Cat Rescue Stories – Animals Abused & Abandoned

Stopping the Cycle

Richard Voelker — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 15:18:04 +0000

These are just a few pictures of some gentle souls that were saved by an independent rescuer. All of the cats and kittens came from a cruel environment, with or without their mothers. They received medical care. Animals Abused & Abandoned paid for their sterilizations They will never perpetuate the appalling cycle of homelessness, suffering, starvation and cruelty that is the fate of feral cats. The kittens were placed for adoption and the good news is that they all have homes. One adult cat is now living with a family, but the other feral mama had to be released back into her neighborhood. She could not adapt to be being around people.

A fertile female cat may have on average 4-6 kittens per litter, up to three times a year. 4,948 kittens can be born in 7 years from an un-spayed female cat and her many, many innocent and helpless kittens.

Estimates vary on how many cats are euthanized in the US. But 40%-70% of cats entering shelters are euthanized. For feral cats, the number nearly reaches 100%.

Animal shelter statistics from 2020 show that there are about 70 million stray animals in the US streets at any given time. Only 10% of them (a bit more than 6 million) enter municipal shelters, and those “shelters” cost US citizens approximately $2 billion every year. Spay-neuter is the 100% effective method of birth control for cats and dogs.

If you have it in your heart to help us continue funding these life-saving surgeries, please make an online donation to Animals Abused & Abandoned through North Texas Giving Day, starting September 1, 2023 through September 21, 2023 using this link: https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/donate/animals-abused- abandoned-inc

or you may donate to this urgent cause directly through our website: animals-abused.org/donations/

With your kind, thoughtful and generous support, we will continue fighting this relentless tragedy.

Rosie’s Pain

Richard Voelker — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 17:00:23 +0000

Rosie was rescued from a high-kill shelter with her six kittens. Her babies were adopted, but Rosie, being a short-haired, black feline without distinguishing markings, was continually rejected because of the broad public prejudice against black cats, and the general preference for different colored and multi-colored cats. Time was becoming an urgent matter for Rosie because she was scheduled to be euthanized to make room for new intakes. At the last minute, a cat sanctuary dedicated to long-term cat welfare took her to their facility to live out the rest of her life.

Ten years have passed, and Rosie is about 12 years old now. Recently she began to sneeze, had a stuffy, runny nose, developed conjunctivitis, and had a fever and decreased appetite. Rosie was taken to the vet for an urgent medical evaluation. It was quickly noted that the back of her mouth was raw, and her throat was inflamed. The vet described it as “raw hamburger”. Her blood work indicated an infection. Swabs from her mouth were sent to the lab to screen for the suspected presence of the calicivirus. While waiting for the results, she was given buprenorphine to help with her unrelenting, gnawing pain. The lab results came back a few days later, confirming Rosie tested positive for the virus. She was given doxycycline for ten days, to prevent secondary infections, prior to her scheduled surgery to remove all her teeth.

She returned to the sanctuary the afternoon of her dental surgery, and that evening, she ate a little soft food and drank some water. The next morning, she demanded attention and was let out of her room where she had been kept alone to recover without the inquisitiveness of other cats.

Rosie had classic stomatitis, an inflamed mouth with painful ulcers on the tongue, gums and palate making it excruciatingly painful to eat or drink. Full mouth dental extraction provides the best chance to control the disease but does not cure it. Vaccinated cats for the calicivirus develop some immunity, but due to the various strains of the virus, (not all are covered by the vaccine), they will experience milder symptoms if exposed to other cats with the virus.

Veterinarian dental surgery is very expensive, and far beyond the sanctury’s ability to pay for it. Should you wish to help with her surgery expenses, please consider a tax-deductible donation to Animals Abused & Abandoned here.

Ansel’s Two Mended Legs

Richard Voelker — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 16:22:17 +0000

As this person was taking care of personal business, walking to his destination, he noted a cat lying near the edge of the street as he passed by. He remarked to himself how handsome he was but found it odd that he remained so still. When the gentleman returned taking the same path home, he noticed that the cat was still there and had not moved at all. This caring human being contacted animal control as soon as he got home. The cat was picked up and taken to their shelter.

Upon a cursory examination, it was believed that the cat had a broken pelvis, so he was immediately scheduled for euthanasia the next day. But one of the animal control officers was a cat lover and convinced her supervisor to let her try to locate a rescue organization. She was given just 24 hours to find a lifesaving option. On her first call to a local rescue organization, they gladly agreed to accept him into their program.

The rescuers made an appointment with their veterinary clinic for the following day. He was diagnosed with two broken legs, one left front shoulder and one left hindquarter. Fortunately, no trauma was found to his pelvis. He was sedated, and both legs were splinted. He was tested for feline diseases, vaccinated, and neutered.

