On July 29th, 2018, an adorable six-year-old kitty named Popeye presented to the Animal Medical Center of Seattle for lethargy and inappetence, where a left anal gland abscess was discovered. Popeye was placed under sedation so that the abscess could be cleaned and flushed, placed on antibiotics for infection and medication for pain. While Popeye was recovering from sedation, before being discharged from the hospital, the staff at the Animal Medical Center of Seattle fell in love with him and his wonderful owners provided us with his amazing story to share with everyone!
In October of 2017, Kirsten and her husband, Jim, went to visit her brother at his vacation home on the Washington Coast. When they arrived, they saw this funny little cat (Popeye) begging on the front porch. Kirsten’s brother explained that for the past year or so, this little kitty would magically appear every time they visited and would hide out under the porch for as long as they stayed, be it for a couple days or a month. The first time Kirsten’s brother saw him, he wasn’t sure what it was. Was it a cat? Or some other beach mammal? Popeye was very timid and kept his distance, but gladly ate all of the food that they put out on the porch for him.
After a couple of days, they were able to gain Popeye’s trust and began to give treats by hand. They were eventually able to hold him briefly, but he was still very afraid. After getting a closer look at him, they could see that he had been declawed and was missing his lower canines. There were also signs of healed injuries to his tail and hips.
Kirsten and Jim couldn’t bear the thought of this handsome boy living outside, especially with so many predators in the area and winter just around the corner. They made a plan to come back the next weekend and bring him home with them. Before that, they checked with the local veterinarian, animal shelter, and neighbors and learned that no one had reported him missing. An appointment was made with a veterinarian in Seattle that weekend to get him checked out.
Popeye luckily showed up at the last minute, before Kirsten and Jim left for Seattle, to make his appointment. He was treated for parasites, vaccinated and tested for FIV, FLV and other diseases that he, thankfully, tested negative for. The staff there fell in love with Popeye! His soft little body just melted like chocolate whenever he was picked up.
How did Popeye survive outside with no claws, missing teeth and a belly full of parasites? It had to have been because he is SO BRILLIANT! Kirsten and Jim learned that Popeye is an American Burmese, which are described as highly intelligent – and a brick wrapped in silk. For such a tiny cat, Popeye is considerably heavier than he appears; it’s a shock when you lift him!
Popeye began to come out of his shell once he was brought to his new forever home. He now follows his family through the house like a little dog. Kirsten and Jim have another kitty, 13-year-old Katarina, whom Popeye enjoys the company of. Katarina tolerates her new pesky little brother but seems happy for the company as well. Popeye sleeps every night between Kirsten and Jim on the bed and, when he’s not pestering his sister Katarina or hanging out with his family, you can find him sitting on his “catio” looking at the bird feeders.
