Look what the cat dragged in
There was a baby squirrel in my bathroom.
Our two cats, Felippe and Sweet Pea, had chased him inside, and when I came upon them Felippe had the squirrel in his mouth. I was able to free the critter from the cat’s grip. But then I didn’t know what to do: The squirrel was just lying there. I was afraid that maybe he had been injured so badly it would have been better to let nature take its course.
I was hysterically screaming. Gabe and Lily ran downstairs--Lily took a box from her bedroom and I got a washcloth, and we picked up the injured squirrel and placed him in the box. He was still breathing but we had no idea what shape he was in or if he would recover.
The wound was on his leg, so Lily and I dabbed it with some peroxide and Neosporin and we kept checking on him through the day. I took a dropper and gave him some water. He seemed to be resting, so we covered the box and kept him in it overnight, hoping that by the morning he’d be better.
The next day I tried to put him outside but he barely moved. I called the local vet who said, “We don’t take squirrels.” But he referred me to a lady named Patty who rescues wild animals. Lily had named the squirrel Mr. Knutts--and I felt like Mrs. Knutts as I dialed Patty’s number…
What I found was a compassionate person who thanked me for doing the right thing. She said she might be able to help, so I took off with Mr. Knutts in my mini van and met her in a parking lot.
I told Patty that Mr. Knutts seemed to be resting and she said, “Actually, he’s sedated.” She explained that when a cat bites an animal it emits a sedative in its saliva, which numbs its prey. She told me he was badly dehydrated and that she was going to take him home and put him on an IV, and that she actually had quite a few baby squirrels at her home. Mr. Knutts would be placed with them. No guarantees, but she made me feel better and I promised I’d call for an update.
You know how you become your mother? Well, I had forgotten that my mother loved to feed the squirrels. She developed an attachment to one squirrel in particular that she named "Boo Boo." Every time she would yell out, “Boo Boo!” he would come for the peanuts. So maybe it’s no ‘boo boo’ that I’m following in her footsteps….
Several people were critical of my feeble rescue efforts, saying the animal could have had rabies. But Patty told me it's highly unlikely with a squirrel, unless they were bitten by an animal with rabies (thankfully we don’t have a rabid cat).
I do care about animals and I guess there are times when people probably shouldn’t intervene. The cat was doing what the cat does. But I just couldn’t stand by and watch it. I really believed that that baby squirrel had a family somewhere in my yard, and they missed him.
You may think I’m crazy, but Patty has a whole backyard full of rescued animals, and I say thank God for her.
Update:
Mr Knutts, by the way, is doing well! After 10 days on antibiotics, and a month in rehabilitation, he grew so big that Patty had to pass him on to another wildlife rehabilitator. Mr. Knutts will need about four to five months before he goes back to the wild. Apparently he has a great appetite, and has been eating grains, seeds, fruit, and of course, nuts.
Meredith, you have a huge heart.
Thank you for not only helping the squirrel but for also setting an example for your kids who will inherit this world.
I live in Manhattan and see young kids throwing things at squirrel's and pigeons in the park.
I once took a frozen pigeon in a cab during a blizzard from Tribeca to the Animal Medical Center on the upper East side. The pigeon survived but everyone thought I was a bit crazy. Fortunatley, the AMC took care of the bird pro-bono.
This would be a great segment for Today - extraordinary things civilians have done to rescue wildlife.
I agree. It is admirable that you took the time out of your busy life to make sure the squirrel is okay. I miss you on the View!
Go Meredith. The world needs more mommies like that.
When I was very small, my mother rescued a baby squirrel from some neighbourhood boys.
It was part of a fall litter, and the boys had climbed a tree and taken it from its nest. My mom knew that the mama squirrel wouldn't have anything to do with the baby if she put it back, tainted as it was by human scent, so she got out an old birdcage and made it a home.
My mom fed it with an eyedropper at first and later a bottle. She let it out to scamper around the house and for that entire winter, Chugabug was a beloved family pet.
Spring came and we learned firsthand the hard lesson that you can't keep wild animals as pets. Chugabug wanted his freedom, and would do anything for it. Eventually, he bit my mom when she was taking him out of the curtains.
My mom refused to let animal control test it for rabies, choosing to observe it and then send it to live on a farm, much like the one Patty runs.
I always fet special, having had that squirrel experience.
I miss you, Meredith! You were so great on The View. That show just isn't the same without you. I hope you are happy over @ Today. I hope the Today crew realize how fortunate they are to have you!
Good for you Meredith! You have such a warm heart and your care/concern for others, including animals, shines through. I love the name Lily gave the squirrel! :) Be sure to update us on Mr. Knutts too!!!!
