2 cats on the mend

BALANCE

Both Balance and Ah K are now at the same fosterer, who like many others, has many cats under her wing. One major plus point about this foster home is the assurance it gives us and the cats, which stems from virtually round-the-clock care, cleanliness, eye for details and an attitude of selflessnes complementing good management of hordes of cats.

As a token of contribution, we have given but a mere sum to the caregiver who initially refused the donation. We all know the hefty amounts she spends each day on her charges.

So, TODAY, in the drizzle of a lazy Saturday morning, we took Balance to the vet's for his review and change of bandage. I'm still reminded that had we not sought a third opinion on his injured leg, it'd've been amputated by now.

In short, Balance's healing rate is faster than what was prognosed previously: there's a little bit of bone that shows now; he's reacting a lot to the pain, i.e., nerves are running in the area; he can somewhat land his leg, albeit gently, on the floor.

Blood gushed profusely when the bandage was removed. Our vet cleaned and dressed his wound with near rapidity while our boy winced under pressure of our pinning him down and wailed in probably his greatest discomfort. With his brand new red bandage, he resettles fine in his cage. Minimal movement is best for now.

So in a week or two, the vet will decide if amputation should take place, as the worst case scenario. Given his good recovery, things look optimistic for this cat who once roamed the streets and shuffled between traffic and feet in a suburban shopping area.


'Balance' -- because of the symmertry of his coat from the front


In his new ward equipped with food, water and litter pan



With e-collar on to prevent him from licking his wound or messing the bandage.


AH K.

Below Balance's ward, Ah K, who was en route to the authorities' slaughterhouse, has put on much more weight and a spunky attitude to life and his newfound caregiver. Just last Tuesday when we visited him with Balance in tow, he surprised us with heightened affability that replaced his past aloofness.

With confidence, our caregiver let him out of his cage to roam the living room for a bit. We watched him amble confidently and boldly around, snarling at other cats who 'stole the limelight' and eventually perched on a marble table with a different air about him. This is the Ah K who's regained confidence -- a changed individual from his street days.

NOW, he's ready for adoption. The caregiver reminded us of the possibility of change and rehabilitation: with decent care, any cat can flourish in health and spirit. Ah K is a fine example of a cat cleaned up of his past.


So much more radiant, plus a little paunch. When we gripped our hands on his back, we felt nothing but a solid package of muscles, plus fats, plus liveliness.



Look how majestic he looks

In the face of limited foster/adoption resources, caregivers around the island practise TNRM, 'trap-neuter-release-manage' as a continual means/method to keep cat populations in check and manage them in humane ways, without having to put cats to sleep. There's no way we can return Ah K or Balance back to where they were from.

For Ah K, it's the people who live and work in the area who use loaned traps to remove the cats from the territory. For Balance, his leg condition and need to recover doesn't put him in a position to readapt to street life.

HOW YOU CAN HELP - Contact projectjkteam@yahoo.com.sg to:

* Contribute monetarily to either of these cats foster care expenses -- food, medical, hygiene

* Sound out to others about their adoption potential

along with constant education to those around you about the
* Importance of sterilisation

* Help that caregivers, like Ah K's and Balance's, require continually

* Any support for a truly worthy cause