From The New York Shitty Inbox: Meet Mr. Bailey

A good Samaritan we’ll call “L” writes of the above gentleman caller:

Last night an orange male stray (about a year or so old) made his way up to my second floor window, and climbed in thru a hole in the screen.  At first I thought it was my neighbor’s orange cat breaking and entering, but he’s never come inside my apartment before, nor has he ever been this friendly.  I checked with my neighbors, and indeed it was not their cat – and it looked like he’d found a home at my place.  He wandered around my apartment, and after sharing some of my salmon dinner – he proceeded to crawl into my bed and catch himself some needed rest.

The cat was filthy, there was a layer of dirt all over him, and what appeared to be tar matted into his tail.  In addition there was a visual gash on his front leg (that had healed and scared over), a sensitivity to touch on his lower back.  But what freaked me out mostly was the infection I saw on his mouth.  it looked like he had no lower teeth.  This is a very loving cat, who wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep and eat some food – but someone had done a number on him.

I let him dirty the sheets, and get a good night’s sleep.  He ate two cans of cat food (mind you I don’t own a cat – and when it was clear he was intending to stay I had to run out and get him some supplies).  And in the morning I finally found a vet on Nassau Ave who would see this little fellow, and check him out.  (yes I could have dumped him at a shelter – but I couldn’t bare the thought that if no one claimed him or if they thought he was too hurt they’d just put him down)  The Vet cleared the cat of feline lukemia and feline aids.  I got him a rabies shot.  But he was under weight, dehydrated, ridden with fleas, and indeed his mouth was infected.  His front teeth are missing, and his two lower canines are cracked, broken, and blackened.  The vet said eventually the cat will need to have his lower teeth removed, get distemper shots, be dewormed, etc.  But for now a round of antibiotics were given and some pain meds to make the little guy feel more comfortable for the trauma he received to his jaw.  From the look of the infection, it had been going on for about a month .

I’m writing to you hoping you might post his picture and see if anyone in the neighborhood is missing their orange cat.  He’s litter trained, and it’s obvious he was someone’s not too long ago.  Maybe someone is hurting missing their little kitty.  Or maybe this same someone was the asshole who tortured this poor guy.

For now I’m hoping to help foster this cat back to health.  Hopefully find it’s rightful owners, or perhaps find him the right loving home.  In the meantime, I’m acting like a foster mom – feeding, cleaning, and caring for this kitty.  I figured he either got lost along the way, or someone handed him a pretty crappy hand in his previous life.  But he’s found me, and a nurturing home.  So for now we’re calling our little friend “George Bailey.”  Maybe this go around he’ll have a happier go of it.

Finally I’m hoping you might be able to point me in the right direction of cheaper vet care.  I’m glad George is doing better this evening, but my wallet is still hurting from the visit.  And with the surgery he’ll need in the future, I need to find great care, but at a more affordable price.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

If anyone reading this tome knows to whom this chap belongs— or has advice as to where “L” can get him some affordable vet care— please shoot an email to lyndadezorzi (at) mac (dot) com. Thanks!