A beautiful white kitten was adopted one Saturday, hoping it was his forever home. He was brought back the next day with an injury to his head and his front right leg. There was no explanation as to how he was injured. Save Our Strays took him to our veterinarian and amputation was the only solution due to the extensive breaks in the leg. The cost of this surgery exceeded $1,000. See photos of Lefty below at the vet's office before and after surgery.
Unfortunately, as careful as we try to be with our adoptions, these scenarios happen. How can people hurt animals like this?
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This page is dedicated to all of the cats abandoned by their people, left to survive - or not - on the streets around this country. Although we live in the most densely populated county in Florida, this problem is found throughout the country. There are feral cat colonies which have been created from pets dumped out like garbage and forced to fight for food and subsequently learning to not trust humans, thus making them forever outdoor cats. Not only do we receive injured cats from concerned citizens, we adopt out cats and then are horrified when they are returned with severe injuries (as you'll see below) and of course no explanation as to how these injuries were sustained. We seem to be fighting an uphill battle which no amount of education is affecting. Who hasn't heard the spay/neuter message? And yet there are cats, abandoned, everywhere with only a few citizens taking their time, and money, to help them.
Save Our Strays, Inc. has many dedicated volunteers and supporters, which enables us to care for cats that most organizations would not help, whether due to finances or manpower. The cat shown here, Evan, has mange, which is caused by a mite that burrows into the cat's skin. Transmission is directly from cat to cat and people can also get this mite. The symptoms usually start with hair loss and itching on the ears and then spreads rapidly to the face, eyelids, and neck. The mites can also spread to the feet and lower abdomen. This characteristic spread probably occurs from the cat's habit of grooming, and sleeping curled up in a ball. As the disease progresses, the skin will become thickened, wrinkled, and covered with grayish/yellow crusts. Because of the intense itching, the infected cat will often scratch and irritate the skin causing secondary infections to develop.(from Drs Foster and Smith peteducation.com).
Evan was treated and survived this infection. Treatment and recovery took over eight months, during which time Save Our Strays incurred costs including veterinary care and food. Once Evan was well, he was neutered and has now been adopted to his forever home.
