Julian was found battered and worn, living at a local industrial park. His fur was matted and dirty, his ear was mangled and bloody and there were wounds on his head. He was one pathetic looking cat that needed help desperately. I brought Julian to my foster home. On his first night, I watched him for a bit and realized underneath the grime and wounds, a very handsome cat was waiting to emerge – a jewel in the rough. Even better, he wasn’t feral – just very scared. I took him out of the cage and held him on my lap. His purr was very loud although it sounded kind of rusty, like he hadn’t used it for quite some time. I wondered if Julian realized how much his life was about to change. First, he was taken to Animal Associates, a Spay/Neuter Clinic, to be neutered and tested for leukemia. He did very well and even in that environment he was
super friendly to all he came in contact with. His next visit was to Pet Partners Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic, where they operated on his ear. He had a hematoma that needed to be fixed, and they also gave him a new buzz cut. After days of trying to clean and brush out his matted fur, I had come to the conclusion it was hopeless, so we would just have to shave it all off and start again.What a sorry sight he was. He had 4 stitches in his ear and had to wear a protective collar for two weeks so he wouldn’t scratch them out. The collar, in addition to his new haircut, made him a bit odd looking. However, Julian s personality shone through and as soon as we got home from the vet s office he was purring and happy to be held. Not wanting to leave Julian home by himself, I decided he should come to work with me. Julian has made himself right at
home in my office. His favorite place to sleep is on whatever paperwork I m trying to work on. He has also learned that if he backs up and sits down on my hands while I m at my keyboard, I have to stop typing and move (thus pet) him. He is a smart cat. He now spends his days in my office and has become the official greeter. Everyone who comes into the office stops by to pet him and wish him a quick recovery. Quite a few times, I ve retuned to my office to find co-workers camped out on the floor giving Julian much deserved pets. He loves all of the attention, and he has a pretty big fan club. His ear has healed from surgery and his fur has grown back to a shiny, fluffy white. Each day I see more and more of what a great personality Julian has. He is a special cat who I think is very grateful for this chance at a better life..
