Summary: Cider is a blind cat who was tortured by people living near the cat colony where she was found. She was rescued from this horrible situation, and is now in a foster home, slowing learning to trust.
Current Status: Cider has already made great strides at adjusting to her new status as a safe indoor kitty. She needs a home that is going to continue to nurture her.
April 17, 2009
Cider's foster mom Judi submitted the following story describing how Cider came to be with Stray Cat Blues -
This is the kind of story you're never quite ready to hear...
They called me "Spinner" because I walked in circles. People who saw me thought it was funny. About 5 years ago I was shot in the head with a beebee gun. This is what probably caused my vision loss. No one cared about me, so I managed the pain and confusion alone. The people in my neighborhood saw me "grazed" by a car, but did nothing to help me. For 5 years I put up with neighborhood kids torturing me and worse yet, litters of my kittens that I couldn't protect because I couldn't see what was coming...
I was living out back behind some houses in Pottstown. As part of a TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) Project in February I was trapped and taken to the Forgotten Cats clinic in Willow Grove. They treated me for a puncture wound to my shoulder and spayed me. When my trappers realized that I was blind, they didn't have the heart to put me back out. They think that I had also been hit by a car, not once, but at least twice. Now I am in a foster home. No one had ever been nice to me before.
I've only ever experienced man's unkindness, so I don't trust easily. I've only been in my new foster home for 2 weeks. I want to believe that I'm safe now, but I'm still afraid and don't believe yet that I'm not going to be hurt or hungry again.
My foster mom talks softly and doesn't move too fast. I like that. She's given me a warm, comfortable cage to live in and she's giving me my space to adjust. She named me Cider and tells me that I'm a pretty girl and that she'll only let me go to people who will love me as much as she does and be kind to me.
If you are interested in Cider and have questions, please email Stray Cat Blues at savingstrays@yahoo.com, and we would be happy to put you into contact with her foster home.
∞∞∞∞∞17 Apr 2009
Sadly, it is all true. I feel so sorry for Cider. It will take an angel disguised as a person to adopt her. We're just looking for someone who would agree to let this unfortunate soul live her life out in the comfort and warmth of a home where she'll be loved for who she is and how she came to be this way via irresponsible, horrible people.
-Fellow Foster Linda
∞∞∞∞∞April 20, 2009
She is a very ordinary black cat (and spends most of her time hiding from me) other than her eyes seem to stay dilated all the time and she turns in circles when she is excited about getting fed. She is fine around the other cats, but will defend herself if frightened. I can't imagine she would be good with kids, and have no idea about dogs; I would think that she would fear them. She is 5-6 years old according to Forgotten Cats records. At first she stayed in her cage even when I left the door open, and since Saturday she started venturing out into the cat room where she lives with 11 other cats. They are cool about her, and don't bother her. She mostly stays in a little 2 cubbyhole condo, choosing the upper berth. She knows by sound when I'm getting ready to feed and she starts crying for her dinner with the rest of them, but is too afraid of me to let me touch her… I feed her wherever she happens to be and she will approach me for food. The other night when I was speaking softly to one of the other cats, I caught her pawing happily at the ground! She does seem happier now that she has more freedom.
-Judi
∞∞∞∞∞May 30, 2009
Cider is doing better with me, but still carries many fears from her previous life. She purrs now, and sometimes winds herself around my legs while turning in circles. Today was interesting. One of my other cats was being difficult, and got upset with me when I tried to pick her up, complaining loudly. Cider reacted to her distress and came to her defense! She wailed loudly to obviously scare off any threat! I really have a lot of respect for all she endured and I'm very fond of the poor girl. She has shown me her sweet and loving side and the side of her that has made her a survivor, against all odds.
-Judi
∞∞∞∞∞August 24, 2009
Cider has come a long way- she is very happy living in my cat room and has become quite attentive to me when I come in the room-I won't flatter myself that she loves me so much as the treats she knows I bring! She gets along with all the other cats there and is perfect about finding and using her litter box. She loves to hear me call her name when I use my "love-you" voice and really seems to recognize it. She is going to make someone very happy; this girl appreciates comfort and knows what it is to be without.
∞∞∞∞∞We hope that there are some gentle souls out there who would open their hearts and home to Cider. She has been through a lot in her short life.
For information on living with a blind cat, click here.
Cider is available for adoption. As an added incentive, there is no adoption fee for Cider, as with all of our "Special Needs" cats. You still need to complete an adoption application and be approved. You will also need to be a home that is a good fit to meet Cider's special needs as a blind cat. To enter an adoption application, CLICK HERE. Cider's foster mom Judi would welcome discussing Cider with you if you are considering adopting her. Please email us at savingstrays@yahoo.com, and we can put you in touch with Judi.
∞∞∞∞∞To go back to the Stray Cat Blues Homepage, CLICK HERE.
"The highest reward for a person's work is not what they get for it, but what they become because of it." -- John Ruskin