Though he was ordered to have eight weeks of cage rest and wear an e-collar at all times, because he had managed to shred both splints off his legs while spending the night at the vet’s office for observation.

During his confinement, he will be given pain medication and restricted to minimal activity for those eight weeks. He will gradually build up his muscle mass and strength in those injured legs by taking very short walks several times a day under supervision. He is not permitted to run, jump, or play until his bones have healed. Ansel will be scheduled for follow-up appointments when X-rays will be taken, and his healing progress measured. As handsome and dapper as he is, Ansel should not find it difficult to find that special family to adopt him.

These lifesaving measures have been costly for this rescue group, but there was no other option if they were going to save Ansel. This is what rescue groups do best; save as many cats as possible from suffering and a painful death because they have been abandoned by their owners and are either living on the streets or have been trapped by animal control and are scheduled for immediate euthanasia in municipal shelters.

Your can be a caregiver and lifesaver for Ansel and future recipients with your kind and caring contributions to Animals Abused & Abandoned here.

Willie Was Very Hungry

Richard Voelker — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 13:58:07 +0000

Willie was orphaned at a very tender age.
A gentleman with a tender heart, upon hearing that one of his customers had a litter of kittens he intended to keep in his backyard to fend for themselves, picked them up and took them to a cat rescue organization. Too young to be on their own, because they were not quite weaned yet, they still needed bottle feedings as they learned to eat solid foods. Tragically, the mother cat had run out the door of her home with a kitten in her mouth when she was run over.

Now old enough to be vaccinated and sterilized, the litter was adopted as was Willie. Two years later, Willie was diagnosed with stomatitis, a feline dental disease. Stomatitis is an extremely painful condition of the buccal cavity. This condition may cause ulcers to form on the lips, tongue, gums, and back of the throat. Cats will have difficulty opening their mouths and often will not eat resulting in life-threatening starvation.

The Clinical Signs of Feline Stomatitis are:
• Drooling (sometimes with blood)
• Unkempt hair coat (because grooming is painful)
• Refusal to eat
• Bad breath
• Weight loss
• Pawing at the face or mouth

The recommendation was full mouth extractions by a dental veterinarian. Unfortunately, the extensive medical care required for this household’s geriatric dogs plus the added dental expense for Willie became a prohibitive cost for this family. The heart wrenching decision was made. Willie was returned to the cat rescue he had been adopted from.

The rescue group took Willie to a veterinary oral surgeon. He had a total dental extraction. He may be on long-term antibiotics, but for now, he takes doxycycline until one remaining area of intense inflammation clears up. He has gained weight. He is now able to eat both wet and dry food without a problem.

He is feeling great! He cruises around the facility greeting everyone, including staff and guests. He never gets into confrontations with other feline guests. He is lavished with praises for his great personality. “He is one wonderful boy!”

The cost for this procedure was astronomical! Rescue groups are not offered discounted prices by most veterinarians. Care is provided on a cash basis or with a credit card. This small volunteer rescue group luckily had the ability to pay for this procedure this time, but will they be able to provide emergency medical care to the next rescued cat?

Please make a generous donation to Animals Abused & Abandoned here. All donations will be used to create a credit balance at this veterinary clinic that can be used by this rescue group for the next cat they save.

A Whole New World

Richard Voelker — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 20:23:11 +0000

Handsome, Cuddly, Affectionate Jax

Richard Voelker — Sat, 15 Jun 2019 15:42:53 +0000

Jax, a handsome, tabby male cat, was found by an elderly woman in her son’s backyard. It was obvious that he was seriously injured because he could not place any weight on his right hind leg. She immediately rushed him to a nearby emergency, after-hours, veterinarian clinic. X-rays were taken and he was given pain medication with the attending vet’s recommendation that he be taken to an orthopedic specialist first thing in the morning.

The orthopedic vet determined that surgery was required because he had a fractured pelvis with a right sided broken sacrum. A femoral head and neck osteotomy (FHO) was performed the very same day. As for the sacrum, the surgeon confirmed that it would heal on its own without surgical stabilization.

After his successful surgery, Jax was taken in by a feline rescue group for his convalescence. For now, Jax has been prescribed moderate pain meds and periodic walking sessions, limited to five minutes each. The tile floor at the rescue facility has proven a bit slippery for his healing hip and leg, so his “runway” now is a yoga mat for better traction. He happily walks from one end of the mat to the other to be rewarded by pets, treats, purring all the while! As much as he enjoys being out of his crate, he is always compliant and pleasant when it is time to return. He must wear an e-collar to prevent him from licking his incision or pulling on his stitches for the next ten days. Progressing well, a full recovery is expected.

