Cat Rescue Stories:
Ever wonder where your donations and sponsorships go? Here are some of the many amazing stories where YOU have helped make the difference in a cat’s life. Thank you so much for your help in our efforts to save lives!
SEVENS came to the rescue in Aug 2023 with 4 kittens. Someone said this cat kept coming in and out of their apartment and was friendly and they didn’t really know how to care for the kittens. Fosters Rob and Wendy took them in and gave them the best care. Sevens was highly active but still had to be watched as she didn’t understand she was now to be an inside kitty. Her sons Fudge and Pudding were adopted first. Then came her turn. Her new name is LUMI (Finnish for snow) and she is doing great. Her new family loves how gentle she is with their toddler and adores her high energy, playful personality. We are excited to announce her other 2 sons, S’mores and Brownie were just adopted as well---happy endings for a happy kitty family.
TIMOTHY was taken from a hoarding situation in Jul 2023. This sweet boy was scared, underweight and his fur was thin and matted. He went to PetSmart where our wonderful volunteers took care of him and tried to socialize him. He was okay around other cats, but was still shy and fearful. Then, Mitch and Christie took him into their home to foster. He warmed up to them immediately and was fine with their cats and dogs. Not long after, he found his forever home. His new mom loves how playful and affectionate he is and his purrrsonality has really come a long way. His beautiful fur has filled out too and he’s a handsome kitty.
BELLA was called into us Nov 2023 by someone who found a sick kitten in their yard. Upon arrival, she was immediately rushed to the vet as her right eye was bulging severely. Thanks to your donations, she was able to get her eye removed and all of the aftercare needed. A previous adopter saw her story and just had to have her. Now named CYCLOPS, she is doing great and loving life. She is completely spoiled by her new mom and we love to see it.
PRECIOUS was found on a property with a horrible hoarding problem at the end of Sep 2023. All of the animals were malnourished and the home was uninhabitable. The owners have had the authorities contacted about the conditions many times and yet there are still animals suffering there. Precious was malnourished, full of fleas, parasites and maggots, but also had a tiny kitten she was trying to care for, but couldn't as she was in such bad condition herself. Upon taking her in, we noticed a prolapsed uterine and immediately took her to Crystal Creek Animal Hospital for emergency surgery. The surgery went well, but sadly, she passed away not long after. Foster Lisa took Tater Tot in and has been giving him the best of care. So far, he is doing really well and we have high hopes he will become highly adoptable soon. 
SALLY was called into us by a concerned citizen in Sep 2023. She had an apparent neck wound but was very friendly, coming up to just anyone for attention. We immediately took her to Crystal Creek Animal Hospital where it was discovered she had an embedded hair tie that had cut into her neck and face. Poor Sally needed surgery to remove it and volunteers Rob & Wendy took on the challenge of helping her heal. She has made a full recovery and looks fantastic! She is still a very affectionate, playful, fun kitty who is hoping to find her forever home soon.
MERLIN was given to us in Sep 2021 along with his mom, Legacy, and 3 siblings. The owner could not care for them. He got sick with a bad upper respiratory infection and as a result, lost the use of one eye. Despite this, Merlin is still a friendly, gentle and loving boy who purrs as soon as you pet him. His mom and siblings were adopted and Merlin has patiently waited for his turn. We’re looking forward to seeing him find his foreve home. 
In October 2022, a friend of the rescue passed away and we ended up with close to 20 cats as a result. Many of them needed vet care/updates and socializing. Some have long term health issues and will stay with the rescue but many have been adopted out or are available for adoption now. We look forward to helping the remaining kitties find wonderful forever homes. So far Loretta, Macy, Maggie, Melissa, Miranda, Madison, Benji and Baily, Misty and Molly have been adopted. December is in a foster to adopt home. Scooter is still available for adoption. Jupiter, Pluto, Jack, Pablo and Cindy are being evaluated to see if they'll be available for adoption or will stay long term with the rescue. Be sure to have a plan for what happens to your pets when you pass away and a folder with all their records and info to make it easier for whomever has them next.
SOLVEIGH came to us in May 2022. She was in a trailer park with her 6 kittens and had a UTI. The foster took great care of the mom and babies and they have all been adopted. The new family renamed her Kibblers. Below are pics of Solveigh and her babies.
STRIPE was found in August 2022, near a hotel and wasn’t breathing well. The vet discovered he had a Diaphragmatic Hernia. Cats born with this condition have a tear or disruption of the diaphragm which causes a hole that must be corrected in order for the animal to survive. If not addressrf, contents from the stomach, liver and intestine can enter the chest cavity and cause major problems. Thanks to your donations, he got the surgery needed to save his life and is healing well. We are thrilled that he is going to a new home with his BFF Moo. Congrats to all.
