Who would win in an encounter between a cat and a porcupine? The unfortunate loser in a recent dust-up was the feline.
Now affectionately known as “Quill,” the cat is on the mend according to Eliska Meadows, Gananoque and District Humane Society shelter administrator
“Once in a while you get the odd dog in the veterinarian’s office with porcupine quills,” Meadows said, “but never a cat.”
More than just a bruised ego, “Quill” is still feeling the effects — sharp, needle-like objects embedded in various parts of your body will do that. Quill is currently resting quietly at the shelter.
“Quill is doing great,” Meadows said. “He’s showing a lot of potential to maybe, possibly be re-homed instead of doing a barn cat home.
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“He’s looking like he may possibly be able to be socialized, so that’s awesome.”
Quill was a stray from the village of Rockport located between Gananoque and Brockville. It was a few days ago that the cat became a little too curious about a porcupine. The injured feline was eventually found and trapped just off the Thousand Islands Parkway by Heather Patterson of the cat rescue group For the Love of Ferals.
“The cage was set up. We put mackerel in the back of it, then we (propped) a bottle in the door and we string the rope from 50 to 100 feet and then we wait,” said Patterson.
“And we knew he was hungry because he hadn’t eaten.”
Meadows says Patterson and her trapping equipment was just what the doctor — or vet — ordered.
“She came in and we caught that cat,” Meadows said. “It was I think 4:30 we laid the trap out and 6:30 that cat was in that trap.”
Meadows says the cat might have received up to 50 quills. Having trapped Quill, Patterson talked about what she saw.
“He had quills directly through the one paw that went in one side and was sticking out the other. He had a quill in the back of his throat,” Patterson said.
“He had quills embedded in his leg that went in with such force — it was unbelievable that you could only see the tip sticking out.”
This story is very much a team effort as a group of people banding together to help save a life.
Patterson passes the praise around.
“It wasn’t only For the Love of Ferals and Gananoque Humane Society, the one who actually got me involved was the Lyndhurst Feral Cat Project’s Stephanie Etherington,” she said.
“So it involved three organizations and numerous people.”
The bottom line: Quill is getting better and the volunteer organizations that helped out could certainly use some financial help of their own.