Boaters find kitten swimming 3 miles offshore in Gulf of Mexico

I thought others might like to see this nice story.
-cr
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press
Posted July 9 2004, 9:37 AM EDT

ST. PETERSBURG -- When Maggie Rogers spotted something bobbing in the
water three miles into the Gulf of Mexico while on a scalloping trip
with friends, she assumed it was a turtle, or a piece of sea kelp.

But as the boat got closer and slowed down, she found it was a tiny,
apricot-colored kitten. Nine inches long and screaming at the top of
its lungs, the cat was paddling furiously.

``We scooped him up and he sat on the boat with me for eight hours,''
said Rogers, who is the finance director at the Clearwater Marine
Aquarium.

``He was exhausted and stressed,'' Rogers said. ``His heart rate was
high.''

The boaters on the 17-foot Scout Current Drift did not know how the
kitten arrived in the Homosassa Bay. There were at least 40 boats in
the crowded area where he was found, they said.

On Tuesday, three days after he was found, a veterinarian found the
10-week-old, 1-pound kitten had worms, but was otherwise healthy.

He was adopted by Rogers' sister-in-law _ and named Nemo.

My initial reaction to the story (and the photo, where the kitty is so
small he fits inside one of the rescuers crocheted sun hat!) was "Oh
how cute". And God/Goddess-or-divine-being-of-choice bless that
rescuer (which I still believe).

But then I began wondering how a little kitty got so far out to sea.
I really doubt he decided to go for a swim on his own. I bet some
a**hole dumped him off a boat or a pier thinking to drown him. (after
all, there are all these old stories about drowning kittens to get rid
of them.)

I hope they catch whoever might have done such a horrible thing and I
wish a nice long life full of fun to both kitty and rescuers!

On 9 Jul 2004 10:32:48 -0700, (Calvin Rice) wrote:

I thought others might like to see this nice story.
-cr
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press
Posted July 9 2004, 9:37 AM EDT

ST. PETERSBURG -- When Maggie Rogers spotted something bobbing in the
water three miles into the Gulf of Mexico while on a scalloping trip
with friends, she assumed it was a turtle, or a piece of sea kelp.

But as the boat got closer and slowed down, she found it was a tiny,
apricot-colored kitten. Nine inches long and screaming at the top of
its lungs, the cat was paddling furiously.

``We scooped him up and he sat on the boat with me for eight hours,''
said Rogers, who is the finance director at the Clearwater Marine
Aquarium.

``He was exhausted and stressed,'' Rogers said. ``His heart rate was
high.''

The boaters on the 17-foot Scout Current Drift did not know how the
kitten arrived in the Homosassa Bay. There were at least 40 boats in
the crowded area where he was found, they said.

On Tuesday, three days after he was found, a veterinarian found the
10-week-old, 1-pound kitten had worms, but was otherwise healthy.

He was adopted by Rogers' sister-in-law _ and named Nemo.

__________________________________________________ _

Camilla Cracchiolo
Registered Nurse
Los Angeles, California

webpage temporarily down

My initial reaction to the story (and the photo, where the kitty is so
small he fits inside one of the rescuers crocheted sun hat!) was "Oh
how cute". And God/Goddess-or-divine-being-of-choice bless that
rescuer (which I still believe).

But then I began wondering how a little kitty got so far out to sea.
I really doubt he decided to go for a swim on his own. I bet some
a**hole dumped him off a boat or a pier thinking to drown him. (after
all, there are all these old stories about drowning kittens to get rid
of them.)

I hope they catch whoever might have done such a horrible thing and I
wish a nice long life full of fun to both kitty and rescuers!

On 9 Jul 2004 10:32:48 -0700, (Calvin Rice) wrote:

I thought others might like to see this nice story.
-cr
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press
Posted July 9 2004, 9:37 AM EDT

ST. PETERSBURG -- When Maggie Rogers spotted something bobbing in the
water three miles into the Gulf of Mexico while on a scalloping trip
with friends, she assumed it was a turtle, or a piece of sea kelp.

But as the boat got closer and slowed down, she found it was a tiny,
apricot-colored kitten. Nine inches long and screaming at the top of
its lungs, the cat was paddling furiously.

``We scooped him up and he sat on the boat with me for eight hours,''
said Rogers, who is the finance director at the Clearwater Marine
Aquarium.

``He was exhausted and stressed,'' Rogers said. ``His heart rate was
high.''

The boaters on the 17-foot Scout Current Drift did not know how the
kitten arrived in the Homosassa Bay. There were at least 40 boats in
the crowded area where he was found, they said.

On Tuesday, three days after he was found, a veterinarian found the
10-week-old, 1-pound kitten had worms, but was otherwise healthy.

He was adopted by Rogers' sister-in-law _ and named Nemo.

__________________________________________________ _

Camilla Cracchiolo
Registered Nurse
Los Angeles, California

webpage temporarily down

Camilla Cracchiolo wrote:

But then I began wondering how a little kitty got so far out to sea.
I really doubt he decided to go for a swim on his own. I bet some
a**hole dumped him off a boat or a pier thinking to drown him. (after
all, there are all these old stories about drowning kittens to get rid
of them.)

One of the media articles quoted the rescuer as saying the area was
very crowded and about 40 boats were in the area.

-mhd

Camilla Cracchiolo wrote:

But then I began wondering how a little kitty got so far out to sea.
I really doubt he decided to go for a swim on his own. I bet some
a**hole dumped him off a boat or a pier thinking to drown him. (after
all, there are all these old stories about drowning kittens to get rid
of them.)

One of the media articles quoted the rescuer as saying the area was
very crowded and about 40 boats were in the area.

-mhd