Buddy’s feline future looking better, vet says

Cat that lost a leg to train recovering, hoping for a home soon
By THERESA HOGUE
Gazette-Times reporter

In one of the small, cheerful examination rooms at Corvallis Cat Care Veterinary Hospital, Buddy the cat lay in a spot of sunshine on the cushioned window seat, his ears twitching fiercely as he spotted a large mouse in the garden below him.

Near the mouse, a juvenile Oregon junco was begging for seed from its attentive mother, and a hummingbird zoomed by, on its way to the nearby flower garden. There was plenty for Buddy to look at, and he was drinking it all in.

Buddy, whose back left leg was destroyed by a train near his former northeast Corvallis home more than a week ago, is recovering from his amputation surgery, and Tuesday afternoon had his stitches taken out by Dr. Sharon Blouin.

Since an article appeared in last Saturday’s Gazette-Times about Buddy’s accident and the efforts to pay for his surgery and find him a new adoptive home, Buddy has received many visitors and multiple offers of new homes, and community members have contributed more than $1,000 for his medical treatment.

Blouin said Buddy is making a quick recovery, and has already figured out how to balance to use his litter box, and to stretch and settle comfortably in any spot. He disdains using steps to reach higher places, such as the window seat, preferring his old leaping method, which works despite having one fewer limb.

“He’s eating really well and grooming himself,” Blouin said. “That cat’s constantly fixing his ’do.”

While there have been multiple inquiries into Buddy’s adoption, Blouin said she’s carefully considering who might have the best situation to welcome Buddy home. He will have to adjust to either being a strictly indoor cat, or have a home with cat fencing in the yard, so he can neither escape nor be bothered by animals who might take advantage of his tripod-nature.

And because he’s an extremely active and independent fellow, it’s possible in the future he might need physical therapy or additional surgery if he strains his remaining back leg from over-use. So Buddy’s new owner needs to be financially able to take care of future problems that could arise.

But Blouin is confident that Buddy will soon have a new, loving home. She’s pledged to pay for a year of accident insurance, as well as flea and tick treatments for a year, to get Buddy off to a good start.

As Buddy snuggled against a visitor who had come in to meet him, Blouin said he was such an appealing cat that he inspired a lot of generous people to come forward.

“He’s so agreeable,” she said. “He’s very trusting. He’s a good companion.”

Corvallis Cat Care Veterinary Hospital is still accepting donations, and any money that is raised beyond the cost of his care will be put into the hospital’s “good Samaritan” fund. For more information, call 753-2287.