Sunday, June 24, 2012

Scrapper

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Ever since he was an orphaned kitten, this boy has been a fighter.  He has a wild streak that can't be tamed or ignored.  While he enjoys the comforts of home and family, he insists on spending most nights outside.  He's usually on the back deck when we wake up, waiting to come in for some love and fresh food.  Not necessarily in that order.
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There have been many times when he's appeared with tufts of fur sticking out from a squirrel tussle.  Once he had a paw gash that took a week to heal.  Who knows what he does all night long.  One thing is certain- we do have foxes that roam the neighborhood and a family of hawks in the backyard.  All of whom are far more athletic and less *fluffy* than our tough guy.
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Sinatra wasn't on the back deck the other morning.  We waited awhile for him to show up, then started calling for him.  Ever so slowly he started up the long staircase to the deck.  My relief at seeing him was quickly replaced with concern.  Our boy is hurt.  His ear has several surface scratches and a swollen bump where it meets his head.  He has lots of smaller puncture wounds under his fur around his chest.  The worst of it is his right front leg.  He is able to move it and bend it, but he must have pulled something at the shoulder.  He has a bad limp, and is moving slowly. 
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He's getting a little better each day.  Still, it's so hard to look in those eyes and see he's in pain.  He'll let me pet him gently, and he purrs his loud purr.  He tries to jump on and off the bed, and won't let us help him.  He'll heal and continue to fight his fights.  He'll worry us and surprise us, and we'll love him just the way he is. 

7 comments:

CelticKnot said...

Awww. Cats have a very special place in my heart. Sinatra reminds me of two of my many childhood kitties: Pepper and Porky (short for Porkchop).

Pepper looked a lot like Sinatra, except midnight black. He loved to hunt, and would always bring home dead rabbits and squirrels as offerings to us, his wet food gods and goddesses. There were many occasions where he would chase a deer out of our yard, and they would disappear into the woods for hours.

Porky, on the other hand, seems to have had Sinatra's lovable hard-headedness. Porky absolutely loved to lounge in the sun in the middle of the street. No matter how many times I would go out and get his snoozing butt from the center of the street, he would go out again. One day he was hit by a car while he was napping in the road. He survived, but lived the rest of his life with a limp. However, every day when the sun was shining brightly, he would limp his way out to the middle of the road for a nice nap.

I miss those two with all my heart. I enjoyed reliving those, and many other memories, of those two sweet cats. Thank you, Jennie.

I sincerely hope that Sinatra heals quickly and smoothly. He sounds like a tough ol' kitty cat, but with a soft heart. <3

Donna -Little Tiny Stitches said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Donna -Little Tiny Stitches said...

That was my mistake above! :o)

Aaaaw, bless his lil ole socks. :o)

Sinatra has the most gorgeous eyes Jennie!
I hope he's feeling better soon my lovely.
xxOOxx

Jennie said...

Oh, Kristine! Your Porky kitty must have worried you sick with that street laying. Hard-headed is right. Thanks for sharing about your kitties.

Thank you both for your well wishes for our baby boy!

emily said...

Oh no! I hope he feels better soon!

Ribbons Undone said...

Oh Sinatra sounds like Boots, our old family cat we had when I was a kid. He took a lickin' and kept on ticking! I can still recall a Doberman running through our backyard with Boots riding on the back of him, his claws surely clinging, while trying to get that dog off of our property.

Boots came home bloody. Often. He got into all kinds of fights. Like Sinatra we never really knew what the heck he was getting into! But he was a survivor. I hope Sinatra is ready for action soon.

Leianna... said...

Oh, my kitty prayers are going out to you from myself and bella kitty. They are a wonderous creature, aren't they?