Indie the Bicolor Cat
by Peggy Collins
Title
Indie the Bicolor Cat
Artist
Peggy Collins
Medium
Digital Art - Digital Art
Description
Commissioned portrait of a handsome bicolor cat named Indie. Here's what Indie's owner has to say about him:
"In December 2021 a lovely, fluffy mostly white kitty showed up on my porch to eat. He had no street sense. He would stroll across the street taking an agonzingly long time, and I always watched to make sure he got across safely. I had a feral cat house on my porch with a heating pad. As it got colder he was the only kitty that would go inside and curl up on the heating pad to stay warm. In March he disappeared for a few days. When he showed up he was very thin, had discharge coming from his eyes, tried to eat but could not, but did not want to leave my porch. I set up my trap right there on the porch, ran out and got some fried chicken, and once I put the fried chicken in the trap I did not get more than a few steps away when I heard the trap door slam shut. I loaded this boy into my car and called my vet on the way there. They made room to see him. I thought I would get him well and let him go after a few days. But Indie was very sick and my vet kept him over night. I would have to take Indie to the vet a couple more times, putting him in the hyperbaric oxygen tank, getting several medications, etc. Getting Indie into that carrier was stressful for both of us. Basically he was sick for about 9 months. Getting him to eat was difficult and because he was a stray, and sometimes would warn me that he might bite me (he never did), it was a challenge to provide him good care. I could not let him meet my other cats until he was healthy, so he had to remain in the bedroom. Eventually, when he got healthy, I had him neutered, he received all his vaccinations, and I allowed him into the office, bedroom, bathroom and hallway that was separated from the rest of the house by a screen door I had had installed. Some days I would watch him sit at the screen door looking out into the living room watching my other cats, wanting company, wanting to meet the other cats but so timid that when they would approach he would run and hide. Slowly, one at a time I allowed each of my cats to come in and meet Indie. Some just hissed at him and left. But Ranger and Monet were kind to him, taught him how to play and wrestle, introduced him to toys, snuggled with him and made Indie happy. Then with close monitoring, I allowed Indie out into the rest of the house. At first any sound, or cat movement, would send him running back to the safety of his room. Soon he was exploring every inch of the house. He now comes to my room to sleep with me, he crawls on my lap as he has seen the others do, and leans against me so that I will stroke his head and love on him. Little Jaylah has started to play with Indie, although Indie is not sure what to think about that. He has become such a happy boy, and of course, this is now his home."
Uploaded
April 2nd, 2023
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