Happy Anniversary Sealy!

By Elisa Black-Taylor

This past weekend we celebrated Sealy’s one year rescue anniversary. He and 250 online friends joined us for a day of catnip and treats. It’s hard to believe he’s been with us a year now. It’s even more difficult to believe he’s lived through everything he has to become the sweet, affectionate cat he is today(when he wants to be!).

Sealy was rescued on February 24, 2012 from the euthanasia list for the shelter in Greenville, SC. He was listed as having a large gash in his head caused by a fan blade injury. Sealy had a friend named Tank with him at the time of the accident, but unfortunately Tank died at the shelter from complications.

Sealy 2013
Two useful tags. Click either to see the articles: Toxic to cats | Dangers to cats

Sealy 2013. Collage by Elisa.

I can still remember the frightened little kitty we brought home that day. He moved slowly and rarely took his eyes off of us those first few months. Unless he was eating… Sealy is very well known these days for his appetite.

Useful links
Anxiety - reduce it
FULL Maine Coon guide - lots of pages
Children and cats - important

Sealy underwent two operations to close the large gash in his head after treatment failed. We’d tried everything from antibiotics to herbal remedies to bandaging his paws so his claws wouldn’t scratch his injury. Unfortunately the surgery also was a failure. What DID eventually heal Sealy was a product recommended by diabetic cat expert Megan Hamilton called Buck Mountain Wound Balm. This product is around $30 a jar, but it worked what I’d call a miracle.

Sealy has exceeded every expectation we had for him. He turned into a lap cat after seven months of laying either in his healing cage or on the couch. It was a real surprise the first time he walked across the couch and plopped down in my lap for a nap. Sealy also learned to play in late November. He loves to lay on his back and use his paws to bat at our fingers. I’d never EVER dreamed he’d be the type of cat to play.

Sealy has a lot of supporters keeping up with his life as a spoiled cat. Both on PoC and on Facebook. I’ve written quite a few stories about him and he continues to amaze those who follow him. In the beginning, everyone wanted to know what happened to his head. People who didn’t know his story thought he was a victim of animal cruelty. They couldn’t believe he’d survived a car fan blade accident because most cats are killed in this type of accident.

Then we were turned into animal control by PETA for having a severely injured cat. It’s still difficult to grasp that someone wanted Sealy dead for being an injured cat. Sealy was our bright spot in the nightmare that was 2012. Not only did Sealy have to endure the investigation, but we also had a house fire where we sustained a lot of smoke damage. It wasn’t a good year for us.

Sealy first held everyone’s interest as they watched his head wound heal. Then as he learned to play and be a lap cat. Lately the interest has been in the new outfits Sealy tends to sport in most of his photos. We discovered Sealys love of clothes by accident. It was cold one night and Laura put one of Cujo’s (our cat-dog) outfits on Sealy. We watched in shock as he curled up, went to sleep, and missed his late night feeding. We don’t know for certain he’s cold. We only know he sleeps much deeper and longer in his little outfits. Now his online friends tend to check in to see what he’s wearing.

I hope the past year has shown cat lover’s how much love can accomplish. And in how much spirit and determination an injured cat has. People tell us that we saved Sealy. Sealy saved himself. He never gave up, never stopped eating and drinking.

His personality is a bit strange, part of which I imagine is from the brain damage the vet believes he suffered at the time of the accident. Sealy doesn’t come when we say his name. In fact, he usually just walks on by us. He won’t look at us when we pick him up and look into his eyes. He doesn’t meow unless he wants out of a room or he’s hunting someone. He has a very loud meow when he wants to show off. Sealy does show his love on his own terms. At night he’ll go into Laura’s room and jump on her shoulder. This is Sealy telling Laura to lift her covers and he get’s under them to sleep where it’s the warmest. He also has to check out the food we eat to see if anything is worth his time to eat.

Sealy has also made friends with several of our cats. His best friend is our little Cujo. They sleep together more often than not. We, as well as Sealy’s vet, believe Sealy is much older than the two years the shelter had on his paperwork. He continues to grow in more white hair on his face, and he sleeps more these days. In the beginning, he either was in pain or not comfortable enough to sleep as deeply as he does now. When Laura gets up for the day, Sealy runs between her and his feeding cage until his food is put down for him.

We continue to spread the word about car fan blade dangers and cats. And Sealy reluctantly poses for photos several times a week. His cage days are over, except he prefers his meals in there. It’s nice to report he even HAD a first anniversary in his forever home. We’re very fortunate to have him with us. Sealy has taught us that with love anything is possible.

