Good Kitty Samaritan

After spending the majority of the ANZAC long weekend in recovery, I was on my way to work on a cold Tuesday morning. Rushing to get inside due to the minimal amount of layers I decided to wear.

Along the walk way I passed a small orange kitten. She (so I believe) was just lying beside the side walk, curled up with no protection.

The image not processing in my mind, I kept walking. A few steps away I thought, “How many people have passed that kitten this morning?” and “How long has the poor thing been there?” So I walked back, bent down and tried to assess the situation without touching her.

Her face was covered in sores and was looking quite miserable. I put my hand out to see how she’d react, and she ran behind a fence. As she ran I noticed that her back legs were not working properly and the underside was covered in dark muck.

Now, if I wasn’t silly enough to lose my mobile phone over the weekend, I would have stayed with her and called a rescue place, but unfortunately, I did, so I rushed on to work to use the phones there. On the way I passed a man who asked me what was wrong with the cat. I replied that I didn’t know but she was injured. He kept on walking, probably just like many others this morning.

Further down the road I passed another kitten, this one deceased. I didn't walk passed that section of the road for the rest of the day.

Once at work I tried calling directory assistance, but without a business name, they couldn’t help me. Gave me another number which wouldn’t work on the office phones. One of the ladies at work said they had previous experience with animals and they sent them to the vet. But all places require you to bring them in.

So I grabbed a box and went chancing after a poor frightened kitten.

The end result was a bit of running, a lot of hissing and one single nasty bit on my right index finger.

I returned to work with a lift lined up to the local vet.

Just to make sure they were open, we gave them a call. “We don’t take cats, try the Cat Protection Society”. Called the Cat Protection Society. “We don’t take in cats, just adopt them, try the council.” Called Parramatta City Council. “We only pick up dogs, but as you have already caught it, I’ll just check...we have a women who does favours by picking up stray cats but we can’t get in touch with her. Here is her mobile, or try the RSPCA.” Called the RSPCA. “We don’t pick up cats, you have to drop it off at Blacktown pound.” Which close at 3:30pm and I don’t drive. “Oh, it’s injured, how injured?” HOW FUCKEN INJURED...INJURED (this was in my head of course). “I guess we’ll come pick it up, where are you?”

So, now that was organised, it was time to organise my tetanus shot. Now I washed the blood off and wrapped the thing in tissue paper while we were working all this out. We unwrapped the makeshift bandage with antiseptic and bandaids at the ready and discovered this tiny little cat had bitten straight through my finger nail...

It hurt more after that,

So was dropped off at the staff clinic, was given my shot and set on my way. Did ask for a quick look over of the actual wound (whole ‘bitten though a fingernail’ thing freaking me a bit) but that was too much I guess and was told, if I had worries, to visit a doctor...thought that’s what i was doing.

Now with a sore left arm, and unusable right finger (can I say writing is fun being right handed) a few jokes, a few pats on the back and one ‘incident report’ form required to be completed, knowing it is most likely they will put the poor girl down on the spot than give medical attention and re-home, but at least she won't be suffering, was it worth it?

I’m not sure. But who else would of done something?