Ode to Otis

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LadyCook61

Master Chef
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
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E. Pa.
:( Hubby found this cat dead by the barn yesterday. We used to feed him outside, he would never allow us to touch him . He was either a feral or a stray. We've fed him about a year. We were calling him Outside Cat and I thought that was silly so I said let's call him Otis.

Otis , we will miss you, even tho we have 5 indoor cats . We loved you and enjoyed feeding you. You had such pretty eyes . I hope you knew we would never hurt you , even tho you would not allow us to touch you. I don't know what you died from, Otis but I hope you didn't suffer.
Til we meet again in heaven ..
The human who cared...
 
How sad. He died where you would find him....

BTW, I got the state vet report yesterday and so far 41 stray/feral cats in PA were found to have rabies so far this year.
Be careful out there :neutral:

RABIES ALERT!
Rabid Cat in Eldred, McKean County
October 15, 2008

Please be advised that a stray cat found in Eldred, McKean County has tested positive for rabies. This cat was being fed by a person who was scratched by the cat. This person will be receiving rabies post-exposure treatment as a result of this exposure.

There have been 41 rabid cats in Pennsylvania so far this year. This is the first rabid animal reported for McKean County in 2008. If you feed or care for cats that live outdoors, it is important to remember that they are exposed to wildlife and can develop rabies. If you keep garbage cans covered tightly and bring pet foods indoors at night, you can avoid attracting wildlife to your home and area.

Pennsylvania law requires that all dogs and non-feral cats three months of age and older are rabies vaccinated and that booster vaccinations are administered periodically to maintain lifelong immunity. Rabies vaccine is also available for other species.

As it is not possible to determine if this cat may have exposed other wild or domestic animals, please consult your private veterinary practitioner to determine your animal's needs. This is of great importance, as you need to assure that your pet is not a potential source of rabies for your family and neighbors.

If you have any additional questions regarding this incident, please contact Dr. Anthony LaBarbera, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (717 783 9550) or visit the Department of Agriculture’s website at http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/cwp/view.asp?q=127956
 
thanks pacanis. I live in Monroe County but I will be careful. I have not seen any other outdoor cats except for the neighbor's cats.
 
thanks pacanis. I live in Monroe County but I will be careful. I have not seen any other outdoor cats except for the neighbor's cats.

Sure. I knew you did not live in McKean County. And I didn't want to downplay the care you gave Otis, but PA has been on the rise for rabies incidents, especially the east side of the state. A cat living in the wild is really at risk if they've never been vaccinated. And so is anything or anyone they come in contact with. Just the fact that he suddenly died..... you may want to contact your health dept just to see if they want to look at him.

:neutral:
 
Sure. I knew you did not live in McKean County. And I didn't want to downplay the care you gave Otis, but PA has been on the rise for rabies incidents, especially the east side of the state. A cat living in the wild is really at risk if they've never been vaccinated. And so is anything or anyone they come in contact with. Just the fact that he suddenly died..... you may want to contact your health dept just to see if they want to look at him.

:neutral:

I'm not sure if he suddenly died , because he always looked beat up, he could have been ill too. Also hubby said there is not much left of the cat. I don't know if he will bother with the whole thing.
Years ago when we had chickens, a racoon got in the chicken shed and hubby killed the racoon. I had to take the animal up to Tukanhannock in a cooler so they could test it for rabies. Thankfully, the racooon did not have rabies so my chickens were okay and the eggs were safe to eat.
 
I'm sorry about Otis, but he lived a good life, thanks to you all.

When we built our house, there was a female stray in the neighborhood that people called "Road Dog". No one could touch her, and she lived for years and years. Once she delivered a puppy to my daughter's door for her to raise, which she did.
Road Dog took to sleeping under our back steps for a while last winter, and then she disappeared...crawled off and died somewhere, I guess. I felt sad that she had no one to take care of her in her old age, but she had a lot of freedom in her lifetime.
 
Otis.... go with doG, dude! ;)

"Feral" cats are interesting creatures. They certainly know how to survive, and how to get what they need from humans. Major kudos to you for helping him/her live better as they chose to live!

I am a fan of the programs that catch feral cats, neuter them, clip an ear and release them back to where they were caught. They are excellent pest and rodent control agents, and since they are territorial, they keep their area well "controlled".

On my dog walk, there was a bar near the creek. Owner was spending hundreds of dollars a month on rat control. Three stray cats showed up, and he started feeding them because he is a softie at heart. It ended up saving him those hundreds a month!

Bar closed recently, and the local Cat Lady caught all the strays. One got adopted, the rest got processed and released at a new place with rodent problems. :)
 
What a magnificent looking boy Otis was. I see a trace of wilderness in his intense eyes, so I think he enjoyed living in the great outdoor, but I am sure he did appreciate you. And I do hope too, he didn't suffer on his journey, and it was not the fault of human cruelty.
Play hearty over the bridge Otis... gone but never forgotten:heart:
 
So sorry for Otis and for you LC-my feelings for animals are well documented, and I do feel your pain and sense of loss.

Otis was lucky enough to find you, and you were lucky that he found you. You made his life better.

And now he waits at the bridge......
 
It is nice that you took care of Otis, as much as he would let you. I'm sorry to hear that he has died.

A couple of our female cats were born outside (to a cat we had owned for some time--the mom loved us) and they will not let us touch them. When Mr. Frodo was alive they came in to be with him (the orange one wouldn't come in after we got the dog), but they did not want us to touch them. Since Mr. Frodo was killed they won't come in at all.

Fortunately, we were able to catch one of their babies when they were young enough (I mean two babies, born to one of them). Tony and Carlos have thrived indoors. They love us and they like the dog.

Thank you for sharing your lovely tribute to Otis with us.

:flowers:Barbara
 

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