Bindi

I began volunteering with APAWS because the animal overpopulation problem in Baton Rouge is horrifying.  I wasn't sure what I could do, but I wanted to do something.  I found APAWS and was very impressed with the quality of people in the organization and the special care all of the animals received.  I began fostering a kitten, I was warned that most fosters end up adopting their first foster animal.  I didn't adopt that kitten, she went on to a loving home and is very happy.  I fostered other cats and assisted with their placements.  I became more involved with the group and was accepted to the board of directors.

In February 2007 I received a call in the middle of the day from our president, Diane.  I knew she was at the Hammond Animal Control picking up a pregnant beagle.  As soon as I answered she asked if I had space for a teeny, tiny kitten - maybe a corner in my bathroom?  I immediately asked what was wrong with the kitten.  Diane, much like the rest of our group, is very soft-hearted towards special needs animals.  She said the kitten had a broken leg and shredded ear, if she didn't take her right then she was next to be euthanized.  I immediately said bring her to me.  I brought her to the vet the next morning.  Her leg was indeed broken and her ear was shredded.  The vet splinted her leg and surgically reshaped her shredded ear into a mini ear.  This kitten I had yet to name came home and began lugging around a splint bigger than her.  The vet felt she had been caught in a car engine and that was the cause of her injuries.  Her estimated age was 6 - 7 weeks.  I was quickly falling in love with this special girl, but remained firm that I would get her healed and put her up for adoption.  I wanted to find the perfect name for her before her next vet appointment the following week.  Steve Irwin had recently passed away and I named her after his daughter, Bindi.  It seemed fitting for this courageous girl to be named after Steve's daughter.

The next week I brought Bindi in for her splint check.  The vet wanted to check her leg each week and redo the splint until her leg healed.  I was not expecting the call I got that day from the vet.  Bindi's leg had rebroken in the cast.  The bone had pushed through her skin and was filled with infection.  She was starting i/v antibiotics immedately and Bindi's leg had to be amputated once she had been on antibiotics for 24 hours.  The bone infection was very bad and she would have died within a couple days if it wasn't found. I was very emotional; I couldn't imagine the pain she was in when her leg rebroke and pushed through her skin.  I was mad at myself for not knowing something was wrong.  I did not have any experience with animals missing limbs and wasn't sure what kind of quality of life she would have.  The vet explained that amputation was teh only way to save her life and animals easily adapted to losing a limb.  Bindi's surgery was scheduled for the next day.

She made it through the surgery without any complications.  She came home and to my surprise she seemed happier than I had ever seen her.  She found it much easier to run and play without that huge splint.  She never missed her leg.  She didn't have any problems running on three legs.  In the next few days I realized I was completely bonded to Bindi and had to adopt her.  I guess it is fitting I didn't adopt my first healthy foster, I adopted my first special needs foster.

Bindi quickly established herself as queen of the household.  She made it quite clear she didn't want any other kittens around and pushed away any other cat who came to cuddle with me.  As she grew her front legs became very strong and she began giving hugs.  She also learned how to scale all the furniture in my home using her front legs.  After a while she realized if she put her one back leg in the center of her body she could jump several feet in the air.  She began beating up the adults in the house by holding them with her front legs and kicking them with her one back leg.  It is quite a sight to see a small female with three legs fight a full grown male and win!  She can do anything other cats can do and has quite a bit of grace doing it.  She is very independent.  Whenever the ear on the side with the missing leg itches, her stump starts shaking.  For several months I tried to scratch it for her, but she didn't like needing help.  She would give me a dirty look and run away.  She learned that she can scratch that ear by rubbing on the edge of wooden furniture.

When she became old enough to spay, I was warned that the spay surgery was usually quite hard on cats with a missing back limb.  I took a couple days off from work following her surgery to make sure I was home in case there was an emergency and to make sure she didn't miss a dose of her pain meds.  I expected her to be lethargic and stay in one spot while I watched her.  I was wrong.  As soon as we got home she couldn't wait to jump out of the carrier.  She proceeded to run around the house and play with the other cats.  She was jumping on furniture and fought me when I tried to give her the pain meds.  I quickly realized she didn't need the pain meds and was happier when I stopped interrupting her playtime to give her the nasty liquid.

One of my favorite memories is our first visit to my vet.  While she was in the APAWS group, she saw the vet who works with APAWS.  I adopted her after she was fully healed and spayed.  When it was time for her annual exam, I brought her to my vet.  By this time I was used to her having three legs and forgot to mention it to the vet or vet techs.  The vet was beginning her exam when the tech said, "Wait!  I can't get her other back leg."  I had to laugh and told her she had her one and only back leg.  The tech started laughing and couldn't believe she didn't realize this was a tripod kitty.

There are times I wonder why I am still in rescue.  It is emotionally draining, time consuming and frequently leads to tears.  Then I look at Bindi.  Very few groups would have spent well over a thousand dollars to save a kitten barely two months old.  She could have easily died in that animal control facility never knowing what it is like to have a safe home with a loving family.  No one would know that she is a nosy kitty frequently found holding the blinds aside so she can watch the neighborhood.  She never would have learned how to give hugs.  I look at her and realize that this is a very special group and that every animal deserves a chance.  It doesn't matter how bad off they seem, if they still have fight left in them, we should give them that chance to fight.  It kills me to think of how many animals like Bindi die every day.  She makes me realize that we have to keep fighting.      -Submitted by Alisa Polk