Blackie Chan

Today is a guest post from my friend Yesenia.   Yesenia adopted a kitten I rescued many years ago, named Buddy. 

Buddy Then

Buddy/Winston Now

She makes lots of fun toys for her kitties, one being their clubhouse: (click on pic to see up close!)

The Clubhouse

Its amazing how much love we have in our hearts for certain cats or dogs...  its the way they look at you, follow you, nuzzle you.  I can feel the love Yesenia has for her cats, its there.   Its deep.  I hope you enjoy her journey with her latest cat, Blackie Chan.

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This is Blackie Chan the luckiest black cat you’ll ever meet; he wandered into my backyard and then wandered into my heart.

The year of trust building, 2015.

Blackie took shelter in my neighbor’s garage another. He was captured, fixed and released him back into his familiar surroundings. Blackie Chan also known as Daddy Toes, because he of his poly dactyl condition, he has seven 7 toes in each of his front paws & 6 toes on his back paws (see image below).  

Check out these front Paw (yup, 7 toes)

  

And so began a feeding routine 4am breakfast and 4:30pm dinner. Blackie Chan waited for me rain or shine through a summer and a winter. I’d dig out a snow path for him when the snow got deep.   My husband and I built him a dry / warm shelter, but it was clear that he preferred the garage.  The neighbor, a fellow cat lover approved of his preferred living arrangements, so she allowed it.    

An afternoon feeding… Happy cat!

A year into our feeding ritual and a very rough 2015 winter, Blackie was a champion - he made it through the heavy snow falls. On the very cold days, I’d microwave his food for a few seconds to keep it warm (his trust was true). In the Spring of 2016, mid-March - Blackie Chan was gone, there was no sign of him for 11 days, I was devastated and heartbroken.  That did not stop me, I’d call out and continued to put food out; day in and day out, I’d drive around the neighborhood calling out; asking neighbors, I even posted his picture on the neighborhood website.  I feared the worst, that I’d never see him again. I kept my faith and continued the routine just in case.

Eleven day exactly, and he wanders back, but he was not the same. Blackie Chan was hurt, he was extremely thin, limping and possibly dehydrated. He did not know me or trust me. I don’t know what happen to him (I guess I will never know), but I don’t care…I was just so happy to see him. He wasn’t ready to encounter people.  My good friend Jeanine Wagner gave me some antibiotics and I crushed them into his food twice a day. It helped heal the sores and from getting infected.  I began to feed him lots of cheap fatty food to get his weight and strengthen up, lots of clean water and treats to build his trust (I had to be patient).  Slowly Blackie Chan came around. So, I began a plan to bring him into the house… I didn’t know much about him, his age or other potential issues (if any that he’d he bring). Not to mention I have 2 other cats to consider… this could create chaos.  When I regained his trust I brought him into my enclosed porch. I knew he could not survive another long heavy winter on his own.  When the veterinarian said “he’ll always limp and his climbing is limited”, I knew what I needed to do, I committed to giving him the best retirement home. We took a risk and we took care of the easy stuff like the fleas, ear mites and bug bites. I was afraid I’d scare him off -- so I was patient. 

For a few months and for everyone’s safety, Blackie ate and slept in the porch as we slowly introduced him into our home (and the other cats), Magic an extremely territorial female and Winston his rescued little bro.; some days they play and other days there is lots of hissing.  Either way, I thank God for bringing me Blackie Chan. Today, his bowl sits on paver/bricks so he could reach his food (an ergonomic fix for his handicap because he’s unable to bend his back leg).  Blackie Chan is strong with limited climbing, but this doesn’t keep him from getting on the bed where he find warm cuddles (he’s quiet and follows me around the house).  Blackie Chan is the luckiest black cat and  we’re so happy he wandered in to our hearts.  

Winston (little bro)  & Blackie Chan       

Blackie Chan & Magic (on rare occasion they coexist)

             

                 

 My beautiful Blackie Chan Christmas 2016.

Bless the animal lovers; those who can see that animals are more than pets… they are family! 

Thanks very much Yesenia!

And for anyone else that would like to share a story, please do!