Special shoutout

You know those calls you receive every so often that wind up changing your whole day? I received one of those a few weeks back, the Sunday following the Fourth of July.

It was around noon, and I was just doing some tidying up following a long weekend when my mom, Maria, called. Almost immediately my heart sank as I learned she was in the midst of a sad situation that we’ve encountered before. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it usually ends in a distinct form of heartbreak.

She told me she stumbled upon an injured cat laying on a woodpile on my grandma’s porch. They put him in a spare dog crate and saw he had a huge, festering abscess on his face. It was a feral cat that my grandma would see every so often, but he would never let anyone get close to him until then, which confirmed he was in real bad shape.

To make matters worse, since it was Sunday, all the veterinarian offices around town were closed so it was decided that an impromptu trip to Albuquerque was in order as that was the closest place an emergency vet could be found.

My mom said they needed a cat carrier, so I stopped by my grandma’s to bring one. When I rolled up, I was greeted by my misty-eyed mom and the black and white cat, who she already named ‘Captain Hook.’ He was very weak and barely even reacted when we picked him up and placed him in the cat carrier.

It’s an awful, heavy feeling that weighs down your whole soul being in the midst of another being’s suffering and being powerless in the moment to help. Wanting to help my mom bear some of that weight, I offered to accompany her but she insisted I stay as my cousin was already going with her and they would keep me updated.

After being turned away from one animal hospital because the cat was feral, they eventually found a place that would see him. Hours of anxiously awaiting confirmed the reality of the situation — he was septic and dying.

Thankfully, the vet was at least able to give him a peaceful end, which they did not charge my mom anything for. Shout out to Thrive Pet Healthcare Specialists for their compassion. They said his ashes would be spread alongside other animals without owners in the Sandia Mountains.

I was only around this cat for a few minutes and was messed up after. I feel for my mom, knowing the emotional toll it must have taken; however, where there is grief there is love. We take comfort in the fact that this feral cat, who probably was never shown any kind of human affection prior, was relieved of his suffering and didn’t have to die alone in the sweltering heat.

He probably was pet for the first time in his life that day, and was surrounded by people who, despite never interacting with this cat before, cared deeply for him.

This is not the first time something like this has happened, unfortunately. I have plenty more stories of my parents stepping up and not turning a blind eye to those in need, knowing it will be hard on them, all while expecting nothing in return.

For example, in 2021 my stepdad, Forrest, had his own encounter at an emergency vet office in Albuquerque that I believe really exemplified his character.

Our dog, Oreo, had to be rushed up there following an episode of extreme vertigo. While in the waiting area, two distraught teenage girls came in with a cat they saw get hit by a car. The girls were prepared to take on the financial responsibility for the cat’s care, but since they were both under 18 they were not allowed to.

I remember Forrest saying their kindness inspired him, so there was no way he was going to let their compassion go to waste, and knowing time was of the essence, he stepped up and agreed to take on the hefty financial responsibility for the cat so it could be seen.

In a turn of events, the owner of the cat was found.

“I wish Larry (the cat) had a happy ending, but when I left there was a decision that had to be made, and since the owner had been found, it was no longer mine to make,” Forrest wrote. “But because of two great people, Larry was comfortable and was able to be by his human’s side. There’s still plenty of great people in this world and they are probably closer than you think.”

Closer than you think indeed. I’m grateful to have been raised by parents who instilled in my sister and I the importance of helping those who are hurting and stepping up to do the right thing, even if it’s difficult.

With all that being said, in a world where apathy is abundant, and the bystander effect is in bloom, I want to give a special shoutout to my parents, Forrest and Maria, for demonstrating time and time again that you can’t just assume someone else will help. You are someone.