CiCH Member Spotlight: “Not on My Watch” Ripple Effect

Memory has a truly wonderful Puritan name. Though I don't know her exact pedigree, I can tell you that Memory is one great lady, so she must come from fine stock!

I was first going to share with you the story of how Memory, one of our Covered in Cat Hair readers, trained her cat, Wallingford, to shake hands and give “high fives”. She posted a video of him in action, which was quite cute!

That, in an of itself, would be a good enough story, but...

...about a month ago, I got an email from Memory, which I'm going to share with you (per her okay to do so):

“Friday, even though I was sick I decided to go to work because I had 10 pounds of turkey gizzards to pick up from the new butcher at the Newtown Deli who gives me free meat and cheap meat for my cats. On the way up 111 in Trumbull, I came across a cat in the middle of the street and decided that I wasn't going to leave somone's pet to get squashed into the road by passing cars. I have seen enough of that and this one was on my watch. I pulled over and as I went to get out of the car, the cat lifted its' head - it wasn't dead! The traffic was going around and a car stopped to block the cat and me from the traffic as I went to pick it up. Another woman had stopped, too and she rode in the back seat with the cat on her lap and we took it to the nearest vet - who lucikly was open before 8 am! I actually had been to that vet when I adopted my Wallingford from them 4 years ago -so they had my name in the computer. I didn't even have to leave a credit card as Trumbull Animal Control picks up the bill. I called from work and they were treating the cat for shock. Later they called me and said that it had a broken tooth, bruised lungs, it's eye had some damage and it had cuts and bruises but it was going to be OK!”

[I'm not going to make a comment about the 10 POUNDS of Turkey gizzards!]

Memory didn't stop there. She got involved and didn't back out.

Saturday Trumbull Animal Control called me at home and told me that it was a big she and she was going to be fine. The warden also said that the cat was in shock and would have died if she hadn't gotten to the vet so quickly. I've been sick, but if her people don't get her by the weekend, I am going to go and take a picture of her and make some
posters to put in the area where I found her.

Again, Memory could have let Animal Control do their thing, but this kitty had a Guardian Angel on her side. She got some photos of the kitty, they called, Lucky. What a stunning Maine Coon!

I was VERY relived to know that Lucky was NOT in any danger of being euthanized because Trumbull, unlike my crappy town, allows cats in their animal pound. Lucky just needed a home. Being such a pretty girl, I knew that wouldn't take long.

“I went to animal Control today and took another picture of "Lucky". She is the calmest cat I have ever seen and completely nonplussed about her situation. I had an adoption inquiry for her from Texas but Animal Control would require the person to come to Ct to meet with them. So it is going to have to be a local adoption. They don't think it will be a problem as she is very pretty and sweet.”

Three weeks passed while Lucky waited to find a good home. Then, another email from Memory:

“I'm not sure exactly what the story is as I got two conflicting emails - but Lucky's owners did find her after 3 weeks! One of their neighbors went to the pound looking for her cat and recognized Lucky.
The owner's had been told that Lucky had been killed in the street and went to look for the body - but it was gone. The first email said that Lucky was back home with her sister and the second said that the people didn't think they could afford to pay her vet and impound fees. I emailed and offered to pay some of the fees - just so she could go home. I should know more tomorrow - a happy ending, and amazing ending.

I just realized that the neighbor saw the cat lying in the street, recognized it and didn't stop to pick it up! I wonder how long she had been there before I came by. She is indeed, a Lucky girl.”

This big sweetie is hopefully spending a quiet Christmas with her family thanks to our fearless friend, Memory and an unknown stranger who were willing to stick their necks out and get involved to make a BIG difference in one cat's life.