south carolina rescue - february - 2024

SOUTH CAROLINA RESCUE
                                                         
A Tale of Two Socks
We received a plea for help from one of our foster parents.  An elderly, neutered community cat, who had been cared for by the entire neighborhood for 22 years, had succumbed to the frailty of old age and was helped across the rainbow bridge. His territory, which he had held for those 22 years, was now up for grabs by other un-neutered male cats, who were fighting, and injuring each other.  One of those cats, Socks, was known to the foster parents and they asked us for help to trap, treat wounds, test, vaccinate and neuter.
Game on!  We supplied the trap, bait (sardines and tuna), tutorial in how to set up and disguised the trap, and then waited to hear from our fosters.  That very night, we got an elated call.  The caller said, “We got him! We caught Socks!”
Our veterinary clinic had already been apprised of our plan, and they were completely on board.  So, when we notified them of a successful trapping, we were able to get him in right away.  As it turned out, Socks was not a feral boy, but a very mature one.  Staff were able to handle him with no issue.  He was tested for Feline Immunodeficiency and Leukemia Virus, and tested negative.  He was fully vaccinated, neutered, his wounds cleaned and treated, and flea and parasite treatment was applied.  The Fosterer was able to set him up in their heated garage, in a super large kennel to allow him to heal, prior to releasing him back to his territory.  He is welcome in their garage at any time to eat, and get out of the weather, but Socks was not a cat to be confined.
He absolutely trashed his kennel every day during his recovery period, earning him the nickname “Frat Boy,” and they kept him in an extra day as very bad weather was expected in the Carolinas (torrential rain with flooding, high winds and tornado warnings).
Freedom Day arrived at last!  The foster parents walked outside, just to check that all conditions were clear, prior to releasing him and Socks was sitting outside.  One fosterer said to the other: “did you already let him out?”  Receiving a “no,” both fosterers walked back into the garage, and discovered that Socks was in the kennel.
Two identical adult male cats, likely sire and offspring.  Game on!
Socks, the junior, henceforth to be known as “Ankle Socks,” was easily rounded up and sent for the same spa day as Socks the senior, now known as “Sweat Socks.”  Both boys have joined the I Can’t Make Babies Club, and will be able to access the garage for food and warmth.  They will also be more inclined to lay in the sun daydreaming, rather than fighting.  The finders have agreed to care for both boys, and make sure their flea and tick preventative gets applied once a month when they show up on their rounds.