Saturday around 4:30 pm a new acquaintance, upon learning of the work of Hyde Park Cats said "I passed a carrier with a cat in it, near the grocery, with a 'free cat' sign on it." The two volunteers to whom this was said, who happened to be in the middle of an Indian-food cooking lesson, immediately drove to the grocery store. Two other volunteers had already come upon this cat, completely by chance. By this time the cat had been in the carrier, outside, for at least a couple hours.
Yes, that is correct. Right here in our neighborhood a cat had been abandoned in a carrier on a street corner, with no food or water, available to any dogfighter, drug addict, hoarder, etc. FREE CAT the sign said, with a phone number.
FREE CAT. Cowering in carrier, standing in his own pee.
Unbelievably, FREE CAT's "owner" answered the phone number left on the sign taped to the carrier. He even came over to meet us, apparently having dropped his child off at a playdate, to tell us that the cat is nine years old and the family is moving. Nine-year-old FREE CAT sat forlornly in the carrier without a meow. Former owner, who is a fully employed academic, seemed to think abandoning the cat like this was a good solution to his problem. He asked us if we'd prefer it had he brought the cat to a shelter where he might be humanely euthanized.
(Why yes! we would indeed prefer that!) He also said "if you're going to scold me, maybe I won't give him to you."
The cat carrier was quickly stowed inside my car and driven to a safe location. He didn't ask to say goodbye.
Harper (the name of the street he was abandoned on) is a ginger-champagne male. He has lived with a feline companion. He is now in a calm and loving fosterhome and so far is quiet and submissive; no aggression even in a scary situation. He enjoys catnip and brushing. And petting. He is a good boy. We are seeking a loving
forever home for this valiant gentleman.
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