LYFF was recently called in to help save dozens of cats and kittens from what had turned into a hoarding situation. The homeowners meant well when they began trying to help neighborhood felines, but things quickly got out of hand. By the time LYFF stepped in, carriers at the ready, there were some 80-100 cats in a single house—none of them spayed or neutered.
Over the course of a few weeks, LYFF collected 63 cats from the home, which maxed out our fostering capacity. And then we set to work getting them healthy and socialized.
Treating Physical Symptoms
Every single feline we took in had an upper respiratory infection (URI). Some were mild colds, others were far more serious. Some cats’ eyes were already sealed shut from the URIs, and while some healed after diligent treatment, three cats required enucleation (eye-removal) surgeries.
In seven-month-old Frankie’s case, he had no eyes when LYFF took him in—we believe he’d gotten a URI before his eyes ever opened, and he’d never had vision—that he required double enucleation surgery. Recovering from that was also a challenge for Frankie, who required multiple revision surgeries to fight off infection and completely heal. This beautiful, if skinny, Siamese boy continues to stoically endure his last days wearing a cone, while his human caretakers promise him better times ahead.
In addition to URIs, most of the felines we took in had giardia, an easily treated intestinal infection. Many of them also had skin issues from malnutrition and scabs from fights, whether that was males pinning down females, males fighting for dominance, or any of them fighting for food. LYFF also provided lots of dental exams, cleanings, and extractions for various cats, as well as a leg amputation for Peggy, who was born with a deformed hind leg and a missing foot.
It’s been a long road, but we’re pleased to report that all of the felines in our care are physically healed or healing.
Socializing Them All
We’ve also been working hard to treat the mental and emotional wounds that many of the rescued felines carry—and in many cases, the physical symptoms were the easiest to fix.
Take the example of three young females: Fay, LuluBelle, and Fern. This trio, two Siamese and a tortie, arrived at their new foster with emotional and physical traumas. Like so many of the kitties LYFF took in, they were under socialized, malnourished, and had active sores, scabs, and fur loss. They were so scared that at first their new foster parent thought they were feral. Fortunately, structure, love, and consistency have turned their lives around. The foster was tremendously patient, pushing them out of their comfort zones just a little bit at a time. As she said, “As any cat person knows, the key ingredient is love. I love these cats so much, and I believe they know they can depend on me without disappointment. They’ve had a beautiful recovery.”
Most kitties arrived like this, cowering in their carriers.
Lulu, Fay, and Fern today:
Another discovery for this group of cats was toys. Many LYFF foster parents experienced the same mix of heartbreak and joy watching kitties as much as 12 months old play with toys for the first time.
Some of our foster parents took in mamas and babies, like Helena and her trio of babies Harold, Hamilton, and Henrietta. They all struggled with giardia and Hamilton especially struggled to gain weight, but with time and medicine, they blossomed. Mama Helena was a trooper caring for her babies, and tolerated humans while she was nursing, but once the babies were weaned, she wanted nothing to do with us. She was able to be placed in a barn home with other unsocialized kitties from the original house. Meanwhile her babies are thriving and will shortly be available for adoption.
Time For a Lot of Second Chances
LYFF’s mission is to give cats and kittens a second chance at life, and we’re confident we’ve met our goal with these cats and kittens. One, two, or three at a time, they are making their way to our adoption events and our adoption center, ready to find happy homes where they’ll never again know deprivation or competition for resources. Where they’ll always know love.
LYFF wants to thank the volunteers who put so much work into securing the cats, our volunteer foster parents who showed them what a good life could look like, and our donors who helped us pay for all of the medical expenses they required. Some of these kitties might require a little extra patience as they settle into their new lives post-adoption, but it’s nothing compared to how far they’ve come!
To find out more about the kitties mentioned above, watch our Adopt page and meet them at one of our PetSmart adoption events or at our Adoption Center’s Cuddle Hours. And donate today to help us pay our bills for these and other kitties who need lifesaving support!