Luna Is At The Bridge

[Antonio65]

Some days ago I had posted some posters in the neighborhood, 14 posters, in key positions where people coming and going from and to every direction would have seen them.
I didn't mention that Luna was dead, I just wrote that I had news about him and those who knew him should have called me. I thought it was too crude to give the news printed on a poster.
I wrapped them in transparent film becuase the forecasts were bad, but the weathermen were wrong, as always!

Anyway, on an afternoon a woman called me and was happy to read that the cat (that she named Nerino, Italian for Blackie), was safe and sound at someone else's home. This woman lives about 200 metres from me, but I don't know her. She asked how long we had been having him because she hadn't seen him for quite some time, she kept asking if he was fine and was eating, she was worried about him.
She said Nerino(Blackie)/Luna was a feral who stopped at her home a year ago and was lovely and friendly. She kept talking about him and asking questions, and I didn't know how to interrupt her and tell her the sad news, but eventually I did and she was desperate...
She sad she lost him about three weeks ago, exactly the time he had been spending over here. She also confirmed his age, about 2 years. He arrived at her home about 1 year of age, maybe a bit younger.

She wanted to tell me Nerino's story. He was even rehomed sometime in his life, but he fled two weeks later, he wanted to be free. We talked for about 15 minutes. And she thanked me for doing such a special thing like letting others know with some posters.

In the same afternoon I made my round to remove the posters. Three of them were missing, someone with an evil and sick mind didn't want to see them on poles and lamp posts and decided to discard them. Luckily enough the one next to this woman's house was still in place, so that she was able to get the news.

RIP Nerino/Luna, you were loved by two families, you will be missed by two families. How many feral cats can claim such a privilege?

 

[artiemom]

Antonio, you always amaze me ~~~ with your kindness.

At least now the story has come to completion. You have Luna/Nerino's full story.

Luna/Nerino came to you for a reason. He was sent to you. He found love from you..

He was truly a 'free' spirit, who could not be confined. He wanted his freedom' yet, he wanted love. You provided both.

I still say there is a 'kitty underground' where they post kind, caring people. You are at the top of the list.

There was a reason Luna/Nerino found you.... now you have found that reason...

(((hugs))

 

[babiesmom5]

The story of Luna, which touched all our hearts here, has now come full circle.
Antonio, you did the right and responsible thing in posting flyers about town regarding this cat. How many others would have done the same? For sure, not many. No doubt this project took you much time and effort, but you undertook it out of kindness and caring for others, as is your nature. All here would agree you are one in a million.

I often see posters around for lost cats and dogs and wonder if their owners are ever found.
I think it is rare that the owners are actually found, but in this case, due to the number of flyers you posted and the locations, one fortunately being next to the woman's house, was seen.

Despite getting the bad news about Nerino, now the woman can at least be at peace knowing what happened and not forever wondering. I am sure she was very grateful for your going the "extra mile" to locate her. Your efforts were rewarded.

Yes, Nerino/Luna, like many feral cats, was a "free spirit". But he still needed food, warmth and love...which he received from two families. He holds an enviable position in the feral cat world.

I think all here, and especially you and this woman, can now have a sense of closure to this very touching story. Thanks for sharing.

RIP Nerino/Luna. You were loved.

 

[Mia6]

Oh Antonio,

You are such a sweet, caring man.

Hugs,

Mia

 

[Antonio65]

The woman who was taking car of Nerino/Luna texted me yesterday and told me that she is still in pain for the loss of that beautiful and friendly cat. She wrote that she would have liked to know him in a new home rather than dead.
I replied that I was missing him too, and my regret was not having taken him in at the vet sooner to have him neutered. The plan was to take him to the vet the next week. I could have changed his behaviour, I could have changed his life.
The woman wrote back that if my idea was to having him neutered and make him suffer from it, it was better off he died.

She's against neutering. I wasn't able to change her mind, despite the fact that a non-neutered cat risks their life, is exposed to diseases, starvation, bad weather and much more.

Given this situation and mindset, I wonder why Luna didn't come here sooner, why he wasn't sent to me sooner...

 

[Mia6]

Oh, Antonio,

Sometimes things just happens. You did the best you could. He is with Lola now.

Hugs,

Mia

 

[babiesmom5]

In my opinion, this woman is displaying "transference" and "rationalization".

Transference: because she is trying to transfer her guilt for irresponsible actions onto you for your (in her mind) wrong outlook; ie, planning to get the cat neutered.

Rationalization: thinking and telling you that the cat is "better off" dead than neutered. This is an attempt to rationalize her very misguided mindset.

Sadly, Luna/Nerino paid the ultimate price.

You, Antonio, did the right and responsible thing by this cat. Even if Luna had come to you earlier and you had gotten him neutered, there is no guarantee that he would not have roamed and met the same fate before the hormones worked themselves out of his system. It can take weeks, even up to 6 months for the hormones to work themselves out of a male cat's system. This is why vets advise to keep a recently neutered cat indoors, in an enclosed property, so they cannot roam until hormones fully subside.

We here who are responsible cat lovers can only hope that, with time, this woman will reflect upon the very sad outcome of her misguided mindset.

Maybe some twinges of guilt will cause her to do the right thing with a future cat.
We can only hope.

Meanwhile, you can take comfort and be at peace knowing you did the right thing.