Indiana cat freezes in water trough; is freed by buckets of hot water

LOSANTVILLE, Ind. (AP) _ A cat found half-frozen in a water trough is recovering, but may lose his tail. <br/><br/>Melissa Jones said she found the cat Tuesday when she stepped onto her porch for a cigarette.

Saturday, February 10th 2007, 9:23 pm

By: News On 6

LOSANTVILLE, Ind. (AP) _ A cat found half-frozen in a water trough is recovering, but may lose his tail.

Melissa Jones said she found the cat Tuesday when she stepped onto her porch for a cigarette. His tail and hind legs were stuck in about three inches of ice. She and her husband used buckets of hot water to free him.

``His little ears are droopy and purple and so are his little feet,'' Jones said, adding that his new nickname is ``Droopy.''

In the morning, she took the seven-month-old yellow and white tiger cat to a veterinarian, where he was given an antibiotic. The vet recommended a regimen of warm water and foot and tail massages to help its circulation, but still may lose its tail.

Jones says the family will probably keep the cat indoors from now on.