I’ve created a feline monster.
Katy the rescue cat has become accustomed to getting treats. For most of the time I’ve owned her, Katy has eaten only prescribed cat food, which I sprinkle with a combination of four medications.
As diets go, it’s pretty bland.
I feed treats to the colony of feral cats in the News Journal alley. Since Katy’s on a strict diet, I have avoided giving her anything else.
Like any good pet, though, Katy deserves to be pampered. I have been sneaking her a handful of Temptations or Friskies treats for the past few weeks.
I give her a handful in the morning ahead of her meal and a second handful in the evening.
Katy is delighted by the new schedule, so much so that she all but ignores it. She knows where I keep the treats and perches atop that cabinet multiple times a day, staring at me until I comply.
I don’t think she has any further use for me, but it’s worth it to see her joy.
Katy has an incredibly sensitive stomach and bowels. Her stool is loose almost every single day, but she always goes in the litterbox. So far, the treats haven’t affected her.
More: Katy the cat’s origin story as told by people who were there
Katy the cat was lucky to survive being tortured
I will never know if the problems are connected to her torture six years ago. When she was only a year old, around the Fourth of July in 2018, someone put a firecracker in Katy’s rectum and ignited it, causing catastrophic injuries.
More: Cat tortured with fireworks released from veterinary hospital
For those not familiar with her story, Katy was lucky to survive. Her tail was amputated, and her story went viral.
People.com picked up on her plight, which the News Journal chronicled in a series of stories. There was a reward offered. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals contributed $10,000.
It was a big deal.
Unfortunately, the culprit was never caught.
Phillips Animal Hospital estimates that Katy was born July 4, 2017. I refuse to recognize that day because of the fireworks connotation, so we celebrate her birthday July 5.
Katy is no longer a kitten. The first year of a cat’s life is equal to 15 human years, while the second year is equal to an additional nine years. After the second year of a cat’s life, each additional year is equal to about four human years.
That would make Katy a middle-aged lady of 44.
We’ve settled into a routine, leading a very quiet life filled with naps. Katy has several quirks that make her fun to have around.
She loves to go under the kitchen sink, often meowing at me to open the cabinet door. The bathroom closet provides endless entertainment for some reason.
Katy knows when I’m leaving for work. Sometimes, she attacks my leg before I head out the door. I don’t know if she’s simply playing, or if she doesn’t want me to leave. I’m hoping for the latter.
In any event, happy birthday, my sweet.
Goodbye to a friend
Katy and I recently had to say goodbye to an old friend. Dr. Andrew Scherrer was the veterinarian who performed the life-saving surgery on my cat.
He left Phillips Animal Hospital a couple weeks ago. On his final day, I surprised him with a visit from his most famous patient.
Scherrer became emotional as he held Katy. He pointed out she was his first major case at Phillips Animal Hospital.
He also told me he was happy Katy has me.
So am I.
2023: Katy the cat rallies from the brink of death
mcaudill@gannett.com
419-521-7219
X: @MarkCau32059251
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Mansfield Ohio’s Katy the cat turns 7