Happy Tails: Claudia
Sunday, February 10, 2008
By: Siri Espy

Claudia the Courageous

Rarely has a cat arrived at Animal Friends with such a range of needs as Claudia. Her front leg, caught in a trap, was mangled beyond repair and required amputation. She soon gave birth to two kittens. And beyond her physical issues, this beautiful one year-old cream and blue tortie appeared to be feral; she was terrified and threatened when approached by humans.  It was clear that Claudia would be a challenge.

Placed in a foster home with an Animal Friends volunteer, Claudia and her kittens had a safe haven and daily doses of love and attention.  Claudia proved to be a caring mom, who was very protective of her babies and made it quite clear that she did not want to be touched.  She would growl, hiss, spit and swat when someone approached her. In time, she would allow only a minute’s petting before becoming fearful and forcefully rejecting contact. “She was not abused by people, but rather lived a life devoid of them,” her foster mom reported. 

Her physical wounds healed and kittens weaned, Claudia came back to Animal Friends.  Her adorable youngsters, who responded to the affection of the foster home, were quickly adopted, but she was still not ready to join a family. Staff and volunteers who ventured into her space were greeted by warning hisses and snarls. Not to be discouraged, many people worked with Claudia, tempting her with toys and treats. In time, she began to emerge as a playful youngster, going after dangling feathers and laser lights but still wary of the people on the other end. 

A group of volunteers dedicated hours to working with Claudia, sharing moments of triumph along the way.  In time, she stopped hissing when approached, then allowed a pet or two. Soon Claudia was willing to be picked up and taken to the playroom, where she learned to hop and jump with one less leg but no less spirit.  By the end of her stay, Claudia enjoyed being held and cuddled, a triumph of love against the odds with an injured feral cat. Claudia’s rehabilitation was truly a team effort, from the medical care that saved her life, to the foster home that allowed her to heal, and the attention and encouragement of Animal Friends’ staff and volunteers that prepared her to be a valued member of a loving home.

Claudia’s Animal Friends saga came to an end seven months after she arrived in foster care, when she was adopted by a caring woman as a companion to her 18-year-old cat, following the passing of two other elderly felines. 

“She’s such a joy,” says Claudia’s adoptive mom. “She doesn’t even know she’s disabled,” jumping and running around the house with abandon.  She spends her days on the couch bird-watching, and sometimes playfully annoying her tolerant older friend with her kittenish ways.  She settles down near her owner in the evenings and sleeps with her in her bed, cuddled up and warm, enjoying a loving new beginning so far away from the cruel trap that could have ended her life.