Duchess

In April of 2011, Older Daughter was interning at the very shelter where she is now employed as Vet Tech.  She was working a split internship between the shelter and a veterinary clinic, and continuing with coursework as well.  That was the Spring of the Flood.  The town where the shelter is located is a river town and many areas were flooded that year.  Many extra animals had to be housed at the shelter during that time.  A terrible virus swept through the shelter just when it was so full.  Our very own little Mitts (now living The Good Life with sister Spritz in a wonderful home) was at that time adopted to a different family.  This family had not followed up with the second and third vaccinations in the kitten series.  Mitts ended up in the shelter because of the flood and she got deathly sick, along with another cat who had just come into the shelter and who had also only had one vaccination.  Here is part of what I wrote three years ago on this blog:

My daughter has been running ragged at the shelter, putting in about 20 hours per week (should be 10) and 10 hours per week at the vet clinic. This is in addition to classes. But she doesn’t feel she can stay away from the shelter with so many sick animals there. In the course of all of this care-giving, she watched as Duchess and Mitts got sicker and sicker. On Friday evening she came home and said – “We're losing Duchess and Mitts. They are dying.  Neither one has taken a bite of food or sip of water since Tuesday. I've been giving fluids when I'm at the shelter, and trying to do some force-feeding, but they aren't coming around. I don't think Mitts will make the night.” My darling daughter got up on Saturday morning (her day off) and made the trip in to the shelter to see if Mitts had lived and to give fluids and meds, to force feed those two, and to check on all of the others. When she got there, Duchess and Mitts had gotten SO bad that she loaded them up and took them to the vet on her own. She tried to track down the shelter director, but when she couldn’t get her on the phone, she went on. The vet said these cats wouldn’t make it unless they got fluids several times a day (and night) and were force-fed at least three to four times a day. They needed medication twice a day, twelve hours apart. It just wasn’t going to happen at the shelter. She called me on the way back. Younger Daughter and I were at the table having lunch. I put the phone down, told Younger Daughter what was going on, and asked her if she would join us.  (She is loaded with college classes, too.)   She said she absolutely would. I would set up my kennel storage room as another quarantine area, and we would make our best attempt to keep these two cats alive. My heart was breaking for Mitts. I didn’t even know Duchess, but my heart was breaking for her as well.

By Saturday night, I was convinced that we might not be able to keep these two alive. We were putting in lots of hours with them. We have to change into infected clothing when we step into their room and back into clean clothing when we come out. Force-feeding has been brutal. I hated what we were doing to them, and how bad they felt, and how weak they were. I asked Older Daughter what diagnosis the vet had given. He didn’t diagnose - he wasn’t absolutely sure. But Older Daughter thinks it’s Rhinotracheitis - all of the symptoms fit. The vaccinations could have prevented this. Duchess just came into the shelter at the wrong time. But Mitts should have already had all three vaccinations. Now she was dying. Older Daughter looked up the severity of the illness. It can sometimes be milder than what we were seeing, but it can also be fatal if the cat can’t help fight it off. These two had gotten so weak that it was looking like we were going to lose the battle.

Well, both cats lived.  I was overjoyed.  Mitts was a Winnie’s Wish cat, so she did not go back.  Duchess was a shelter cat, so once she was fully recovered she returned to the shelter.

And that’s where she’s been ever since.  Yes, Friends.  For three years.

Older Daughter went on to graduate and then become employed as the shelter’s Vet Tech.  Busy with my own animal work, I was only involved with the shelter as a foster home for the various dogs and cats Older Daughter brought to me.   Over the last year, however, I have become more involved AT the shelter.  I often volunteer some time there to do laundry, paperwork, clean cat cages, etc. – whatever my daughters ask me to do.  That’s when I discovered that Duchess had never been adopted.  She was in an enclosure with several other cats and every time I entered the building, I would see Duchess in the exact same spot – on a high perch, folded up, staring straight ahead.  I always made it a point to go over and talk to her.  And EVERY time, she would meow at me and reach one long front leg through the cage material and down in my direction.  And EVERY time, it broke my heart. My daughters said she didn’t do that to any of the other workers or volunteers. She remembered me.  How could she not?  I had spent days and days and days trying to keep her alive.

