Big O has a caretaker!

This is Big O. I don't think I've blogged on him before. Nancy rescued him from her yard in the town of Ulysses, because he was beating up her cats. She (and I) assumed he was just another unneutered male who needed a little surgery to lighten him up, but once he got to the vet, they could handle him on the table (he wasn't aggressive) and he was neutered and ear notched. (Oh, yes, I did blog on him, didn't I?)

Well, Nancy put up posters and spread the word. One of the people she spread the word to spoke to another person, and the report of Big O's blue eyes got to his caretaker in Trumansburg. It seems while she was away, her landlord took it upon himself to trap and "relocate" outdoor cats on his property. The person taking care of her cats accidentally let Big O out, and he was trapped and taken to a property near Nancy. Trying to find his way home, he ended up at Nancy's house.

Lucky for him, she didn't just drive him off or ignore him like many people might have. Big O, whose real name is Stuart Little, is going home. Apparently he's one of the semi-ferals who snuggles in bed with his caretaker when she's helpless under covers, but plays keep-away when you try to touch him during the day. My little Norma cat is like that.

Oddly enough, I actually know his caretaker. She has been here for one of our "crazy cat lady" potlucks that I used to hold. And (more stupidly of me!) she even has a poster up at my vet. Stuart's picture wasn't on it, but the other cats she is looking for were. I would have felt silly as heck if he were pictured on it, because I've looked at that poster any number of times.

(Post note. Stewy's picture WAS on the poster, but his photo erroneously had "found" written across it so I didn't look at it. Argh!)

So Stuart is going home! Nancy and I are thrilled, because we really had no idea what to do with him. It seemed clear he was a "pet" cat by the condition of his fur and the fact that he was skinny along his spine and ribs. He also is very affectionate with me, although very skittish and scared of strangers. Putting him in a barn seemed wrong somehow, but I've got no room for a new cat in my cat room...especially one who might be aggressive with other cats. Nancy was going to take him back to foster, to see how he did in a smaller room, but I was pretty certain if he went to her house, she'd be stuck with another pet cat, since adopting him out would be difficult, but he's far too charming to resist.

So Stuart's tale ends safely. He's a lucky cat.