How could someone do this to our cat?

DH's police friend found a starving, near-dead, encrusted with cow manure cat in a snowbank 2 days ago, & asked if we could foster him. We did. It seems someone may have tried to smother the cat with manure. I rehydrated him with an eyedropper every 2 hours. He seemed to be getting better each day (I had him quarantined). This morning, he actually got out of his bed, and drank water from the bowl, and was walking around the room, and relaxing. I was on cloud nine! I had taken the day off yesterday to tend to him, and felt he would be just fine if I went back to work today.

When I came home today, I rushed upstairs to check on Gandalf. He was dead.

Our friend told us that, in the course of his work, he sees animals that the Amish farmers kill this way, when they can't be bothered to have them spayed/neutered. He can't divulge all the details, but we get the idea that this was the case with Gandalf. His poor face had dried cow manure all over it, and his mouth was caked closed with it. He also had it on his tail end.

Thank God I can't find out the name of the beasts that did this. All I will say is that I'm pretty good on the gun range. Read into that what you wish.

The Amish around here are notorious for running puppy mills, BTW, and are often cited for cruelty toward their horses, cats and dogs. I know not everyone is as crazy as we are about pets, but do those people have to abuse them?

We are so heart-broken. We really thought he would make it. I started the day with tears--of happiness. I ended the day with tears--of sorrow. DH just got done burying him. I asked to shampoo him, to get the rest of the cow manure off him. I couldn't bear the thought of him going to his grave dirty (I didn't try to get all of the dung off, only any on his face. I didn't want to get him really wet, nor move him around needlessly). I wrapped him in the brand-new red fuzzy blanket he never got to use.

Thank you all for your kind words. They mean a lot.

Going to work today was so hard for us. DH said he kept thinking about poor Gandalf all day, and also what he'd do to the scum that tortured him, if he could find them. I spent all day trying not to cry in my cubicle, and my co-workers were so kind to me--they knew about Gandalf, and as I had emailed one of them about his death last night, she had told them about that, too, so I got hugs all around when I got in. I just keep thinking about that poor, sweet, innocent cat. I'm so angry, and frustrated today.I try to console myself what my co-workers said: think about all of the animals who we've saved in the 6 years we've lived here. (I've had as many as 10 cats at one time; down to 9 now, not counting Gandalf, and all were abused and strays), but it still isn't helping me get over Gandy.

Thank you again, everyone. Even though I feel a bit better today, now the anger is rising to the surface; I had suppressed it, knowing I had to concentrate on trying to save Gandalf. It's difficult to deal with. So frustrating.

I've lived near Amish country all of my life. Until a few years ago, I knew nothing about the animal abuse cases. Apparently, according to our friend, the majority of the abuse cases in our area are perpetrated by the Amish. Of course, every group of people has good/bad citizens, and my intent wasn't to single out the Amish in my original post--actually, it really doesn't matter who hurt Gandalf, but I must admit, I am having trouble reconciling the ideas of "godliness" and "piety" of a group of people who apparently abuse their farm animals and pets quite often.

The only good thing to come of this is that I finally had the idea of keeping a stray cat kit around, and have started buying things for it. As we seem to encounter strays about every year, it makes sense--those phone calls come out of the blue, when I'm at work. If I keep a kit of basics, I won't need to make a frantic trip to the store, knowing I also have to get home to spend over an hour disinfecting the quarantine room (I have 3 FeLV+ cats who have the run of that room. Actually, I think they shed the virus long ago, but better safe than sorry).CVS had fleece throws 4/10, and cats love those--and cheap enough to trash afterwards, should the cat be diseased. Add to that cheap bath towels, new water/food bowls, litter box, eye-dropper, etc. I intend to be ready the next time we get a phone call.

I plan to post a tribute to Gandalf on Rainbow Bridge in the next few days. At least I could do that for him..if nothing else.

His little face, with the crusted-shut eyes, will haunt me forever.

I just posted a tribute to Gandalf in the Rainbow Bridge area of the forum.

We really miss him. It was one week yesterday since he died. And some of my anger bled over into my tribute, I apologize up front for this, should it upset anyone. I hope God judges the person who did this to Gandalf, especially as the law probably won't do much.