an issue but Kale is huge and can be a real butt head if you don't supervise him with new kitties. My 4yr old daughter actually carried Tippy out and plopped her right down in front of the butt head. I had a heart attack at first but all they did was sit there and hiss back and forth at each other. It was like each was trying to get the last "word" in :lol: My brown tabby, "Kat", likes to sit with Tippy in that memory foam heated bed I bought for her. I've even caught Kat grooming Tippy. My 6yr old Calico, Skittles, hasn't met Tippy yet. Despite our efforts to gain her trust, so far Skittles doesn't leave her corner in the kitchen unless she's getting food, water, or going to the litter box. The youngest, Kevin, is happy go lucky and doesn't pay attention to anyone who isn't jumping to play with him.


It’s good that you initially isolate her to feel safe and calm down. Give her a cube or box to hide in too. Let her get acclimated to the sounds and smells of the house. She will come out in her own time. Maybe once she feels better and knows your voice and has established a relationship with you. Once she is getting bolder let her explore the house without the others around. She will start to memorize it and how to get back to her box of safety. 

I was very apprehensive when I let my blind girls in from my garage with my other fosters and my own cat. We let them be together for short periods of time initially and supervised interactions. Eventually I let them work their way thru the house. They had it memorized in one day. I had to teach them to use the cat door out to my screened porch. 

My blind cat Laverne goes in and out of it all the time. But Shirley is not so thrilled to use it. My other guys sit on the other side of the door to mess with them. I watched Laverne come thru and then b i t c h slap one of my fosters cuz he thought he’d pick on her. Guess what she put him in his place! Go Laverne. 

I clip my foster’s claws but leave the blind kitties long so they can teach lessons not to mess with them. Your sweet girl will come around. Shes maybe not have had this kind of love and safety in her life before. You are her angel. Her life is about to change forever for the good.


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## himikitty (Dec 15, 2009)

you and your husband did a wonderful thing, tippy is so fortunate to have met you guys


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