365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Friday, September 15, 2017
Birthday Girl
Day 337 (bonus post): Today is Skunk's 15th birthday! She came to me at about six weeks old, a wild little thing who had been born outdoors and stolen from her mother by another barn-cat who was nursing kittens several weeks older. Smaller but much feistier than the other kittens, she withstood an attack by two savage dachshunds which almost cost her a paw. It was a hard beginning, and it took many years before she would consent to being touched, even longer before she would sit on my lap. At seven years old, she developed an ear infection which failed to respond to the standard treatment. A stronger antibiotic administered in her ear canals rendered her deaf. She fell into a deep depression with the sudden and total loss of her hearing, and lost over half her body weight in a matter of days. A different vet gave her subcutaneous fluids and a bad prognosis, but I force-fed her for several weeks and brought her back to moderate health. Since then, she has become very affectionate toward me and often pushes aside my projects to insert herself on my lap. She still has health issues and is developing geriatric problems as well, but she's my good old girl. Happy birthday, Skunk!
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