The Story of Sinbad

Tiny and obviously in pain, he was handed over by a group of construction workers who found him at their construction site.  They banged on the door of HSEC until a staff member came to tell them we were closed.  They begged for help.  He was in a small box which had held nails.  This tiny kitten was purring, but obviously starving and in great pain when the staff tried to examine him.  He had been badly burned and it didn’t look good.
 

Callie, our director, rushed this baby kitten to the vet.  Our own, Dr. Eldridge cared for him and after a while he came back to the facility at HSEC for what would be months of recovery.  That’s when I got the call.  My name is Jane and I foster cats and kittens for HSEC.  Sinbad, as he was named, came to live with us while he recovered.  I bonded with this baby immediately – it was hard not to – he needed so much TLC and he was so loving.
 

Sinbad came with a host of medical, emotional and physical needs.  There were drugs for pain, antibiotics for infection and a weekly vet appointment.  But his emotional needs far outweighed his physical… and his physical needs were huge.  I placed a small basket next to my chair in our den – filled with blankets and towels just for him. 
 

The first day Sinbad was with us, he slept in his basket all day.  I was concerned because he was extremely underweight.  His ribs and backbone were visible.  It was obvious that he had gone for several days without food prior to his being rescued.  Too painful to search for food or water, I’m sure he had languished for days.  He smelled funny – burned skin is not pleasant, it had a “chemical” smell to me.  The other kittens were hesitant to accept him at first because of this.  Our house cat, Mr. Black, who had NEVER met a stranger, hissed at him at first – the only time Mr. Black has ever done that in the three years we have fostered!

Sinbad’s burns were rather extensive.  He had damage to his left side, below his front armpit that extended to his back leg.  He also had burns on his front and back paws – pads and front legs, and a spot under his chin.  He had two toes that were either broken or somehow damaged.  The nails could not be retracted in those two toes.  It was two days before we saw him put any weight on his back left leg – a small victory since we didn’t know if he had deep nerve damage.  With every step along the healing process we celebrated every small victory.

After the first week I took Sinbad in to HSEC for a weekly weigh in and check up.  He had gained a pound!  This was a good week – he was walking on his back leg, beginning to play with the other kittens, eating well and he had gained a whole pound!  He was healing.  His burns were beginning to peel, too.  Another victory!

If you have never seen burns – they look like old, dried leather, or really bad jerky.  Luckily Sinbad had no feeling in the burned areas – so touching him, stroking his back and sides, was not painful or uncomfortable for him.  His favorite place to be loved on was his belly – he loved to have his belly rubbed and would roll over in his basket with all four paws up in the air, purring loudly – as if to say “Rub my Belly, Momma”.  Such a lover!

We already had one litter at our home that we were fostering, but he was within 2 weeks of their age and within a day or two we were able to incorporate him into that small family.  They loved each other, played and slept in his basket with him.  He was learning to trust, to play, to enjoy life again – ever so slowly.

As the months went by, Sinbad’s burns healed and his personality became evident.  He should have been named “Big Love” – because that truly describes his affectionate, loving demeanor.  He slept in the bed with us at night, napped in his basket next to me or on me.  Played in the window sill with the other kittens.  He was part of our family and we loved him.  He was healing, ever so slowly, but healing.

Sinbad still has some “issues”.  He is afraid of loud noises – the vacuum cleaner, the yard tools, and the occasional truck outside.  Once we bought coffee beans instead of ground and he hid for over an hour when we used the coffee grinder.  New people scare him – briefly.  He stands at the door to the room where the new faces are seated and watches, ever so vigilantly – afraid to enter the room.  He is still timid, but he has come so far!  We are so proud of his successes!

With his motor running Sinbad is loving and patient.  Without people like the construction workers, who wouldn’t go away, and Callie, who acted quickly, and Dr. Eldridge who continually gives of her time and energy, Sinbad would not have had a chance at survival.  Sinbad is truly a miracle kitty who had a lot of folks in his corner and he shows his gratitude with his continuous purr!

Sinbad was adopted in mid October 2009, but I wanted to share his story with you so that you would know of his success.  Fostering has been an extremely rewarding experience for my family.  Along with my husband, Kevin, and our nephew, Aaron, the cats and kittens that are cared for in our home get quite a bit of attention and love.  Sinbad is only one example of a success story, there are countless examples in the faces that you can see at HSEC!
 

About the Author:

Jane Naus is a board member for HSEC and currently volunteers as the Foster Coordinator for Cats.  She and her husband, Kevin, have fostered multiple cats and kittens for HSEC and prior to that for Memphis Humane (TN).  Their house cat, Mr. Black, is especially “fostering” when working with young, motherless kittens and has never met a stranger – human, feline or canine.

About Fostering:

Our foster families help with animals like Sinbad.  He is but one of the many miracles this year.  If you and your family are interested in fostering and giving a needy cat or kitten a place to recover and grow, please contact HSEC.  We could not do what we do without our foster families who give of their time, patience and love.  Fostering for HSEC is extremely rewarding, educational and a wonderful way to give to an organization that is constantly in need of fosters!  Our foster families are supplied with necessary food, medications (should there be any), and supplies for all fosters.  We supply all training and work with you and your family to match the animal with your lifestyle and home environment.  There is no fee to become a foster – just your time, patience and love.