Keep your cats APART !!!

Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 16:06:12, -0500 Subject: Billy-Bob, our bobcat

I am completely exhausted but am forcing myself to write this. Yesterday morning I was sound asleep and I woke up to the sound of a screaming cat outside in the distance. I cracked a window and sure enough it was one of mine. I stumbled outside and ran to the cats. Constant screaming. Everything flashed through my mind. Maybe Apache (our cougar) had somehow gotten Billy and was killing him. Maybe somehow a feral cat had gotten inside the cages. Maybe Apache had his sore foot caught somewhere. As I ran into the area, there was Apache and Billy at the top of their adjoining fence on either side (about one foot from the top). Apache had Billy's foot in his mouth and was doing everything he could to tear it off. Billy was beside himself biting the fence and his leg, practically spinning around in his own skin. I didn't think twice because I knew Apache was focused on what he was doing and not concerned with me, so I ran right in with him and wrapped my arms around him to try to pull him off or cuddle him and distract him. He had a death grip on his side like a pit bull. I stuck my hands in his mouth physically trying to pry open his jaws. I could hear the bones in Billy's leg cracking and popping. I finally just left them and ran to the shed for the Hot Shot cattle prod. One zap and Apache flew off and Billy fell to the ground. It seemed like an eternity, but probably only lasted about two minutes.

Thank goodness that I was able to track down Dr. Sheriff in about 5 minutes at the gym and he ran for tranquilizers and was here in 20 minutes. One volunteer (a Moorpark graduate named Laura) called into her job and came soon after. The three of us had to go to battle with poor Billy to get the injection into him. He was completely in shock and flying around the cage screaming at everyone. We had to man handle him which broke my heart as crippled as he was, but bobcats are not to be reckoned with. There was no way to drive him to a certain area up against the fence or into a crate. Instead of fleeing, typical of a bobcat, he'd spin and fight face on and even come at us. About an hour and a half we got him sedated and rushed for x-rays. He broke his leg, had a few lacerations which we stitched up, and broke one of his canine teeth off biting the fence. We had to chisel the entire tooth out and extract it, luckily not breaking his jaw. Had to cut his gum line up quite a ways to do it and stitched that up as well. (I must add that he is a rescue cat and that the owner, at the advice of the breeder, had his canines filed and capped. He's had dental problems for years and these teeth are dead, I'm sure that is why is broke off.) Then we had to decide what to do with the leg. Either set and cast it, or pin it. We chose to cut it open and wire it together. I think it will be strong enough that he now will not need a cast and the wire will stay in him. We took post-xrays and the bone was set well.

I could not put him back into his old enclosure because it has many levels and trees. So we stripped down another cage so that he has nothing to jump on. Except for one denbox and we put a tree trunk up to it as a ramp that he will hopefully use. We moved all of his paraphernalia over, including his sleeping den "dogloo" to make him comfortable as possible. He woke up well and is eating and hobbling around now. He is traumatized, growling and threatening everything that moves within his sight--except for Conner-dog (his buddy, my rottweiler). I even put Conner in with him this morning for about an hour supervised. Conner was just as relieved to make sure his little Billy was okay, he had gone ballistic when we were trying to capture him yesterday. Conner nuzzled him and Billy got up to hobble around and bark and follow the dog. He even gave him several headbutts and rolled over to play (which I didn't let Conner do).

We have wire mesh (hardware cloth) on this adjoining fence to prevent this from having happened. However, there was none at the very top. I have *no* idea how or why Billy got up there. He can't really scale the fence due to the mesh. But must have leapt directly onto it seven feet up. There's nothing to climb on at that spot. And unfortunately Apache was there at the time. Needless to say, we are putting the mesh now all the way to the ceiling. :(

It would be so nice if nothing tragic would happen for a week or so. Between Apache's leg, Jericho getting shot, Billy's attack, this fundraiser, I think I'm going to have a nervous breakdown... And I have cheetah enclosures to build. Ugh.

Date: Fri, 23 May 1997 16:18:24, -0500 Subject: Billy update

Billy's appetite has stayed good and he ate his dinner (with his antibiotics) the night of the accident. He still is angry with all human beings, but did greet me for a moment once, but quickly began to growl. He needs some time, but I think he'll come around soon. Conner-dog is still his best friend.

Someone asked how Apache treats me following using the Hot Shot on him. Two seconds after he was zapped, he was right by the cage door (which I quickly retreated to) purring and wanting to be petted. With a blank look of not even knowing that anything traumatic had happened. That's a cougar for you. Although, he does seriously want to eat Billy-Bob now. It's almost as if he had a taste and now he wants to kill him. They were buddies through the fence previously, however, I always knew that Apache would attack if given the opportunity. Now it's different, Apache hunts Billy through the fence, stalking and rushing the fence while watching him in the new enclosure. Billy is not fazed and ignores him.

So, basically, all is as well as it can be for now. It could have been so much worse. Thank you everyone for your support.

Date: Fri, 6 Jun 1997 01:24:54, -0500 Subject: Billy-Bob update

Billy is an incredible cat. He's been through so much in his five little bobcat years. He was only out of sorts for a couple of days after surgery for the broken leg and tooth extraction. It's been two weeks and he's back to his normal feisty self and wrestling with Conner-dog. He's still in his quarantine cage that limits his activity and has nothing to climb on, so he gets some play time with Conner every day. I think he'd like to kill Apache though... :( He gets to go to his old cage with platforms and trees (which he sorely misses and stares at longingly) in another week. He got a pig's ear to chew on today and loved it.

BTW: At the Small Felid Workshop they handed out honeysuckle wood chunks for enrichment. Billy goes nuts for this thing, drooling and rubbing and rolling, even with his broken, zippered, shaven (except the foot), poodle leg.