HAPPY UPDATE: Edwina Lives!

Those of you who've been with us a while here at Almost Perfect Pets will remember that back in September, 2009, I posted an angry rant about the cruel person who took a hunting knife to a sweet white-and-gray cat who came to be named Edwina, after the generous benefactor who not only covered her extensive medical treatment but also put up $5,000 as a reward for identifying and catching the perpetrator of this most vile deed.

I doubt anyone will be able to forget the pitiful image of Edwina looking over her shoulder at the camera with wide, scared eyes and that dreadful patch of exposed viscera on her skinny back. I'm not going to re-post it here because it still makes me sick and angry. Instead, I'm posting this wonderful photo of a happier, much healthier Edwina, now named Zeki, by her new adoptive mom, Arden Moore:

As the newly adopted daughter of animal lover/journalist/supporter Arden Moore,
Zeki (formerly Edwina) will never again have to worry about cruel treatment.

Originally rescued by a neighbor, Edwina was fostered by celebrated animal writer Dusty Rainbolt, and slowly nursed back to health through the late months of 2009 and into this year. In November, I had the great good fortune to share a table with Dusty and Arden during a members recognition dinner and keynote address at the Cat Writers Association annual conference in White Plains, New York.

I had just met them and caught snippets of a conversation they were having about the possibility of Arden adopting Edwina through Animal Allies of Texas. I introduced myself as having blogged here about the tortured cat, and was very interested in what they were discussing. Of course, there were many considerations to work out, so it was purely conversation at that point.

But for as recently as I had met these two women, I knew in my heart that if they could work it out, Edwina would have a wonderful new home with someone clearly willing and able to love and care for the injured cat. I was so happy and excited, and asked if I could spread the news here. They asked that I kindly refrain until everything had been worked out to ensure Edwina's health and safety, and I happily obliged.

And so it is with great joy that today I am able to finally tell you about Arden having adopted Edwina and renamed her Zeki, which means "clever and courageous" in Turkish, perfect for this Turkish Van mix survivor. Arden shared the news in the January issue of her wonderful eNewsletter, "Arden Moore Knows Pets." I feel I've given it plenty of time out in cyberland to prevent me stealing any of Arden's thunder (not that she would care, because she's not like that, but I did this out of respect), so I'm sharing the news with you today.

So if you're looking for something to celebrate today, celebrate the triumph of love over hatred, good over evil, caring over destruction. Zeki lives...and happily! Thanks, Dusty. Thanks, Arden. You ladies rock.