As I said, it was about a year ago that I first discovered Duchess was still at the shelter.  I also noticed that her nose was packed, sealed closed on one side.  I immediately asked my daughters about it.  She had been to the vet numerous times, been in quarantine over and over, been on a variety of medications.  The final diagnosis was some type of nasal polyp.  She didn’t feel bad, had no other symptoms, but one side of her nose plugged up on a daily basis.  And one daughter or the other cleaned that nose out every single day.

Well, after a year of regularly seeing Duchess perched high in her enclosure, just staring, with one side of her nose blocked, and having had her reach towards me EVERY time I walked over to talk to her - I couldn’t do it anymore.   I don’t remember the exact date, but one day in March (while my computer was down) I told the girls I had to foster Duchess.  SHE HAD BEEN IN THE SHELTER FOR THREE YEARS.  She needed me.  She needed a change of environment.  She needed someplace that seemed more like a home.  She needed a person speaking TO HER and LOVING HER every single day.  I loaded her into a crate that day and she came home with me.  She will be my foster cat indefinitely.  It is unlikely that she will ever be chosen from the shelter’s adoption pages because of the chronic sinus problem.  Her nose will have to be cleaned out daily (I do it a couple of times a day).  She has trouble eating, so I mix a special slurry that is easier for her to consume. 

She is one of the happiest cats now.  She talks to me, scratches on the scratching post, waits excitedly for her slurry meals.  I love her.

See you tomorrow.

Comments

[Cassandra]

She is so beautiful!

[John bellen]

Poor Duchess, so long in a prison. She is a lucky one; I wonder how many millions of cats and dogs are in the situation she was in.

[Andrea and the Celestial Kitties]

Aw, what a pretty girl! Poor thing! Can the polyp be removed, would that stop her symptems? I realize that's probably an expense the shelter doesn't need, would a chip in be possible if removing it would help her? I'm glad she's being fostered by you now, she looks like she's glad too! People, Chrystal is overfull of kitties, only we can help! We HAVE to find great homes for these cats! Please, I'm begging you, do what you can to help find homes!

[Goldie Goodwin]

Oh boy, I remember this story well. What a lovely girl. She is looking at you with so much love and happiness. So sad she waited three years to come home. Many adoptable adult cats get passed over.
You might want to research online about polyps. I think you might be able to have the stem removed which would end her symptoms. I don't know enough about it to speak knowledgeably though.

[Mindy Slimmer]

I'm so glad Duchess is with you...I only hope that her polyp can be removed or reduced so that she can live a more normal life.
Much Love,
Mindy
PS: The long-haired kitties are such beauties!!

[Cat's Cats]

Oh Chrystal, I wept with happiness that you have taken Duchess in!!! What a beautiful girl she is and it's so wonderful to hear that she is blossoming under your care. Please tell her there are many others who love her too :-)

[Kat & the Teenage Mutant Ninja Kitty Horde]

Awwwwwwww!! She's adorable!! She looks just like our Sir Merlin Fuzzybutt!! :-)

[ginny & The Fur Family]

I remember the flood sickness of Mitts and Duchess. I was so glad they survived. Duchess is so pretty to have such a sinus condition. Maybe some one could do surgery so it would drain on its own. Thanks for showing us how wonderful she looks now and how happy to at last have a good home. Another rainy day here in the heart land and mud a plenty. Please someone out there consider adopting one of any of the Winnie's Wish cats so Chrystal can have room for another furry soul to have a place to call home. Ginny &B The Fur Family

[Random Felines]

poor baby....it is just sad that so many people overlook something simple and don't see the wonderful animal...glad she is with you

[Lee County Clowder]

Duchess is a good looking kittie, and she looks happy in those photos.

[momsbusy, kintaro & tt]

poor duchess, to not be adopted for so long is heartbreaking. happy to hear she is happy now. she needed human interaction and companionship. thank you for giving it to her until she does find her forever home.

[Maria in CT]

What a sad but heartwarming story! Again, Chrystal, you and your family are angels to yet another wonderful kitty! Duchess is a beautiful kitty, and deserves all the happiness and love she is now getting from your family. Thank you for all you do!!!!

[Sandy]

Chrystal - thank you for taking care of lovely Duchess.

[The Poupounette]

And what a beauty she is, with the most magnificent whiskers! We're so glad she is with you now.