Originally Posted by
oldred
Like everyone else I was very touched by what I read here, the OP's story is heartwarming to say the least and I also want to say kudos to all the others here who have so unselfishly opened their hearts and their pocket books to help the little critters. I know how you all feel and I have been there myself, those here that know me know I have many cats here on the farm, 15, at the moment and almost all of them were abandoned at a popular "dumping off" spot on a secluded section of road near our farm, we too are not strangers at the local Vet's office. Those of you who have spent big bucks on their little friends deserve a special reward and I know there are others here who would also if the need should arise, this is money well spent and not at all wasted.
Some folks think of cats as being aloof and selfish but they just don't understand the little critters, cats can be very loving but they tend to be independent at the same time. They DO care about their owners (or rather their subjects since they think THEY are the owners!) and often look to us for help when the need arises, this can all too often go unnoticed since they are usually quite subtle about it. A case in point is our little cross-eyed Siamese, Cocoa, who managed to fall into a bucket of motor oil I had drained from my dozer. I normally am a real stickler about not leaving such things around for the nosy little buggers to get into but I had taken a lunch break and had not finished the job I was doing, however a couple of minutes of neglect is all it takes! I was eating lunch when he came to the door and started meowing which was a very strange thing for him to do, sensing something was wrong I opened the door to see him standing there with a hopeless look on his face and completely dripping in old dirty black diesel engine oil! Normally he would not let anyone even pick him up but this time he was just limp and not complain at all. It took three tries of soaping and rinsing in the bath tub after first rubbing him down with Go-Jo hand cleaner and all the while there was not a whimper out of him, he just stood there and let me do anything I wanted to do to him. Any other time trying to put him in a tub of water would have been a huge mistake likely resulting in fatal lacerations, after all this is a Siamese I am taking about! The little fella realized he had made a big mistake and instinct told him he was in serious trouble and needed help so he came straight to me and let me do what was needed, no one is going to convince me that cats are not close to their owners (or rather their subjects as the case may be).