There are days I'm lucky I don't have magical powers

My friend called me late Saturday night - she'd found an injured cat. We ended up driving an hour to the emergency hospital with this poor creature whose ear had been sliced off. His other ear and the back of his head were a mess of bloody scabs and his throat looked like a blade of some sort had just missed him. He was weezing and every time he took a breath his nose bubbled blood.

She'd found him in a friend's yard and had grabbed him without thinking, stuffed him into a carrier she always has in her car and came to my house. Another friend, an experienced rescuer, met us here. I almost burst into tears when I saw him. After a wild ride here, that cat came out of the carrier and started purring! He head butted us all as we tried to examine him and never once snarled, hissed or swatted at us. He must have been in agony but all he wanted was pets.

Once we got him to the emergency vet, they tested and he was positive for FIV. We had to make the decision. The vet said he was so injured, she doubted he would recover with his immune system so compromised.

So, he's at peace now. We named him Teddy because in spite of his pain, all he wanted was some love. He was affectionate and sweet and really laid back. And because someone hadn't bothered to get him neutered, he's dead..

And I am very lucky I do not have magical powers because I would probably hunt them down and at the very least, smack them around some.

I know I sound like a maniac but there it is...

I'm with you, sistah. Five years working/volunteering in rescue and there have been lots of people I'd like to hunt down and throttle!!

Ditto. I hate people more and more. I guess I should say ignorant and cruel people. May the little guy rest in peace and God bless you and your friends for caring about a little waif.

Is it cold there, yet? If so, poor Teddy may have been in someone's engine when they started their vehicle. Fan belts can cause the sort of injuries (and very bad internal ones) such as those you described. If this is what happened, you really did do the kindest thing you could for the poor boy.

While that's horrible, it's better to hope this was a tragic accident than some psychopath out torturing animals.

With the weather turning cold, people that park their vehicles outside should either honk their horn before starting up or bang on the hood a few times before getting in.

Great suggestion, I do that here in cold Lockport..as we had ferals for many years.

... poor Teddy may have been in someone's engine when they started their vehicle.

I agree - the vet seemed to think he got caught in some machinery -he was found in a farming community. His wounds looked like he'd also been burned, so we were thinking battery acid or something similar.

I've made my husband start banging his hood before he stars his car now. I've been doing that for years. We have no (visible) outside cats here but you never know.

I too am praying it wasn't some psycho but if I ever find out it was, God help me ...

That brought tears to my eyes! How awful for that poor kitty! Bless you for making his final moments as happy as possible....