Meredith,
I think you did the right thing with the squirrel,it could've died but you saved its life. I try to help animals that are hurt too in the wild and it kills me when I'm helpless.
Hello Meredith. I have been wanting to tell you how awesome you are on TV. Regarding your experience with the squirrel, that was so sweet of you to take care of it. I would have done the same thing. In fact, I would have not trusted myself with helping it, and called the vet right away. You were brave! You tried to help it heal yourself.
See ya at the hot seat ( millionaire ) one day.
Sanj :-)
I had a cat named Sweetpea once. She was a siamese who just adored me. She died when she was only 5 from lead poisoning (we lived in an old house). :-(
We just had a conversation about this other day. Pets are always good for those little shocks and surprises. Just last month our cat left us a dead cat (which my daughter swore was a rat!) on the backporch for us to find in the morning. :)
Hi Meredith You so did the right thing no one should say anything different. I just love your blog... it is the highlight of my day at work. I was lucky enough to read your first one and what a great website ivillage is. I had never visited it before. And I'm glad you left The View as I feel you were ready for the next chapter in your life and you can be more of a role model 3 hours per day on the Today Show. You could help Americans so much more via this medium. You should also bring back the overweight kids' series. Keep up the GREAT work Meridith!!!
I think what you did was great. I tried to save a dog that I saw on the side of the road. She was just laying there and looked dead but I could tell she was breathing. She was in bad shape but jumped right into my car. After driving around for about 2 hours trying to find a place to take her, she ended up at a police station that had kennels. She had mange and I had a 4 month old at home. My husband was furious that I let the dog in the car not knowing what it could have but I couldn't just leave her there to suffer. Even if she was put to sleep, at least she isn't suffering any longer.
My mom actually feeds a wild rabbit pieces of graham cracker, which he loves! She started off with pieces of cookie, but when she ran out and switched to graham cracker, that was the food of choice. If she goes out and the bunny is around, he will come along side her to the porch, even hopping up the steps. If she simply opens the door and he is close by, he comes running! Luckily, she lives at a place where he would never he hunted or hurt, orcaught by a dog or cat. He is such fun to watch; it is hard to believe unless you see it! Meredith, I am glad you did what you did for the baby squirrel...it is up to us to take care of any creature that can't help themselves, animals included!
Merideth that was a wonderful thing you did for the squirrel. I am a wildlife rehabilitator and I deal with animals that have been caught by cats. Cats have what is called "pasturella" in their saliva. It effects the nervous system in prey and if not treated it can cause the animals' demise. Thank you for having a kind heart and I'm sure the squirrel thanks you too. I enjoy watching you on Millionaire. Keep up the good work!
And thank God for you, Meredith. I enjoyed you in mid-morning, but I LOVE waking up to your smile and warm voice. Thank you for caring about baby squirrels and for sharing yourself with all of us!
did you tease matt that you had squirrel germs on you?
What a dear person you are!
Love your squirrel story. I too had a squirrel when I was a teen. He was rescued from a chimnney flue during spring cleaning, the mother had abandoned a litter when people came aroung I guess. chestnut was so small he slept in a sock. We had him for a couple of seasons, until one day our cat got him. He would climb up my housecoat to sleep and hide crumbs in the pockets, he's sit on our shoulders and tell "stories" in our ears, he's protect his territory from the top of a curtain rod to strangers. He loved Ritz crackers. We loved him. Bless you Merideth, your not nuts your one of the sane ones on this planet.
Yaaaay Meredith!
Thanks for saving that baby squirrel! You have such a warm and caring heart!
Your story reminds me so much of those Animal Planet shows like Animal Cops (Detroit, Houston, San Fran), Animal Precinct (NYC) and Animal Heroes Phoenix. It's great to see the animals win -- getting rescued, getting the best treatment possible, and getting new homes (especially if they were abused or neglected).
Thanks also for the update about Mr. Knutts -- so nice to hear he got a second chance at life thanks to you!!
Take care, "Mrs. Knutts"!! hee hee hee! :)
Joe
kudos to you Meredith. people really need to have more respect for animals and for someone in your position to share your compassion makes a huge difference.
Meredith, you're a hotty and great to "listen to" even in written form. I like your stories.
Meredith, this is why I love you. You are such an amazing person with such a beautiful heart. You're a nationally-acclaimed journalist, but you still find time in your hectic schedule to love and nurture a baby squirrel like it's your own. Thank you for caring so much about life in general. You're too hard on yourself though...of course you did the right thing! You make this world a better place. You are a huge inspiration for all of us, and I thank you for being the wonderful person you are. I absolutely love reading your blog every day! Thanks for sharing a little piece of your life with us. This is totally unrelated, but you told us to keep asking questions, so...You and Matt seem to get along really well. Are you still great friends once you're off the air? What's the best part about working with Matt? Thanks, Meredith...for everything.
