Three Legs

Many years ago, while still working in Asheboro, I adopted a third cat.

I was on the way to New Orleans with my then-RMA-partner, Laurie Anderson, to take our Pediatric Board Exams. I did the driving, and went to her house to pick her up. While waiting with the kids on Laurie's back deck for her to finish getting packed up, we spotted an injured cat in Laurie's back yard.

Between Laurie's husband, Scott and I, we managed to catch the cat (a rather comical show) . . . a brown tabby short-hair. She appeared to be young, lactating, and very badly injured. One of her front legs was impossibly mangled and hanging limply. I was not sure the paw was perfusing or neurologically intact.

But Oh Baby, she could purr.

Laurie and I went on our way - I told Scott to take the cat to Randolph Animal Hospital (not to be confused with Randolph People Hospital - oh the places we could go with that/but don't get me started), and I would adopt the cat/pay for anything that needed to be done - including getting her spayed.

Scott called a short while later - while we were on the road - and informed me that the cat's leg was going to have to come off. He wanted to know if I was still sure I wanted to adopt the cat - because the vet could just put her down. The answer was, "OF COURSE I WANT THE CAT - YOU CANNOT PUT HER DOWN!".

The Princess Three Legs (her Indian name) recovered from her injuries and joined my then-cats, Alexandra and Morgan, to become a beloved member of my household for many years. She was very nimble and fiesty, and could do almost anything a four-legged cat could do except climb trees . . . of course, I never let her outside - especially after Alex (aka "Queen of my Heart") disappeared after being let out to play (while I was at some lawyer's office - just another reason to HATE lawyers). As Three Legs became older, she suffered from arthritis (I think from compensating for her original injuries) and urinary/kidney problems . . . which eventually became the reason I put her down.

The Princess died in my arms. She was cremated and scattered under the dogwood tree behind my laundry room window. Morgan's ashes were later scattered there too. I sometimes fancy that their spirits now play there - with Alex.

On the other side of the Rainbow Bridge, Three Legs has four legs now.

This CNN story (of a cat who lost his leg because some idiot/sadistic teenagers were kicking him around like a football?!?) both enrages and inspires me. It enrages me that anyone could do that to a defenseless animal. And it inspires me because good people intervened to help the animal after it was injured.

I hope Pauley finds a very good home. He deserves that - along with lots of love. And, take it from someone who knows, the Prince Three Legs will be a good cat.