Kitten and her Husband drove
to meet me and see what they could do. I was sitting on the doorstep
of the house next door to the people that called Kitten. When
Kitten saw me, she knew what happened. I was burned from my face,
down my back all the way to my tail. It was not a new injury.
It had been a few days since the horrible crime. ALL the skin
on my back and head was cooked and had turned loose from the
muscle. It was one long gnarled slab of cooked skin standing
up free from my back.
Kitten knelt down beside me
and spoke to me. I immediately started purring and meowing, I
went to her wanting to be petted and loved. Well, that worked
because she and her Hubby took me home with them. Kitten called
a friend over to help. She removed one of my ears that was just
hanging on by a minuscule piece of skin. My other ear was still
attached but turned loose also. Both ears were burned completely,
down to my skull. Kitten also removed most of the cooked skin
on my back. She medicated the exposed muscle with an antibiotic
cream with pain reliever in it. She did the best she could until
she could get me to the vet.
I was eating well and drinking
water. Kitten thought it very strange that I did not appear to
be in pain. I was VERY loving and wanted to be petted and scratched
behind what was left of my ears and on my jaws and neck. I let
them work on me and never offered any resistance. I walked around,
acting like I did not feel any pain at all. I'm sure they knew,
my WORST painful days had passed by the time they rescued me.
Kitten was very surprised that I could still trust humans!!!!
Kitten took me to the vet.
I was there for a long time. I am home now, after three surgeries
and am in the healing process. I will probably need at least
one more surgery over my eyes.
My first surgery was to finish
removing the dead, burned skin and the remaining ear. I had to
be watched closely for SEVERAL days for any signs of secondary
infection. This was a major concern since two of my vertebrae
were exposed due to the burns.
After the muscle tissue started
forming "granular tissue", they did my second surgery.
The second surgery was to stretch the healthy skin from my sides
up and over the exposed back muscle and vertebrae. The vet says
I am like a size nine cat in a size four suit. The only thing
still uncovered was the backs of the little stubs, what's left
of my ears.
The third surgery was to make
two incisions. One on each of my sides, at the front of the rib
cage just behind the elbow area. They make the incisions horizontally
and then pull the ends of the incisions together and stitch them
up vertically. This is sort of like plastic surgery. It takes
from "loose" skin (lengthwise) and adds to the "around"
skin on me.
I go back to the vet Tuesday,
Feb 22 at 4:00 for the vet to check how the healing process is
coming along. Kitten watches me very closely for any stitches
pulling loose.
My first two surgeries and
twelve days in the hospital cost $755.00. That was with GREAT
discounts from the vet who is caring for me. Kitten does not
have the bills for the third surgery yet and does not know how
many more surgeries may be required.
Kitten told me that she was
so very ashamed to be part of the "human" race. I know
she loves me very much.....and she must love cats.....how else
did she get the nickname Kitten?
Thanks to Kitten, Wayne and
Nancy Mayes-who donated ALL their January rescuER auction $$
to Kitten to help Eskie Sandy and me, you donators and you bidders,
I am getting a second chance at life. I've become a very expensive
Kitty but I am worth EVERY penny of it.
Kitty meows and lotsa love,
Spanky, one unique and beautiful Kitten!