Mr. Knutts, eh? Boy, do I ever now have an answer next time someone asks why I named one of the cats "Ratso"!
We work at home in a very small and share our home with a Black Lab (Sami), three cats (Ratso, Max and Mother) and a yappy cockatiel (Tosca). We also have several "visiting pets" who come by daily for water, rest, flowers, grapes and fledgling pepper plants. Two are rabbits (Gavin and Junior), two are doves (Warble and Gerbil) who perch in the apple tree outside the office window daily, an owl (Oliver) who replaces them nightly and two are cats (McNasty and Fitch), who are prone to starting fights with Ratso through the window screen.
Gavin and Junior are the most amazing because they'll lay out in the sun while the Sami is out and everyone leaves everyone in peace most of the time. Of course, there's the occasional obligatory chase and Sami hasn't yet learned they run under the hedge and she can't run through it, but I guess that's one of life's lesson.
Anyway, great story!
OK, I am enjoying this blogging stuff...
I awoke from sleep one night to the sound of our boy cat, Stanley, throwing himself against the wall. I turned on the light to see a flying squirrel frantically trying to get out of our bedroom. It managed to get itself in that small space on top of a pocket door where the door slides into the wall. I spent hours trying to figure out how to get that door out of the pocket, and finally, I put some peanut butter on a piece of tin foil and put it at the opening of the space. When I heard the foil rustle, I went and shooed it out of the door to the patio, and off it went. An adorable little creature, it was! and apparently non the worse for the wear.
Katherine, Winter Springs, FL
Thank you for setting such a good example for your kids and us, too. I work in an animal hospital and it warms my heart to hear of people who care so much for the creatures that make our life so much fun - animals. I am a Mom, too and I am becoming so aware of how I treat our pets and the animals in our backyard - I won't even kill a spider in front of her. (they now go outside!)
I love to read your blog and the great stories you have to tell - keep up the wonderful work!
Hi Meredith! I never watched the View, so I can't say I miss you there, but I sure think you are doing a great job on Today. The squirrel story is a hoot, reminded me of my Grandpa and Grandma rescuing a squirrel they subsequently named "Skeeter". There aren't too many people that would mess with squirrels---you must be awesome! You are such a great addition to Today!
Meredith,
What a generous heart you have. My nephew's dog found a squirrel and brought it to him. Like you, he and his mother put the squirrel in a box and named him Ralph. When the squirrel recovered he stayed with the family. He would ride on my nephew's and brother-in-law's shoulders while in the house or doing activities.
They had Ralph for several months until he finally decided to go on his own.
It's great to know that there are still those of us out there that love and respect animals of all kinds (though I'm not so sure about snakes).
The kitty was doing his/her job and brought the present to you. You have to love them for bringing you presents.
Bless you and your family and of course Patty.
A few weeks ago, I was doing work on my police memorial when out of the corner of my eey I saw my cat espresso w/something in her mouth.
When I looked at first I thought it was one of the toy mice I had bought for her in the past, but then looked again, and suddenly thought I haven't bought a mouse that looks like that. That "something' was a baby mouse and it scared the hell out of me.
Espresso was toying with it, letting it go, then getting it again. Finally I had to carry her outside, mouse in mouth, and make her drop the mouse. I was screaming and scared the entire time...
I hate rodents!!!!!
My husband went in to take a shower one morning and before he started the water he calls to me to open the back door. Here he comes crawling on all four completely naked. I asked him what he was doing and he said he found a spider in the tub and wanted to release it out side because it eat bugs!!!!!
Meredith, I am a Wildlife Rehabilatator in the State of Maine. I am very glad that you sought out expert help with your squirrel problem. It is critically important that people "Do Not" try to make pets of wild animals no matter how cute they are. Any animal, reptile, or bird that has been in a cats mouth is at a huge risk of dying. Cats have bacteria in thier syliva that is extremely toxic to wildlife. Because the cats we all love as our pets are such a risk to the native wildlife, and the wild outdoor world is so dangerous to our beloved pets, we should all become responisible pet owners and keep our pets indoors or in supervised outdoor inclosures. For more information you can go to http://abcbirds.org look under the Cats Indoors section for information on the impact of cats on wildlife and wonderful information on how to help your outdoor Cat become a happy, healthy, and loving indoor companion for many, many years.
You can find a Wildlife Rehaber through your States Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife
That is great. You saved a life!
Hello Meredith!
Long time fan, you are so much fun, someone I would feel completely comfortable sitting down to a nice lunch and a good, long chat.
I too, am an animal lover. I have 6 dogs, a cat and two pot-bellied pigs.
