On August 10, 2018, my husband, Ken, and I left the house, like so many other Fridays, for our morning 10K training run on the Los Angeles River bike path. I had just left home and turned into Hollydale Park when I was stopped in my tracks by the screeching sound of frantic cries coming out of a tree just over my head. I looked up and spied a tiny orange kitten high in the tree, wildly staring down out me and wailing with everything he had.
We spoke with anyone passing by. The consensus was he had been up there for at least 2 hours and no one was willing or able to help. Ken and decided we couldn’t leave the little, frantic guy in that tree. Ken returned to our home and drove back with a ladder. He climbed up level with the screaming and the exhausted tyke came to him. We took him to our home a couple of blocks away. No training run on that day.
No one ever claimed the kitten. Within 2 days, he was extremely iill, not moving, able to be held in the palm of one hand. Over $800 in vet bills and every test available later, we were without a diagnosis. Everything was negative. For several days, he slowly regained some his spunk we experienced in that tree. It looked like he was going to pull through whatever this was.
It has now been a month and he is pedal to the metal every waking minute. Otherwise, he is knocked out cold when sleeping. He has worn this 67 year-old and her 69-year old husband and cat rescuer out. But, he has also brought so much joy and laughter.
We are now on a quest to have his shots, neutering and microchipping. The fees and time involved are far beyond anything I experienced during my active involvement in TNR (trap, neuter, release) with Best Friends and NKLA (No Kill LA) 12 years ago.
Let’s keep questing and wait for the miracles that always come.
9/23/18: OrangeBoy has not done well. He is weak, fatigued, has an upper respiratory infection. Begins to recover and returns to the same symptoms.
10/22/18: OrangeBoy is growing. Received injections of antibiotics 9/4/18 and 9/25/18. Still very congested, runny nose and eyes.
11/1/18: OrangeBoy is growing and gaining strength. He continues with a stuffy nose, runny and watery eyes and nose, but acts like a normal, inquisitive, energetic kitten. My husband, Ken, and I love him, as does everyone who meets him. He is such an amazing, precious gift.
11/10/18: Great News! OrangeBoy is 99% recovered. He is pedal-to-the-medal! Now it’s time for snipping, chipping and kitten shots! We are so happy he is here. He has blessed and enriched out lives.
12/8/18: OrangBoy is still stuffy, but managing to climb the Christmas tree and steal his favorite ornament – repeatedly – fall in the toilet, release bugs in the house and furiously chase the other cats. He is 6 lbs, 1 oz of sheer unrestrained enthusiasm! He just jumped on my keyboard and launched WalMart’s site. I wondered if I should buy something. . . .
We are heart-broken to report this was the last photo of OrangeBoy. We have not seen him since the night of 12/8/18. I cannot express the grief I am feeling right now.
It is Saturday, December 15, 2018. We have prayed and searched for our little OrangeBoy, but are still missing him. The pain is incredible.
December 27, 2018, I have never seen him again. I am still grieving. The photos are beyond painful. I keep asking, “Why?” I know this is the wrong question, I learned that when I had breast cancer. I would so love a Christmas miracle.
June 1, 2019. I still think of him every day and wish for a miracle. I love you, OrangeBoy 💝🙏🏻