Jax greets everyone he meets with friendly purrs, makes “biscuits” and loves to be fussed over. During his ordeal, he has never hissed, growled, or scratched anyone. Everyone who encounters him remarks about what a great cat he is.
There are so many pets like Jax in need of medical care to live a happy, healthy life. Without your donations, the work that all of us put into rescuing injured and abandoned cats could not happen. Jax was given a second chance to find his forever family. Please continue to give generously here, so that more sweet, cuddly cats like Jax may be saved.

Sprinkled With Fairy Dust

Richard Voelker — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 14:36:00 +0000

Shiloh’s Little Paw

This tiny kitten somehow got separated from her mother. Alone and frightened by all sorts of scary noises, she found a quiet place where she felt somewhat safe. She woke up to a terrifying rattle and simultaneously to a horrendous pain to her right front paw. The kitten’s screams alerted the driver who stopped the car engine and retrieved the animal. In tears, this lady brought this tiny life to the closest veterinary clinic. At that point a rescue group was contacted, and they graciously accepted Shiloh into their program.

The vet gave her emergency wound and pain medication and X-rayed her little paw. The fan belt had nearly severed part of her leg. Her prognosis was poor. Her leg would probably have to be amputated. Her operation was delayed due to her poor physical condition. So, her limb was bandaged, and she went to a foster home with pain medicine and antibiotics. Her dressing was changed daily until her scheduled surgery. It consisted of sugar and iodine wraps to accelerate the healing of the wound and help eliminate skin infection. She was given A/D recovery canned diet for malnutrition, sub-cutaneous fluids for dehydration and was dewormed.

Shiloh had her surgery four days later. But a miracle happened in the surgery suite! The veterinary surgeon was able to save her leg. He amputated two of her digits and sutured one of her phalanges which was broken. With a tiny wire, he managed to tie the two bones together. She has one little paw pad remaining. The ultimate goal is for Shiloh to have a paw with a foot pad, though half the normal size, on which to walk and run on. This thoughtful vet was thinking about Shiloh’s quality of life. He gave her a chance to keep her leg.

Her foster mother describes Shiloh as an affectionate and playful kitten who hates to be alone. She follows her foster mom everywhere with her big bandage. She tries to climb on everything. As soon as you look at her, she purrs. She is simply unperturbed by her trauma.

Shiloh has been very fortunate so far. Had it not been for the nice lady who brought her to the clinic, the dedication of the medical staff and the veterinarian’s empathy for this little animal, Shiloh would either have lost her leg or worse, died from this unfortunate accident. Shiloh must have a fairy god mother who sprinkles her daily with fairy dust for her good fortune!

But Shiloh is still in a precarious situation. Her post-op care will continue for another six to eight weeks. Her leg will be examined every four days with bandage changes, medications and Xrays. Hopefully her wound will heal without complications.

Please help us pay the kindhearted vet for her emergency surgery. This delicate procedure was much more expensive than an amputation, as will be her continuing care and recovery. Shiloh has come so far! Please help sprinkle a little more fairy dust on her here to ensure her complete recovery and happiness?

Tipper’s Paw

Richard Voelker — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 00:45:00 +0000

Tipper was a member of a cat colony that lives near a creek. This cat community is made up of feral and abandoned cats surviving the best they can. Their food supply is supplemented by local residents.

The man who found Tipper was feeding this colony when he noticed a kitten with a paw missing. It was cleanly severed. Did Tipper get his foot caught in a wildlife trap, was it injured in a fight with an animal or was he snoozing under the hood of a car when the engine was turned on? The remaining part of the leg was inflamed and showing signs of infection.

A local rescue group was contacted, and they quickly trapped Tipper and took him to their veterinarian to have his injury assessed. His wound was cleaned. He was given antibiotics and pain medication. Tipper would hold his leg straight up in the air next to his ear or tucked up to his right flank. Because of his awkward stance, as time elapsed, the muscles to that leg atrophied and its bones became malformed. The veterinarian made the decision that it would be best to remove the leg. Tipper was eight weeks old and weighed less than two pounds. It was decided to wait until the kitten reached four pounds to make surgery safer for him.

Adding those extra pounds did not take Tipper long – this little boy loves to eat! He had his surgery on a Thursday morning. The operation was uneventful. He was purring and eating soon after he woke up. He stayed at the clinic through that weekend so he could be monitored and given pain medication intravenously.

The rescue organization reported that Tipper is learning to balance again now that his weight distribution is different since his surgery. He is healing well and is always ready for a snack or some petting. His favorite past-times are purring, helping with office work and lying on top of the smaller kittens in the office. He can be quite chatty. He is always happy and would make a great pet for any household. Now all he needs is a forever family!

