Neighborhood Garden Cat
Just this week I saw a piece on TV showing a beautiful cat in Russia frozen solid in ice. She had evidently stopped for a little too long—maybe she was ill—and she became frozen to the ground and could not move. Thankfully she was discovered in time. After pouring warm water around her, they were able to lift her from her potential icy grave. And the young cat evidently suffered no injuries.
This happened to a kitten in Ohio a few years ago. A motorist saw a block of ice alongside the road. When he saw that ice move, he stopped to check it out and found a near frozen kitten.
Last year in Massachusetts, a fluffy frozen feral cat was saved from certain death by local firemen who walked on ice to reach her.
Winter weather can bring serious dangers for cats, but so can summer weather. Cats can get overheated and dehydrated. White cats, or those with white ears, can be seriously sunburned.
The fact is, cats (and virtually all animals) should be protected from the same elements that pose a danger to humans—extreme heat, extreme cold, torrential rain and the potential results of these circumstances: heat stroke, hypothermia, drowning and so forth.
This Cat’s in Trouble
Here’s another sort of cat in trouble. This is Sophie, our paper shredder. She loves tearing into a wad of paper. Fortunately, this is nothing important. But she has been known to shred faxes when they come in. In the evening, I toss wads of paper to Lily–she’s our athlete and loves to leap into the air after a paper ball. When Lily’s finished playing with it, Sophie shreds it. And when Sophie finishes making a mess, guess who picks up the little pieces–after taking a picture, of course.
