Of Kittens and Computers

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.

Wel, it finally happened. My old laptop bit the dust, and me with 12 auctions on eBay that end tonight. So, off to Best Buy Daddy and I go, him because he needs a card for Mama for tomorrow, and this was an excuse to get to town. On the way there, we pull up to a stoplight, and pass what looks like a kitten in the road. I asked Daddy, "Was that cat alive?"

"I think so."

"Well, we have to go get it."

"Go GET it?!?!? We can't go get it!"

"Daddy, if we don't get it, it'll get killed." At that, I yank open the door of the car and bail out. All Daddy said, as the light turned green was, "I'll come back and get you!!"

And so here I go, playing 'Dodge The Cars', trying to get to this cat. I get to it, and the SUV sitting next to it stops so that I won't get killed, and asks if I want them to take it to the pound. Another lady hollered that I was a good Samaritan. Got several honks as well. Finally, Daddy pulls up, after pulling a U-ey and I can get out of the median.

Poor kitty had been thrown from a car, had a bloody nose and mouth, and was panting and stunned. I was not sure he'd live, but he slowly started perking back up as we got to town. I got permission from the manager to carry him in Best Buy (picture that, negotiating computers while cuddling a kitten and covered in kitten blood).

While I was waiting to have my comp diagnosed, I assessed him, and did not appreciate any fractures, breathing was slowing down, moving more, mewing, and clawing the devil out of me.

I got LOTS of attention, kids sitting in my lap to pet the kitty, Mamas fawning over it, Daddies rolling their eyes at the Mamas, employees coming by to see what the crowd is about. In the end, a little salesgirl happened by and threw an absolute fit over the kitty. Asked if she could have him. Called a friend to come get it until she could get off work. Friend has just as big a fit, so I think he's going to a good home.

Interesting day, and made me wonder, do you ever use your nursing skills on animals? I never thought I'd do that, but it just came naturally. I'm interested to hear what y'all have done, and has anyone else pulled a stunt like I did to try and rescue an animal?

From my brand-new laptop----thanks for the input!

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Who would throw a kitty from a moving car, sigh.

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Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.
Who would throw a kitty from a moving car, sigh.

I know, I wish I could have gotten my hands on who did it. That's barbaric, senseless, and just plain MEAN!

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Specializes in LTC, MDS, Education.

Angelfire, Thank you for posting this! I'm a cat lover and have done similar things.....And what a happy ending! Wonder what they ended up naming it? My cousin's husband rescued a kitten while riding his Harley. Named him "Roadie". Kitty scratched him pretty badly under his jacket on the way home. :uhoh3: But they are all living happily ever after! :heartbeat

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Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.

She named him Maverick. I have never seen anyone so tickled over a kitty.

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Specializes in SICU, EMS, Home Health, School Nursing.

Actually, I adopted a kitten that was abandoned when it was way too little. They found her on one of the coldest days of the year at the country market where my sister works. She was huddled by the door trying to get warm. The poor thing was so tiny and sick. I had to hand feed the kitten and she was pretty much glued to my side for the first month or so. I am happy to report that she is now 10 months old, healthy and very ornery!!

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Specializes in ER, PACU, Med-Surg, Hospice, LTC.

What a nice ending to a story (that I was almost scared to finish...)!

Poor little kitty.

I just don't understand animal cruelty at all. I don't care what kind of animal it is......nothing deserves to be tortured, abused or mistreated in any way.

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Specializes in ICU.

Thanks for rescuing this baby, AngelFire!

And yes, I get plenty of practice with my nursing skills at home on the cats. I do my own vaccinations (except rabies) with my vet's blessing. I have also given sub-Q fluids (an alternative to IV fluids for the really little guys or a kitty in chronic renal failure). I massage uteruses post-birth. I have hand-fed kittens who weren't doing well. That's in addition to just general assessments of overall health. And, being a good nurse, baths as needed. :D

I've not done anything as crazy as you did, but I have dropped everything and driven an hour and a half one way to pick up a Burmese that was in danger on immediate notice.

I've also driven an hour to do a breed evaluation. The cat ended up not being a Burmese. He was a nice cat, though. The funny part about that story was the name the cat ended up with. He was such a nice boy. Mr. Catshow and I went to see him at the local county animal shelter, which was little more than a pole barn. The dog warden was a self-professed cat hater. But he opened the place up on a Saturday afternoon just for us, and spent our entire visit petting this cat and letting the cat run around on his desk. We didn't want such a nice cat to end up on death row, so we helped to find him a place at a no-kill shelter in the Big City. When we dropped the cat off, we told them the story of how we came to rescue him, and about the dog warden who didn't really hate cats after all. So the shelter staff named the kitty Warden, after this dog warden. We thought it was cute, anyway. :D

I'm glad the little guy is going to a new home. May the person who threw him out of the car be pecked to death by a duck after stepping in a thousand hacked-up hairballs. In bare feet. :paw:

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I saw a cat on the road also..it looked like it had been run over but was moving. As I was turning around to go back to pick it up, this SUV swerved to the middle of the lane and ran over it again *sighs* there are some sick people driving.

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

I diagnosed my mom's 15 year old cocker spaniel with CHF and when she went in to the vent the next day he sent her home with a few doses of Lasix and he is doing much better!

Poor baby cat :(

We just got a 3 month old kitten (who is angrily mewing in her bedroom as we try to acclimate her to the two older cats) from PetSmarts adoption program.

Tait

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Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.
I saw a cat on the road also..it looked like it had been run over but was moving. As I was turning around to go back to pick it up, this SUV swerved to the middle of the lane and ran over it again *sighs* there are some sick people driving.

Those are the kind of people that I think should be killed (like I say about murderers and child molesters), by shooting their ankles and then working your way up. Just barbaric, sadistic, and not fit to breathe the good air.

(Can you tell this kinda thing gets to me?)

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Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

I have been taking care of animals since I can remember. As a kid I saved many a feral cats and turned them into house kitties and I always helped Dad with the vaccinations on the cows and doctored up the horses I had as a kid too. All of my animals have lived very long lives. My favorite horse died of old age 34. And I just lost my 19 y/o cat to old age

I always joke that when I die I want to come back as my own pets, who live very cushy comfortable lives

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