Thank you all for supporting us and for supporting Sealy.

Elisa

Useful tag. Click to see the articles: Cat behavior

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Michael Broad

Hi, I'm a 74-year-old retired solicitor (attorney in the US). Before qualifying I worked in many jobs including professional photography. I love nature, cats and all animals. I am concerned about their welfare. If you want to read more click here.

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16 Responses

  1. Robin Shane says:

    Happy Anniversary, Sealy! Bless you, Elisa, for rescuing him! This is a very touching story! I am happy to pray for Sealy and follow him on facebook! Blessings to all of you! Robin Shane

  2. A miraculous “Happy Anniversary” to Sealy.

  3. N says:

    Happy Anniversary Sealy, and may you have many more! 🙂 I am so glad that you’ve found a family with such loving, caring humans. You are so adorable *hugs*

  4. Marc says:

    Happy anniversary Sealy – your story is wonderful and inspiring, but most of all you just sound like a sweet cat to spend time with and that means your mama is lucky that you made it. Plus you have a great name 🙂 – what an adventure it has been for you, the good news is it’s calmed down and things won’t be so ‘adventurous’ anymore. Seems like you finally have a a healthy life again and your own home.

  5. Carey Zuchowski says:

    I have been following Sealy for a while now, and i have just loved watching him heal and becoming the wonderful, handsome fellow that he is! Happy Anniversary Sealy! You are loved by soo many!!!

  6. Miss Tori, PUCK! and Marina says:

    a most lovely anniversary to you, Sealy!~
    kittykisses*

  7. Brenda Bahorik says:

    Happy Anniversary Sealy, Elisa, and Laura! Sealy you have made pawprints on not only your Mama’s and Sister’s hearts, but ours as well. You are an amazing cat! Love and purrz, Brenda. P.S. Let me know when you need more nip! I have a garden full of top quality, organic stuff; frozen right now, but it won’t be long until it starts to grow!

  8. Doris says:

    sealy ive been following your story and it is amazing what strength you have to go through everything.you and your family are so blessed happy 1st.anniversary and many more to come..

  9. Rose says:

    Happy anniversary Sealy from me and my gang

  10. Ruth (Monty's Mom) says:

    How could anyone not be a huge fan of Sealy. His is the feel good story of the decade– now that everything turned out all right. Just reading about all you went through with PETA and the fire stressed me out!
    Sealy looks like Monty in pictures, but they are quite different. I can’t believe Monty’s old sweater was too big on Sealy. There is no way Monty would ever squeeze into it again. I like your description that Sealy seems like a little old man. I think you may be right and he is a cat who had a very hard life fending for himself, at least for awhile. Since most feral cats only live one to three years, it stands to reason he had a home and family for at least part of his life. If only he could talk. But maybe his story would be too sad to bear hearing about it. Better to just know he is a cat with a happy ending to his story. I love that he climbs under the covers with Laura. Our cats did that when we were kids because our house was so cold. Sealy might have brain damage, but he’s smart enough to know the warmest sleeping place. My guess is he likes the clothes because he is cold. That could be due to age, but maybe the part of his brain that regulates body temperature was affected by the accident, so that he has trouble keeping warm.

    • Elisa says:

      That could be it Ruth. I never thought of his internal thermostat being out of whack. The house isn’t cold to us or the other cats. Sealy is the only one that appears cold and I think we were lucky to understand his need for comfy pajamas. At least he’s smart enough to get under the covers at night.

  11. Hannele says:

    Happy Anniversary Sealy! You are a one fortunate cat! Lots of love and happiness from Finland! *hugs*

  12. Ruth aka Kattaddorra says:

    Happy Anniversary Sealy and many more to come, with lots of love from your Auntie in England and cousins Walter and Jozef too.
    xxx

  13. I attended the event and I really enjoyed all the crazy pix of cat-nipped kitties! So grateful for you Elise. You’re desire to work so hard to save just one life is inspirational. I mean that. Give Sealy and Furby headbumps and kisses from me!

    • Elisa says:

      We had a lot of fun doing it. I’m making a scrapbook up to post on the party page so I extended the event. Theres an album on Sealys Facebook page with all of the party pics. As for Furby he’s still meowing at himself in the ceiling mirror in the living room. And with the soft blanky in the cages Sealy has also abandoned us for a cozy bed. Ah…life with finicky cats…

  14. Sandy says:

    Happy Anniversary Sweet Sealy!

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