The Story of Casper - April 2020 - "He was a good cat..."
A true story shared by the hearts of kind strangers, about a less fortunate alley cat.
Hi My name is Casper; I am an intact Male Cat that loves to roam around your home or shop. I grew up outside and I survived several years on the streets. It wasn’t easy some days, there was nights it would get really cold and I would have to look for shelter. As for food, I could fill up on garbage or a nice mouse.
Over the years, there were these wonderful places I found that offered shelter and food. I was able to go there when I was hungry and have a meal or curl up in the nice shelter they had set up for me and others like me.
There were people who would come out once and awhile and check that the bowls were full of food and water and that the bedding was clean and tidy.
Over the years of my wondering around, I made a few friends in the area and one in particular stood out to me. She was kind, and I knew she would not hurt me. She is the reason I got my name. You see, I don’t really know if I had a name before her, but I do now, and she called me Casper. The word on the street is she named me that because one minute I was there and the next I would be gone!!!
She would leave her office door open and I would wander in some days and help myself to the cat food she had out for her family cats. She tried on several occasions to catch me, but I was to fast for her. I was not sure how to be one of those family cats…
Only thing I worried about was if my next meal would be waiting for me as I had gotten used too, or if I would go hungry another night trying to find someplace safe to be while I slept.
One of the things I did was I would pick fights with other cats, I couldn’t help it, it was due to the fact I had not been neutered. It was in my nature, so was spraying and marking on what I thought was mine.
As I grew older, I was not as spry as I had once been, I got into a terrible fight. It left me with some very bad wounds and a very sore limp with my paw. My friend had seen me and still she tried to convince me to come into the warmth. Now she had more people out looking for me and trying to help me.
At the time, she didn’t know that I did kind of have another place I was able to go. I returned there sick, limping and tired. My other person called the clinic and took me there. I was in worst shape then I thought...
My left hind paw was severely damaged and infected from multiple bite wound. There were also bites and scratches all over my head and neck. My foot was so badly damaged that the vet thought it would have to be amputated. Unfortunately, that was not all… I was infected with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. That virus gets spread form other infected cats by bite wounds and causes a weakening of the immune system which made me vulnerable to other infections.
I couldn’t tell anyone how much pain I was in, everything hurt so bad. Even breathing was a challenge for me, so I tried not to move around too much.
I was put in a room, which was very unfamiliar to me. I was so scared, but did not have the strength to flee or fight. Some really nice people came in and made me feel more calm, and soothed my fears away. They gave me some medicine. I slowly drifted off to sleep.
I wasn’t in any pain anymore and my body didn’t hurt. I was running across the rainbow bridge to play with the ones who left before me.
My life could have turned out so differently, if only… I hope my offspring have a better chance at becoming a loving family cat than I did…
Rest in Peace Casper, from all of us at NAPS, and the wonderful people who cared for you along your rough journey.
Over the years, there were these wonderful places I found that offered shelter and food. I was able to go there when I was hungry and have a meal or curl up in the nice shelter they had set up for me and others like me.
There were people who would come out once and awhile and check that the bowls were full of food and water and that the bedding was clean and tidy.
Over the years of my wondering around, I made a few friends in the area and one in particular stood out to me. She was kind, and I knew she would not hurt me. She is the reason I got my name. You see, I don’t really know if I had a name before her, but I do now, and she called me Casper. The word on the street is she named me that because one minute I was there and the next I would be gone!!!
She would leave her office door open and I would wander in some days and help myself to the cat food she had out for her family cats. She tried on several occasions to catch me, but I was to fast for her. I was not sure how to be one of those family cats…
Only thing I worried about was if my next meal would be waiting for me as I had gotten used too, or if I would go hungry another night trying to find someplace safe to be while I slept.
One of the things I did was I would pick fights with other cats, I couldn’t help it, it was due to the fact I had not been neutered. It was in my nature, so was spraying and marking on what I thought was mine.
As I grew older, I was not as spry as I had once been, I got into a terrible fight. It left me with some very bad wounds and a very sore limp with my paw. My friend had seen me and still she tried to convince me to come into the warmth. Now she had more people out looking for me and trying to help me.
At the time, she didn’t know that I did kind of have another place I was able to go. I returned there sick, limping and tired. My other person called the clinic and took me there. I was in worst shape then I thought...
My left hind paw was severely damaged and infected from multiple bite wound. There were also bites and scratches all over my head and neck. My foot was so badly damaged that the vet thought it would have to be amputated. Unfortunately, that was not all… I was infected with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. That virus gets spread form other infected cats by bite wounds and causes a weakening of the immune system which made me vulnerable to other infections.
I couldn’t tell anyone how much pain I was in, everything hurt so bad. Even breathing was a challenge for me, so I tried not to move around too much.
I was put in a room, which was very unfamiliar to me. I was so scared, but did not have the strength to flee or fight. Some really nice people came in and made me feel more calm, and soothed my fears away. They gave me some medicine. I slowly drifted off to sleep.
I wasn’t in any pain anymore and my body didn’t hurt. I was running across the rainbow bridge to play with the ones who left before me.
My life could have turned out so differently, if only… I hope my offspring have a better chance at becoming a loving family cat than I did…
Rest in Peace Casper, from all of us at NAPS, and the wonderful people who cared for you along your rough journey.
