Hutch is a perfect example of a rescue and why we try so hard to save these beautiful creatures. He is about 3 years old and had a very hard life so far.
Hutch came to us in mid October from a property in Cobble Hill. A home owner, reached out when he noticed this cat that had been abandoned a year or so prior was in very rough shape.
Hutch had a family when he was a kitten, he belonged to a little girl. The family had some hard times and was forced to move. However, the kitten that had been part of the family was left behind to fend for himself.
During the year or so that Hutch was trying to fend for himself, he endured freezing temperatures that caused frostbite on his ears. He sustained a crippling injury to his left front paw that caused him to lose most of the paw, including the pad. He had broken and missing teeth, which left him unable to eat properly. So between the missing half paw and no teeth, Hutch could not hunt for his food, let alone eat very well.
He came to us very scared and wanted nothing to do with touch or attention; he would try his best to bury his head in the blankets, hoping no one would see him. But we saw him.
Through his rough looking exterior, the broken teeth, curled frostbitten ears, missing paw causing him to limp, the incredible little piggy tail that he has and the near constant bloody diahrea that plagued him in his first few weeks, we saw the sweet gentle, loving boy that was still there waiting to come out.
The first month was tough, with him getting treatment for his gut issues, parasite control and his first set of shots. He cleared up beautifully and we started with just gently talking to him and not pressuring him to be petted. We used a long handled paint brush to give him little chin scratches, after a couple of weeks that led up to him starting to enjoy being lightly brushed. All the old fur was slowly being replaced by a new healthy coat.
The begining of December was Hutch’s big dental day. He had his 3 broken canine teeth removed.
After a couple of weeks of healing and lots of chats with him, he has slowly come out of his shell and started to come out of his kennel to greet me when I came in the room. He started enjoying pets with my hand and giving me head butts and purrs.
It is now 10 days before Christmas and for the past couple of days hutch has come to lay with me when i go into the room. He will purr (and drool), while he enjoys the chin scratches and pets and soft words.
He will never win any beauty contests, but his personality is shining through, and his eyes show the happiness he is feeling.
He is now ready for his forever home. He will need a very special home, somewhere he can just be himself, with no pressure to do anything but live in comfort.
He will need a patient person, who is willing to give him the time to be comfortable and come out in his own time.
He must never go outside again. he would not survive on his own. He would do best in a home without stairs and would do best in a quiet home.
He has the cutest little tail that wiggles when he is happy (it does not wag, it wiggles). He can try to nip or put a paw out when he thinks I am going to stop with the scratches and pets, but being that he has no teeth and only one paw with claws, there is not a lot of damage that can be done.
I am going to miss this guy, but I am thrilled that the end of this relentless year in rescue is ending with an amazing tale of survival.
He will make someone very happy.
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