Puck 07

Puck’s Story: Puck is our sweetest boy, despite the fact that of the three cats, he had the hardest start in life. As the story was told to us, once there was a litter of kittens a neighbor would watch play in the backyard next door. When the kittens were only a few weeks old, something terrible happened and one of them lost part of their hind leg. The neighbor waited for the owner to do the right thing and take the kitten to a vet, but after a couple of days it was clear that no one was going to help the kitten with the missing foot. One afternoon the neighbor peeked over the fence to see the little black kitten laying on its side, languishing and getting sicker and weaker by the moment. So the neighbor did the right thing and catnapped the kitten, and brought baby Puck to the vet!

Puck was seen just in time by the wonderful folks at Washington’s no-kill cat shelter, Purrfect Pals. Thanks to their Tipper Fund, a fund for special procedures and emergency operations for cats and kittens in need, the vets at Purrfect Pals were able to save Puck’s life. The wound, which they believe was caused by a predator, had become so infected that the rest of Puck’s leg had to be amputated to the hip socket. He came close to dying, and needed weeks of antibiotics before he was well again. The folks at Purrfect Pals work miracles every day, and Puck is one of them.

By the time Puck came to live with us, he was a spry and lively 12 week old kitten, just getting used to life on three legs. His other limbs were strong, and he was soon climbing all the furniture and giving Elvis chase all over the house. He was like any other kitten, except rather than walking he hopped like a rabbit from place to place (a trait he still has, which is often what gives away his missing leg to unaware visitors).

Puck’s personality: Puck is a shy, sweet, mellow little cat. It takes time to earn his trust, but once it is earned, it’s never forgotten. While Elvis and Lupin will race around our ankles as we open a can of cat food, Puck is patient enough (and wise enough) to sit by his bowl. The highlight of his day seems to be watching birds from a window after breakfast. He knows his way around a nap, and he loves to lean against the back of the couch like a person.

Food is the center of Puck’s Universe, with ham being the sun, the moon, and the stars. Ryan (my husband, “the man”) and I bake a ham on Christmas not so much for ourselves, but for how excited Puck gets during the day while it’s roasting. Cheddar and corn are close seconds, but really… Puck will eat pretty much anything. We have to watch him carefully. He has trained our infant son to feed him from the high chair, and he is only too happy to run off with a chicken leg if we leave a plate unattended.

A typical day for Puck: After breakfast, Puck settles into a windowsill and watches the birds. He’ll sit for a good hour or so taking in all of the feathered activity in the backyard. While he is typically a sweetheart, Puck takes his bird watching time very seriously, and if Lupin tries to join him, Puck will hiss and try to persuade him to leave. Later he joins Elvis for an afternoon nap, before retiring to the back of the armchair for yet another nap.

Likes: Ham, cheddar, Thanksgiving, fabrics, hardwood floors, lounging

Dislikes: Loud/shrill noises, sharing a perch, being disturbed during bird watching time

We’re not certain how Puck’s leg was originally injured, no one really knows. A bird of prey was suggested, and our only clue seems to confirm that. Once while watching “Lord of the Rings” one of the Ringwraith’s dragons flew across the large screen with a terrible scream, and Puck streaked from the living room all the way to the bathroom to hide in the litter box. That is the only time he has ever shown fear or the psychological effects of what he suffered those first few weeks of his life. I do know that without his neighbor doing the right thing, we wouldn’t have Puck in our lives, and BREAKING CAT NEWS would be missing its sweetest, most emotional little reporter. I’ve never had a chance to thank them, but I hope that if they read this they know how very much they are appreciated in our home. And possibly in yours, if you enjoy this comic.

 

Puck 01

Relaxing on the back of the couch.

Puck 02

Baby Puck

Puck 03

Watching the trees outside.

Puck 04

“Ladies.”

Puck 06

Enjoying the feel of a freshly vacuumed carpet.

Puck 08

Bird watching

Puck 10

Handsome boy

Puck 11

Pucky and our kitchen clock.

 

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