Olive: From Feral to Friendly

2009-11-29T05:44:00.000-08:00

How many cats like Olive does Colony Cats see?

Olive was trapped as part of a feral cat colony on Columbus' East Side. It was during a week in January 2007 that had proven to be the coldest part of the season yet. She wasn't Olive then of course, she was just "injured calico", and that she was. Mona Mckiniss, experienced trapper and Colony Cat's director, took her into a local veterinary hospital for a leg amputation. As best as she could see through both the trap and the angry orange and black fur, the poor kitty's back leg was bloodied beyond repair.

The veterinary hospital kept her on antibiotics and pain medication for 6 weeks. During that time she became used to the human interaction that came with cage cleaning and medicating, as well as the general sights, sounds and smells of life indoors. Finally, the veterinarian overseeing Olive's care decided that she didn't need an amputation at all, but a skin graft.

Skin would be taken from her side and grafted onto her leg. Olive's surgery went well, but it would be another 4 weeks until it could be declared a success. Careful monitoring, bandage changes, and medication would have to be administered to ensure that the grafted skin would take to the leg. Another few weeks in the hospital built even more trust between Olive and her handlers. The skin graft was healing and fur had started to grow- all indications that the skin had taken to the leg successfully! It was April, and it looked like Olive was getting ready to leave the hospital after her long and life-changing stay. At that point, staff and veterinarians had pretty much decided that Olive would find a home with one of them. When it was clear that she was "out of the woods" with regards to her other medical problems, Olive was spayed, vaccinated, and packed into a carrier for her journey to her new home.

Olive went to the home of Meagan, who was a veterinary assistant at the clinic at that time, and her husband Alex. Olive joined Meagan and Alex's other kitties and their dog. While the healing and domestic adjustment continued, the rescue group and veterinary clinic held summer fundraisers that proved successful in paying off her hospitalization and surgery bills. Here she is shortly after she went to her new home- her days of foraging in dumpsters for food and shelter were already long in the past.

Here's Olive today! Happy and content, she has gone from the feral, distrusting, wild calico to a true love bug. She is a very vocal girl, meowing for attention and hamming it up for the camera. Her trust is still growing, as she has just recently allowed Meagan to start clipping her nails. Interestingly, the fur from the skin that was grafted onto the leg is much longer than it should be; that is, it reflects the type of fur that would have grown on the place of her body from which it was cut- the longer haired mammary area- giving Olive a "Clydesdale" look on that leg.

How many "Olives" does Colony Cats see? When they're found, trapped, rescued- the cost of treating their injuries could add up to a dozen spay and neuter surgeries. Where will the money come from to pay for their unusual and expensive procedures? And even if the money is available and they are successfully treated- where do they go afterward? These cats cannot generally go back out to the situation from where they came, yet they are nearly un-adoptable due to their trust issues. Olive would have not done well at adoption events or in a shelter situation, being poked and pawed at by a curious, albeit well-intentioned, public. She was a lucky girl to have found a home with someone whom she came to trust over a long period of time- and still, nearly three years later, the trust is much better but not yet complete.

Cats like Olive are euthanized every day in shelters who make the decision that the investment in their future is too much of a gamble. Too much money and time for one cat and too little chance for finding a home- particularly when there are healthy, friendly cats in need of such resources. This position is certainly understandable, but should always be regrettable.

Olive shows what a little faith and a lot of love can do- she is healthy, happy, warm, and safe in her home. She is adored by both two and four-legged family members alike and she will never again have to face a cold, hungry, uncertain winter night.

Welcome to the Colony Cats Happy Homes Blog!

2009-11-28T14:45:00.001-08:00

Check back to find out how your favorite adopted kitties are doing in their new homes.