Posted on 08/22/2006 5:55:06 PM PDT by Shermy
A lucky feline may have eight lives left but he lost his nose and his tail during a recent run-in with lightning, according to a Salida couple.
Rod and Cheri Schleicher told the Mountain Mail that 6-year-old Hamlin was struck by lightning or some other electrical source about six weeks ago.
On the night of the accident, the couple noticed that their orange tabby was wheezing a lot, and saw that his nose was swollen and discolored. Cheri Schleicher said she simply thought Hamlin ran into something but when he didn't eat for a couple of days, they took him to the vet.
"(Our vet) suspected Hamlin had been struck by lightning, but his whiskers weren't burned and he couldn't find any damage to (the cat's) limbs," she told the newspaper.
Then a couple of days later, Schleicher was petting him in her lap when she noticed that his tail, leg and paw were cold to the touch.
"Apparently, it takes time for damaged nerves to die after animals are struck by lightning," Schleicher said. "Dr. (Kit) Ryff said he had seen something similar to this in larger animals, but never an animal this small."
Hamlin's nose fell off and his tail, back left leg and a portion of his front left paw had to be amputated.
Without a nose, Hamlin is at risk for possible infections, and may have to be put down, his vet said. But Schleicher said her cat is doing fine and recovering well -- eating a lot and learning to walk on three legs.
Hamlin will never be able to be outdoors again but he should live a normal life, she said.
Schleicher said the cat is lucky in more ways than one. Hamlin was found abandoned along with another cat they rescued, who eventually died of leukemia.
"Hamlin shouldn't be alive, but he is and there must be some reason. So as long as he is healthy, we'll take care of him," Schleicher said.
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Sometimes the kitty gets the zot; sometimes the zot gets the kitty.
Ahhhhhhhh!!!
The Poor thing!!
Is it odd that my son was listening to "The Cat Came Back" when I saw this article?
Good Lord!
It should take up smoking.
Huh? Walking dead and just didn't know it? I realize llamas aren't the brightest creatures, but what's that mean?
Maybe it can learn to write, too.
lol
Hope you prevented it from registering itself Democrat in the meantime.
Looks like Michael Jackson's cat now.
Forgive me for another not-so-nice ping, this one is really disturbing!
Poor kitty! Maybe, there is plastic surgery for him?
I pray he makes it. Bless the owners for sticking with him.
It's disturbing, but the poor baby's alive and going to stay that way. It could have been a lot worse.
Not be cliche, but...
That's gotta hurt!
Holy crap! How did the vet explain the "walking dead" part?
I had a pygmy goat killed by lightning late one night. Knowing the coming day would be a scorcher, I stayed up til first light to bury him. He had been flash-fried in the standing position, though he fell over afterwards. (Sorry for the gross visual.) I had to wrap him in plastic and weigh down the legs with bricks. (Again, so sorry for the visual.) Lightning is a funny thing. Part of the same charge ran up into the house. Lightbulbs on the same circuit popped, except for the ones already turned on.
I hope this kitty makes it OK with his missing nose.
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