One day we found Ditto, the least domesticated of the five original cats, lying at our front door. This was a phenomena, because we had as yet been unable to get near him. He hung back at feeding time, and ate only when we disappeared from his view. Never had we gotten close enough to actually touch him. Yet, here he was, lying at our door, looking at us with pathetic, sad eyes.
As we approached Ditto to see what was going on...he skittered away. It was immediately obvious that he had come to us for help. His back leg was hanging loose and at an odd angle. This little critter was in pain! We discussed the situation and agreed that the least we should do is have him examined and weigh the options. Good plan! Now all we had to do was catch him. After several disastrous and unsuccessful attempts, we got a fish net on a long pole and captured the poor guy.
Jim called from the Veterinarian's office to ask how much, monetarily, I thought the cat was worth. I gave him a figure, but we had already exceeded that amount. In the end, a decision was made to try to salvage the leg and give the animal another chance at life.
Several days later, Ditto came home with a repaired and "pinned" leg. To better feed and care for him, we kept the patient in a crate outside the door. On about the third day, Jim went to open the cage to medicate the little guy. The ungrateful wretch bit him in the hand and made a run for it!
Once he was free, you can bet the "scairdy cat" did not come close to the house for several weeks, though we could watch him come in to the feeder at night when he thought he was safe.
Now, several years after the traumatic events, whenever the cats are having breakfast, Jim will smile and say: " I still think it was worth it. Just to watch Ditto run free and climb trees makes me glad we had his leg repaired." (He thinks I haven't heard him call the silly feline Thousand Dollars every chance he gets!)
Sadly, the mortality rate for the feathered creatures was not so optimistic.
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