It’s official
A quick update since Kanoko and I were able to visit the vet this afternoon — I’d nearly forgotten that my vet is open on weekends, it’s so rare in France. Kanoko had no microchip, and so the vet happily told me he’s now mine, and Kanoko got his first round of vaccines. As a big fan of Maine Coon cats, the vet also confirmed that Kanoko definitely has Maine Coon in him! Without a pedigree it’s completely unofficial, of course, but it’s nice to know. The vet told me that Kanoko is two and a half months old, so he would have been born sometime in mid-May.
I can hardly describe how happy I am, mainly for my new kitty. It’s wonderful to be able to rescue pitchouns, and even better when it’s possible for them to suffer from it as little as possible. (Animals can be deeply affected by abandonment.) Kanoko is in very good health and has had his first vaccines right on time. I won’t be putting a microchip in him, mainly because the ID tattoos here give the immediate visual information that a cat belongs to someone, whereas a microchip is invisible. He’ll get his ID once he’s neutered in about a year.
A second sad-but-happy story walked in to the vet’s while I was waiting. A three-month-old black kitten with a white chest and white paws had been found yesterday by a family who had barely heard it meowing in a trash can… tied up in a plastic trash bag… in Monaco. Its whiskers had been cut off, like Kanoko’s. It’s such a horrific mix of disgust, sorrow, anger and helplessness that you feel with stories like that, because you know that for every kitten, cat, puppy, dog, etc. miraculously found, many others aren’t.
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July 27th, 2008 at 19:50
Yay for Maine Coon kitties! A few years ago I adopted a found kitty- a Maine Coon mix- and he is a delightful cat. Because he is a mix, he isn’t as large as the infamous pure breed, but he has huge paws with funny, long fur in between his toes. After living with him for a year or two, I decided that Maine Coons are my favorite breed. My vet told me that the Maine Coon breed sometimes has problems with gingivitis, but I think that gingivitis is more manageable than other feline, genetic health problems.
What a sad story about someone in Monaco disposing of a living animal in a trash bag. It’s disgusting.
July 29th, 2008 at 03:20
Oh, my! How someone can do that to any animal, tie in a plastic bag? That’s so heartless and cruel! It just boils my blood! It’s really sad that there are people in the world capable of cruel acts. But, let’s focus on the good people around that appear in the right moment… Kanoko appeared in your life, but there is the other way around – you appeared in Kanoko’s life in the right moment! By the way, can you use this word for adults (people)… “pitchoun”? It sounds like a cute nickname for the other half… :)
July 30th, 2008 at 16:21
The images of starving dogs tied to trees while people drive by is enough to make me never want to visit France again. Human cruelty to animals, well, there’s no words for it.
And the kitten in a plastitc bag? Working for a shelter and an animal clinic will give you enough stories of abandoned animals to give you nightmares for the rest of your life.
In general, I like animals better than people. But I love people who love animals. And I have the deepest respect for the people working to create kindness for all animals.
July 30th, 2008 at 20:32
Mar — “pitchoun” is only used for children; it’s roughly equivalent to “young’un” (though it does have really sweet overtones).
Zuleme I know >.< it’s one of my least favorite things about France. But well, our cocker spaniel Josh that we lost when I was a kid was stolen by dog fighters, we presume… several dogs in our area were “lost” at the same time and a dog fighting ring was busted not long afterwards (several months later if I recall correctly). He was only two or three years old; I was seven.
I gain great hope from those who help animals too. It’s reassuring that everyone I know at work understood my reaction to Malo’s death, and I’ve found out with Kanoko’s arrival that all of them who have animals — the vast majority, to my surprise! — have adopted them, and they’re all neutered :) (It wasn’t I who asked! They were all, “you’re going to neuter him, right??” teehee.)
July 30th, 2008 at 20:52
One of my mother’s dogs is an adopted stray, and he is so sweet and docile that she trained him and got him therapy dog certification.
Now they go to the local Vets’ Home weekly. You should see how some of these elderly residents light up when he arrives. Some of them don’t even talk to humans…only the dog. Some are catatonic until the dog is in their lap, and they actually pet him…more of a response to anything than their doctors could hope for. It’s truly amazing, and my mother does her best to visit with him as often as she can. The dog, of course, lives like a prince. He’s definitely earned it! Unfortunately, he is getting old, so he is hard of hearing, and now his sight is starting to go.
September 16th, 2008 at 20:04
I do not believe in being cruel to animals. If someone has an animal that they nolonger want then why not try to find him/her a new home or take them to the animal shelter and let them find a home for em. There are many people out there that would love to have a pet if they knew that there was one available. Don’t abuse these small creatures but if you are tired of them just ask a friend if they know anyone that would like to have them or run an add in the local paper or something creative but dont put them in plastic bags and throw them into the trash.