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This is what Gabriel looked like before he disappeared for 3 weeks in
freezing cold January. To see pictures, scroll down to bottom and then
read "upwards", so to speak.
Monday evening 8 January 2007 Gabriel went out into the garden
to have his usual pee on his personal bush in the garden. He never made
it back on his own.
Gabriel had been seriously ill since spring and summer 2006.
He suffers from a disease called glomerulonephritis. Late summer 2006
he also developed severe inflammation in his pancreas. He had two really
bad attacks, but after that he hasn't seemed so bad. He is tough, our
black babyboy.
Since he got the kidney problem, he has been monitored closely
by the vets. When in normal shape, he has always been allowed to take
his strolls outside as he has pleased; he has a very special relation
to one specific bush in the garden. He doesn't stay out for long, and
anyway he always comes galloping as soon as I call his name. Except for
Monday 8 January. He neither came, nor answered when I called. We searched
day and night, called the police, the vetarinarians in the city, put up
posters, delivered leaflets in mailboxes and talked to the neighbours.
But no one had seen Gabriel.
Finally I told myself I had to try and go on. I had those
dreams every night, where Gabriel came back to me, and it was very painful
to wake up from those dreams. So I wrote on my homepage that Gabriel had
disappeared and probably was dead – and the day after he was found!
It was a young man working in a garage that found him outside
the building, lying close to the wall in the snow. He saw a black cat
that looked almost dead and he had a wonderfully big heart so he called
the nearest veterinarian clinic. And lo and behold! That was the clinic
I use and when he came there with Gabriel, of course they recognised him
immediately and called me.
Gabriel had some bad injuries and was of course very weak.
He had lost more than half his original weight. We think he must have
been in a fight and been chasen away from home so far that he lost his
way.
Thursday 1 Feb Gabriel was finally operated. He is doing
fine! The vets at Fredrikstad Dyrehospital are fantastic. Not only do
they have the expertise, they know how to treat emotional owners too .
. .
Saturday 3 Feb: Gabriel has gained another 100-200 grams,
and weighed about 3.1 kg in the morning. He weighed 2.9 kg when he was
operated Thursday. So it seems he is recovering with an amazing speed?
Thursday 8 Feb: Gabriel weighed close to 3.5 kg today. He
is getting stronger by the minute, it seems. But we still spend a lot
of time in the sofa. Not that I mind, I get to read a lot, and he gets
to sleep a lot. Something he needs to regain his strength. The wound is
mending good, too.
Friday 9 Feb: Early this morning Gabriel managed to lick
his wound in such a manner that two of the stitches broke. With sleepy
eyes we adapted one of Tom's old socks to Gabriel's thigh, and this afternoon
Gabriel was back at the clinic. The vet said to observe the wound during
the weekend and come back Monday morning at 09.15, to see if Gabriel needs
to be re-operated.
Tuesday 13 Feb: Yesterday Gabriel was examined at the clinic.
His wound had healed nicely during the weekend and the vet said he didn't
need to be re-operated. Nor does he need to get more penicillin. All this
is such a relief!
Wednesday 21 Feb: Progress is continuing with great speed.
Gabriel's wound has almost healed completely, it's only a tiny little
"hole" left. Give him a week or two (?) and he will be exactly
as he was before all this happened. The girls are still very supportive
and lie close to him to keep him warm and safe.
He is still a bit thin, compared to what he was, anyway.
Olivia and Dixie (behind) keeping Gabriel company.
Quite the little happy family?
This is the wound 21 Feb. The stitches were removed Friday 16 Feb.
Gabriel has decided he no longer needs Tom's sock to cover his wound.
The wound is dry and healing. Friday 16 Feb, this week, the stitches will
be removed.
SingSang and Olivia are keeping Gabriel company.
Gabriel doesn't exactly like to have an old sock covering his thigh, but
he isn't hysterically against, either.
SingSang and Olivia (behind Gabriel) don't mind an old sock or two. They
like Gabriel any which way . . .
Gabriel eats and eats. You can both see and feel that he is beginning
to get back some flesh on his scrawny body.
But this is how most of his days are spent. He sleeps, I either watch
the telly or read. Sometimes I feel a pang of bad conscience because I
ought to do something more useful. On the other hand, Gabriel has top
priority, and it is rather cosy in the sofa . . .
Gabriel and Dixie have always been close. Gabriel still prefers the lower
shelf on the scratching post.
Gabriel in bed Saturday morning, watching the telly.
Gabriel wanted to sleep close to Olivia, who had the chair on her own
when he came. She did not appreciate being disturbed in her sleep.
Olivia tries to tell Gabriel to sod off, but Gabriel doesn't want to.
But when told to be compassionate and to behave like a good girl, Olivia
realises that she has to give in.
So far, Gabriel does not respond to any attempts from the other cats to
aggress him. He simply waits until they give up, then he curl up beside
them. He is either lying close to another cat body, or lying close to
us. He does not want to be alone.
Annette (left) and Marianne are preparing Gabriel for the operation.
Two of the vets, Ole left and Carsten right, help out with preparations,
while Annette is checking the electronical gear in the background.
It looks terrifying, but is really about safety. Gabriel's pulse, blood
pressure and breathing are monitored, and he gets extra oxygen and fluid
too.
Carsten, who is doing the surgery, is trimming away dead tissue.
Annette is checking on Gabriel while Carsten does his stuff.
Ole is standing by while Carsten operates and Annette keeps a keen eye
on all the monitors.
Almost done. Carsten is stitching Gabriel together again.
And this is the result. In 10-12 days the stitches will be removed, and
Gabriel will hopefully also have gained some weight until then. During
the few days that passed from he was found and until he was operated,
he had gained between 800-900 grams. Most of them due to IV-fluid of course,
since he was extremely dehydrated, but nevertheless. Gabriel is back on
track!
This is where Gabriel had crawled up to the garage door. The snow is gone
now, but when Gabriel was found the ground was covered with snow and ice.
This is Tommy who found Gabriel and took the trouble to deliver him at
the vets clinic. We are forever grateful to this extraordinary kind young
man. So many others wouldn't have cared less about a half dead cat.
This is the garage seen from a distance.
In one way or another, Gabriel must have crossed the bridge to the left.
We seriously doubt that he could have done that on his own.
Gabriel the first night home after three weeks outside in the cold, with
the ground covered with snow and ice. It's a miracle he survived.
He was extremely thin. So weak he could hardly walk. And he became very
upset as soon as I left the room or he didn't have me in sight.
Tom and Gabriel have always had something special between them. Tom has
to carry Gabriel around in his arms for at least 10 minutes every day
when he comes home from work.
Gabriel has always slept in my armpit, but the first night he slept with
his head either on my face, or cheek to cheek.
Gabriel is hardly visible behind Tom's body, but he is there, as usual
when someone decides to have a lie down somewhere. Pic taken Xmas.
At times I'm a bit off colours, as was the case also during Xmas 2006.
Gabriel always keeps me company. You can see him as a black "thing"
under my hand.
Gabriel and Dixie in bed with me. Pic taken before he disappeared.
Typical situation: Gabriel in the midst of everything. And resting on
my arm. Pic taken before he disappeared.
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