FRED & BLACKJACK: TWO BLACK CATS IN NEED OF SPONSORS

🐈‍⬛  I LOVE black cats! I love all animals! But, there is something about the black cats, most of whom are black tabbies, that is just so endearing, even when they are obviously afraid! I don’t remember ever rescuing a black cat that did not turn out to be incredibly sweet and loving...and, often, very grateful to be rescued. This is the story of two black cats...

FREDDIE is about 4 years old. He was found, and, thankfully, along with his sister, cared for by a couple of different people in a trailer park in San Lorenzo. While his sister got adopted into a great home to share space with a bunny her size, the Fredster, as I call him, stayed with a couple for a short time, before they were to be evicted for failure to be able to pay the space rent. Sadly, this is such a common story, it is truly heartbreaking.

At that point, and for whatever reason, Fred was still skittish, and, unfortunately, he was a biter! All cat lovers have heard of or known a cat that is a nipper, who is mouthy, and will nip with his or her teeth either through overstimulation, fear, or another reason. But, the Fredster would bite. Not only would he bite if you scratched his tummy, he would grab my ankle and bite my leg! He clearly had issues, and does to this day, but 3 and a half years out, he no longer bites me, nor goes after my ankle.

Fred is a timid, shy cat who does not like other cats, but has come to accept them. Still, he suffers from what is known as fear aggression. That is, he is so fearful, he will sometimes lash out at the other cats before they can (in his mind) lash out at him! He is clearly not adoptable, and yet we have formed a very close bond, and he does trust me.

Fred has also had to have some teeth pulled (a very expensive proposition) because of severe and sudden pain in his mouth. Unfortunately, it does not appear they got the right teeth, because he has continued to have problems. We now have him on injectable steroids to help with the pain, but just as a cat with mouth ulcers (stomatitis) will do better with a full mouth extraction, Fred probably needs more teeth extracted to try to find the right spot that is causing him such pain. But, too expensive, and for now, the steroids are helping. He sleeps with me and seems more comfortable now, but could really use a sponsor to help with his health issues.

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BLACKJACK, or Jack as I call him now, was a semi-feral male cat I used to feed in one of my colonies in San Leandro. One day, Jack disappeared, and I didn’t see him for several weeks. Later on, I was shocked to find him back at the feeding station. I was sure he had been hit by a car or gotten sick and died, and was really just heartsick about this. But, there he was, and he was clearly not using a back leg.

I came back the next night with a carrier, and because I could pet Jack at that point, I put his food dish near the car, and when he came over to eat, I scruffed him, and got him into my carrier. But, that was just the beginning of a long ordeal...I still had to make my feeding rounds, so Jack had to go with me. But, that was NOT Jack’s plan, and he broke out of the carrier (and broke the carrier), and now we were in a real mess...I’m driving, and he’s roaming free in the car, and scared to death. We drove to my friend’s home close by, and we tried for an hour to get him with a net while he was inside the car, but we could not get him. Eventually, I had to conclude there was no other way but to drive back to where I picked him up, and where he knew his way around, and let him go. This was just the beginning of his ordeal...and mine.

I searched and searched, literally for months, and could never find Jack. But maybe five months later, a friend, feeding for me at Bayfair BART, saw an injured black cat, and she called me. I immediately knew it was Jack, and, miraculously, he was alive, and eating at my BART feeding station! It brought tears to my eyes...I could not believe it! Shortly thereafter, a friend and local trapper was able to trap Jack at BART with a drop trap! I was beyond grateful!!! Finally, we had him and could treat his wounds, which were infected, and infested.

Jack went to the vet and his wounds were treated and started to heal. But, he was still not using his back leg! I was able to get him in to Animal Fix Clinic in Richmond, where Dr. Goh has done incredible surgeries for other cats I’ve brought in, from eye enucleations to leg amputations. Jack went in to get neutered, and to have the leg looked at to see what was needed. Dr. Goh then surprised and shocked me by saying no, Jack had not been hit by a car as I had assumed, but rather someone had shot him with a pellet gun! By then, of course, the wounds had healed, and many months had passed, and she wanted to give him another chance to use that leg.

Sadly, although Jack doesn’t appear to be in severe pain, he doesn’t use the leg at all, and now will need to have that back leg amputated once we can accumulate the funds. He also needs dental work. Jack is now at my house, an older black semi-feral, now a total sweetheart, but not likely to be adopted, so both of these cats will always have a home with me. Having sponsors that would be willing to help with the costs of getting him well and giving him a chance to be out of pain, are my primary goals for Jack.

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If you would like to help cover the veterinary expenses for the Fredster or Jack, please visit our "Donate" page for links to our PayPal, Venmo, and other ways to contribute.  We are very grateful for your generosity!  Thank you.