I used to have quite a few chickens, but in the process of building a new home, our coop got a hole in it and the coons and opossums got to my chickens unfortunately.
ANYWAY, one day, my lab/retriever had a baby racoon in his mouth. He hadn't hurt it, so I took it in, called my vet and he said to feed it baby formula. I admit, I was a bit hesitant, but he/she (never did figure out the sex of it) never bit, not once. It devoured bottle after bottle and stayed alive for about a month. One morning, he/she didn't move when I went for the morning feed. I've gotten lots of lectures, but bottom line is, I would do it again.
The racoon loved to sleep on my shoulders and burrow in my hair. It was precious.
I enjoy you, good luck on Today!
Dear Meredith,
You are a compassionate person.I am going to share this with my 10 year old daughter.
Hi Meredith, I no longer watch "THE VIEW" since you and Star are gone.I admire you for your love of motherhood, and critters.Children learn from us whether it's good or bad. We need to have more role models like YOU !! I now watch "TODAY" because of your personality. Keep up the good work!
hey meredith, i think you are an amazing woman and an inspiration. keep up the good work and dont let anyone get you down. rosie is no match!!!!
That was a good thing you did! I'm studying to be a vet, and I will definitely treat squirrels!
Meredith, just have to say i miss you on the view. Dont watch you in the morning because Im too busy, but hear that your doing a wonderful job. go girl!!!
Meredit, do you still plan to host the Millionaire program now that you have joined the Today team?
Hi Meredith,
Enjoyed you on the view and your personality shines through on Today!
For all of the "let nature take its course" folks giving compassionate people a hard time: Some of us think nature did take its course. A mom was there to help. Most parents wouldn't take an injured animal out of the bathroom and toss it while her children witnessed.
Just a question; Where do you and MAtt go at 9 am? I know Katie did it too. Do you get to go homw or do you have work to do in the back?? Stupid question, maybe. But, when i don't see any of the "hosts" I know what time it is!! HAHA love the show
I'm a wildlife rehabilitator and I'm thrille that Meredith Viera chose to share this story. Injured or orphaned wildlife need to be in the hands of licensed rehabilitators so that they can eventually go back where they belong -- in the wild.
HI!!! This is my first time reading your blog! How exciting!
I am a total animal LOVER!
Some odd years ago, we had a baby squirrel fall out of the loft of our barn. I took him in and named him Chucky. He slept in my sock drawer in a shoe box with a tiny little heater to keep him warm. I feed him everyday- even setting my alarm and getting up a couple times in the middle of the night to feed him. It didnt take very long until he got big enough to put him in a dog carrier in the garage until he was ready to go back in the wild.
I think Chucky thought of us as his family- We would bring him in the yard and put him in a tree, turn around and walk away and he would be right back on our shoulders within seconds!
Chucky wasnt a normal squirrel... He didnt run to a tree; He hopped like a bunny, which made him a little slower. Because of that, one of my cats got to him and took a chunk of his tail! He got away and we still see him every once in awhile :)
That's my squirrel story!!!
Hope all is well!
~Christine
Meredith,
I so enjoyed your squirrel story on the Today show today. Keep up the great work.
Be well,
ren
I LOVE animals. I asked my mom once if I can have a squirrel as a pet but she said no.
i think squirrels are forever greatfull for your loving heart
Hello Meredith,
The Mr. Knutts segment brought a tear to my eyes. For the past 4 yrs I attempted to adopt a baby squirrel but was denied due to my county not permitting wild animals as household pets. I even considered moving to another state just to have the opportunity to adopt one or two. I guess that would be out of the question too, my girlfriend tells me that I am crazy. I guess I could settle for a picture of Mr. Knutts... Meredith do you think I could have a picture of Mr. Knutts?
Tell Matt he is the best.
Best wishes,
Quenepa
P.S. Please don't forget about Mr. Knutts picture (salsero104@aol.com)
Hey Meredith! Nine months ago, My family and I were in the local publix parking lot. We saw a little baby squirrel that was about to be run over. We were able to catch it and take it home. We named him Bucky! He has been with us for the last nine months and bit us only a little after we got him. We have a cage and a three story cat habitat for him. He runs freely about our screened in pool enclosure and some areas of the house. He will play fight with our hands and ride on our shoulders. Whenever he becomes hyper he will run around like crazy. Then again, when he calms down, he will kick his feet out and just let you rub him. If you rub him in the right spot, he will throw back his arm like a dog does with its foot. We call that the sweet spot! It is soooo cute!!! Well anyway, he is the sweetest, fattest squirrel ever. He has not tried to escape and has perfect house manners ( in other words, he doesn't poop all over everything! ). Well, I hope you enjoyed my squirrel story!!!
Dakota
I love squirrels and Meridith too!