Misguided act of compassion?
I wanted to make this post to get some insight on whether or not I made a good call here. While I have not taken refuge, I maintain a Buddhist outlook on life, suffering, and the nature of compassion.
For context, there’s a number of feral/stray cats that live in my apartment complex, and many different sets of them have come and gone in the years I’ve lived here. Normally, each year some will have kittens that will grow up and stay here (or go somewhere else) that will be the mainstays for the next year or two. The complex has two beautiful courtyards that are well shaded, with plenty of birds and squirrels and other wildlife. Myself and other residents take good care of the cats when we can, often leaving out food and water. Some even have those heated outdoor enclosures to keep them warm and out of the elements during winter. If I were a stray, I couldn’t not think of a better place to live.
Recently there was this male black cat that had been hanging around my building. Our first interaction was a month or two ago, when I found him basking in the sun on one of those green electrical boxes. I immediately went down to see him and he really appreciated the company, so I left him some wet food. Fast forward to just last weekend, I found him again sitting under a tree outside. I went up to him, and much like before he was happy to see me (albeit a bit cautious), So once again I brought him some wet food. This time I think he really warmed up to me! He followed me up to my apartment when I went to grab the food, and after I gave it to him he stayed by my apartment while I sat with him and we enjoyed each others company. Now while I had noticed it before, this time I really started to get a good look at him and saw that he had open sores and scabs all over his head and behind his ears, as if he had been suffering from fleas or had gotten into fights. He was also very much not fixed. He obviously was suffering to some degree but seemed so content in his life that it may not have mattered much to him.
Today I saw him again. He was laying out in the sun on a courtyard path and jumped up when he saw me, and so I pet him and went to get him some food. My wife came back with me and said that we should take him to the shelter to get treatment and find a home. Without much thought, I went back inside to grab a kennel, loaded him up, and brought him to the county animal shelter. He’s there now, getting treatment and hopefully will find a home soon.
Right now I’m struggling because I feel like I betrayed a friend. Who am I to know what’s best for him? He had other cats in the area that he was friends with, got enough food from the residents, and had a good life except for the obvious health problems. More importantly, he was free. Now he is at the mercy of the animal shelter and whatever person decides to adopt him, which for all I know could be abusive and not take care of him. I feel like I just ripped this noble creature out of the life he knew and threw him into the unknown. Like I said, who am I to know what’s best for him? This has been tearing at me ever since I put him in the kennel but still I went through with it. Can anybody tell me if this was the right call?