Had it not been for the kindness of strangers, little Tipper would not have survived this horrible ordeal. After much suffering, his injury would eventually have killed him. Please show the kindness in your heart for little Tipper by making a donation to help pay his surgical expenses at Animals Abused & Abandoned here.

Minnie the Moocher

Richard Voelker — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 01:22:00 +0000

This is the story of Minnie, a stray cat, who had been living under a shed behind someone’s shop for at least one year. She survived all those months alone because she would come to a house next to the shop and beg for food. She was fed daily by a lady in that house with a kind heart.

Minnie went missing for about a week, when one day, coming out of nowhere, she approached her guardian angel meowing painful cries. She was most persistent. The lady took close look at her and realized the cat needed immediate medical attention.

This kind lady took her to a nearby veterinary clinic. Upon examination, it was noted that her injury consisted of exposed tendons and bones. A foul stench emanated from dead necrotic tissue with crawling maggots. The toes on that leg curled under, a sign that she had lost nerve impulses and enervation to her muscles.

The diagnosis was an abscessed cat bite which required the leg to be amputated. She was scheduled for surgery the following day. In the day preceding the operation, a pre-anesthetic blood profile was drawn. IV fluids were given. She was tested for various diseases with negative results and was vaccinated.

Minnie had her surgery and is doing well. She is recovering with the lady who rescued her. On her first day home, she found the nearest dog bed and then, a few days later the couch. Now she has decided the very best spot in the house is the king size bed. She is described as being very gentle and affectionate. She cuddles and purrs most happily with the changes in her life. Minnie and the family’s old dog are best friends.

This innocent homeless kitty had never been given a chance to live a better life than on the street. A small local rescue group stepped up to help the kind lady who rescued her by using their credit to cover the cost of Minnie’s emergency surgery and medications. Please help us pay those vet costs by making your kind and generous donation to Animals Abused & Abandoned here.

Trap Neuter Release

Richard Voelker — Sat, 27 Jul 2013 19:59:37 +0000

It is “kitten season” again! Every shelter in the US and every rescue organization is overwhelmed with daily intakes of mother cats with their litters, orphaned kittens and juvenile cats. This is a national community problem of major proportions.
Animals Abused & Abandoned has been approached by several volunteer rescue groups to help with the only humane solution to this problem that is practiced today – TNR is the acronym, and it means Trap Neuter Release.
Did you know that feral and stray cats are the greatest source of new, unwanted births in this country? A feral cat is the offspring of a lost or abandoned pet cat and is typically too fearful or wild to be domesticated.
More than 70% of the cats that enter city pounds and shelters are euthanized. The current statistic is that 11,000 cats and dogs are euthanized in this country every day.

TNR – How the Trap Neuter Release Program Works

It is the most humane and effective way to reduce a community cat population.
Humane traps are set-up to capture free roaming cats in targeted areas.
Spay/neuter surgeries are performed. During surgery, they are vaccinated against rabies and are ear-tipped on one ear as proof that they have been neutered.
Cats that cannot be tamed are returned to their original neighborhoods.
Once neutered, designated caregivers provide food, water, shelter, monitor for sickness and trap more feral cats for TNR or new tame cats for possible adoption.
TNR improves the quality of life for existing colonies by stabilizing the population, preventing births, reducing the number of injured adults and dying kittens, complaints about cats yowling, spraying and fighting over mates. They stop reproducing and die off naturally.
There is a misconception that feral cats can be eliminated by trapping, removing and killing them. It has been proven to be an ineffective method of controlling feral cat colonies. While using this approach, cat communities continue to explode.

A few Statistics per Havahart, October 9, 2012 that show how effective TNR is:
In the US alone, only 3% of free-roaming cats are neutered or spayed.
One female cat has the ability to produce roughly 100 kittens in seven years.
A female cat may reproduce two to three times a year.
Cats can become pregnant at 5 months of age.
In California alone, animal control agencies and shelters for cat-related expenses spend more than $50 million each year.
TNR costs roughly $50-$60 for the entire process, while it generally costs about $100-$105 to euthanize a cat.
Listed below are a few examples proving TNR works:
An 11 year study at the University of Florida, a TNR program was implemented and the number of cats on campus declined by 66%.
At the Univ. of Texas A&M, a TNR program was put into effect and sterilized 123 cats in one year – no new kittens the next year.
Berkley and San Diego County euthanasia rates dropped 50% since free sterilization and TNR programs were put into place.
Indianapolis Animal Care & Control experienced at 37% drop in feral cat intake since the Indy Feral program was started in 2002.
In a study done by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and Petsmart Charities, it states that to trap and kill feral cats nationally costs the tax payers $16 billion a year vs TNR programs that cost approximately $9 billion a year.
Please join us to become part of a humane answer to a difficult moral and social problem by making your generous and caring donation here.