In March of 2023, a concerned citizen posted on the local canyon Facebook near where we’re located that a sick, emaciated cat had appeared on her doorstep. We saw the post and got in contact with her, and the same afternoon we were over at her house, trapping the sorry looking fellow. He was not, in fact, a bobcat (though he kind of looked like one with the jowls). He was, however, abnormally large and long-legged (long-legged partly because he was so emaciated).
Big Man clocked in at only 7lbs, which was way too light for his huge size. We could feel every bone in his body under all that fluff. He was very sick and suffering from an infection from multiple bite wounds found on his body. He smelled like trash and rotting flesh. He was so weak he could barely walk. He’d just about given up–it was all over his resigned and worried face.
The vet fixed him, cleaned his wounds, and put him on antibiotics. He was not chipped by a previous owner, so there was no way to contact them–however, our little canyon has a sad reputation for animal dumping, so we would not be surprised if he had been dumped. The foster observed that he was not shy with people or cats (or even dogs), but that cognitively, something wasn’t 100%–he was a tad bit slow. Whether it was due to damage from his illness or something he was born with, it wasn’t something that had helped him thrive on the streets, but it also wasn’t something that needed further investigation. Being very gentle and people-oriented, he was quickly allowed to mingle in the house. He was still quite weak from his malnutrition, but slowly building strength and gaining weight–pound by pound. The other cats in the house didn’t know what to make of this slow-moving, gentle giant that had appeared among them (he was easily 2x the size of the largest male cat in the house).
As Big Man steadily gained weight, he got more cognizant and mentally present. He quickly became the kitten nanny, obsessively grooming and cuddling every foster kitten that came through the house. He also showed his mischievous side, tripping the dogs as they jogged by, or teaching the bully cat a lesson. But mostly, at every opportunity, he wanted to cuddle people and pets alike.
Week by week, Big Man gained weight. He went from 7lbs to 10lbs, zooming past the average large cat weight of 14lbs, past 17lbs, and all the way to 20lbs and some change, where he currently weighs in. He’s a little bit tubby now, but enjoying his relaxed lifestyle.
The foster decided to adopt him, so he could act as a “babysitter” kitty, but mostly because he’s so bonded to the household and she couldn’t bear to part with him. He spends all day lounging around, occasionally getting up to groom a kitten or trip a dog.
We are forever grateful to concerned citizens who ask for help, otherwise kitties like Big Man wouldn’t be pulled into safety.
