I am sitting at my desk, completely overwhelmed at what just occurred. It is 3:13 a.m. right now. I was woken up by a kitty crying pitifully right under my bedroom window. I did not recognize the crier. Hastily, I got dressed, grabbed my flashlight and headed out the door.

I found her lying underneath a tree. It was Gadget! She started to get up to run away (this kitty is full-feral) but she couldn’t. When she vanished on Weds after the storm, I pulled out several cat carriers and placed them around the property. I do that when a feral cat vanishes, just in case when or if they return injured (which has been the case too many times in the past) I can get them to safety quickly.

She is walking wonky. She is walking on eggshells, that would be the only way I could describe it. She walks slowly, she is slung low to the ground, and she is high stepping her front legs in front of her (somewhat like a parade horse does) her rear legs seem to wobble, but she can move her legs. Nothing appears broken.

I started talking to her quietly, telling her that I had been extremely worried about her leaving. She has never once gone missing from here. I could see that she wanted to flee, but she didn’t have it in her. Taking a chance, I bent down lower to the ground (to remove the threat of a bigger predator). I gently touched her head and she let me pet her! Although this thrilled me, on the other hand it deeply concerned me. She would never under normal circumstances allow this to happen. She would have shredded my hand- when I say she is full-feral, I mean full-feral. I have never even been able to flea-treat her with topical- so I feed all the ferals diathermanous earth crystals food grade in their meals..

I gently stroked her back. She did resist, growl, hiss, swat or attack. My concern growing, I finally just gently scruffed her, lifting her up, supporting her rear gently. I walked with her around the corner into a waiting carrier. Instead of going ballistic after I shut the top of the carrier, she went flat.I quickly brought her into the house and put her near the heater. I knew that watching her before I captured her, she couldn’t sit on her rear in a normal way. She would not be comfortable inside of my cat carrier until Monday when I could drop her off at the vet’s office.

I put together a small cage for her. She is now in my mudroom, the heater is on, she is laying on a bed of blankets and she has food, water and litterpan. I have been in there a few times checking on her, put flea treatment on her and tried to find any  type of injury. She is eating- I had to force feed her first. I think she is worn out from running away from the storm and has somehow sustained an internal injury.The wind was howling on Weds and debris was flying. I do not think she was hit by a car, all her claws are intact and she has no road rash.

I am still stunned that she has allowed me several opportunities to pick her up and gently explore her body. She is making no resistance at all..She has stopped crying and is quietly laying in the cage on her side.I have covered the cage with a dark blanket, and other than checking in on her from time-to-time, I will leave her be. I hope come Monday, she will allow me to put her once again into my top-loading carrier so I can get her to a vet.

For her to do this complete reversal of her behavior for me, means one thing. Whatever has happened to her in her absence, it had to be quite substantial. However, she is eating and drinking and using the litterpan, so these are all good signs. So, we will see what happens come Monday.