One of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best-known roles is the futuristic assassin, known as the Terminator, from James Cameron’s low-budget 1984 sleeper-hit movie of the same name.
One of Schwarzenegger’s now-classic lines from the flick is, “I’ll be back.”
That dialogue Georgia resident Courtney Pilgrom had in mind when she named one of two stray cats that arrived on her back doorstep in June 2009. Although they appeared to be twins, the cats had some key differences: One had a bob tail and something was amiss with her rear legs.
Pilgrom fed the cats and thought they would move on.
The bigger of the two felines left and didn’t come back. The small malformed one, however, returned night after night, and took to sleeping on the back porch. Pilgrom then named the cat “Terminator,” as she kept coming back: “I’ll be back.”
Upon closer inspection, Pilgrom noticed that Terminator’s tail appeared to be broken off, one back leg had a swollen knot at the joint, and the other limb was bowed out. A large scab fell across the cat’s rear quarters, suggesting a deep gash.
As no one in the neighborhood came forward to claim the cat, Pilgrom took her in. Despite the cat’s poor physical condition, she didn’t appear to be in any pain and maintained a cheery, friendly disposition.
When one of Terminator’s legs became decrepit, Pilgrom sought the advice of several veterinarians. There seemed to be a consensus: put the cat down; undaunted, Pilgrom opted to see if the cat’s legs could be repaired. Unfortunately, the bones wouldn’t heal, and the cat was allergic to metal pins.
There was no choice but to amputate the damaged limbs, but just like the character in the movie, Terminator didn’t quit — she kept moving forward.
“She walked right out of the cage right after her second [leg] amputation,” Pilgrom wrote on Terminator the Two-Legged Cat that Can’s Facebook page. “Now she plays with her brother and gets around the house…so playful and loving.
“She eats well and she is not hurting and is still the sweetest cat you ever met.”
Despite losing both rear legs, Terminator is another example of a cat thrives — even with a handicap. You can follow the feline’s progress on her Facebook page.
CatTime reported on a similar cat, named Anakin, on September 11.