SOPHIA TWIGGY was found in February of 2022 in horrible shape by one of our volunteers. We ended up having to do 2 fundraisers just to get her back in good shape. Our first one was for instant hospitalization, blood work, addressing fleas, mange, parasites and anemia. She had a growth on her nose, was missing a ton of fur and had a large wound near her tail area. The vet noted her tail would need to be amputated once she had gained weight and was healthier. By May 2022, she was ready for her amputation surgery. She has been improving and gaining weight. Thank you to all who donated to and shared her fundraiser on social media.
JAX came to us in early Jan 2022 after someone found him in their yard. He was sick and had an eye infection. He has since been treated and is a super, loving and gentle boy. We hope showcasing him at PetSmart will help him find his forever home soon.
In Dec 2021, we got a call from a desperate realtor. He was trying to help sell a house that was in terrible shape and full of cats. The cats were all malnourished, sick, NOT FIXED and full of fleas and parasites. Thank you to everyone who donated to their fundraisers to offset some of the costs. Sadly, a kitten named Hope didn't survive, even with immediate hospitalization. Gigi & Rosie, Opal & Ivan, Mittens & Snowball, Kenley, Kira, Linus & Lucy, Tipper all found homes in 2022. Ivy & Chandler were able to find a home together in 2023 and we hope to get the rest into forever homes soon. Thank you so much to all who've donated and to all the volunteers who've fostered or taken care of these pawsome kitties at our pet store locations.
EMERALD came to us in Oct 2021 when someone called her into us. She was another kitty covered in mange and full of parasites. We treated her and slowly her real beauty became highly evident, plus she was super sweet. We are proud to see how far she's come and found her a great forever home. 
NITRO came to us in September of 2021. He was found after being hit by a car. His foot had been badly damaged and needed to be amputated ASAP. Thanks to your donations, he was able to get the surgery he needed and has found his forever home. This boy is still Mr. High Energy and loves running around with the cats and dogs in his home. 
JADE came to us Sep 2021 as a man found her covered in mange. While it may look terrible, mange is actually really easy to get rid of. Two doses of Revolution spaced out two weeks apart and boom, kitty looks lifetimes better and feels great too. Jade is a very sweet and loving kitten and we were very happy we could help her, get her fixed and ready for adoption. The last picture is in her forever home where she is adored.
Thank you to our Guardian Angels (monthly donors) who make rescues like this possible!
CARMINE came to us in Jun 2021. Someone found him under a bridge, very thin and too weak to move. Upon arrival, he was immediately hospitalized due to severe malnourishment. After a lot of work and patience, we moved him from a feeding tube (pic 2) and were able to start syringe feeding him. Finally, he's eating normally and is a healthy weight. You can see how much better he is doing just in his fur. Your continued donations help us save cats like Carmine. In January 2023, we got the best update....Carmine, now Max, has been adopted and is loving life in his new home. He has a screened porch (pictured) where he enjoys daily sun and bird watching.
SPECS was called into us in Mar 2021 with very severely infected eyes. The vet was hoping we could treat it and not have to remove both eyes. While the treatment did help a lot and brought down much of the swelling, in the end, it was determined the eyes had to go. Ever full of energy and ready to run, jump and play, Specs was never one to let anything hold him down. After surgery (pic 3), he was back to his crazy antics of climbing ladders and jumping off cat towers. His new family say he's exactly what they were looking for and they love life with him (pic 4). Thank you to those who donated to his fundraiser to help him get his eye surgery.
JILLIAN came to us in Feb 2021 with what appeared to be a dead tail. It simply just hung there and didn't move. The vet confirmed it needed to be amputated. Thanks to your donations for her fundraiser, Jillian was able to get the surgery and meds she needed. She is now a healthy and pretty girl who loves to wander and explore.
Vinny came to us in Feb 2021, after being found in a yard. We took him to the vet who advised us to euthanize him. He was very sick with upper respiratory issues, full of parasite and had a bacterial infection. We were told he was so sick, he might even need his eyes removed. His foster was willing to fight and so were we. So after months of medicines and daily care, this beautiful, happy, healthy kitten emerged. He's so loving and purrs the moment you come near him. He's a heart stealer for sure. We can't wait until he weighs enough to get adopted. Whoever adopts him will be so lucky. What a great cat!
Cosmo was surrendered to us in May 2020 when the owners saw he was sick and couldn't afford to care for him. Many kittens get sick and it's imperative to get them their booster series of vaccines to prevent this, starting at 8 wks of age. (See your vet for details) His foster was determined to heal him. It took quite a while and many rounds of meds but he finally was healthy. His one eye has a permanent haze as a result, but other than that, he is great....and even better....he was adopted and loves his new home. Thank you to all of you who donate and support us. Your funds go to help cats like Cosmo on their path to adoption.
Charlie was found in June 2020, abandoned at a vacant property in the worse shape. He was malnourished and could barely stand. An upper respiratory infection had taken a hold on him and he'd stopped eating and drinking. He was immediately brought to Crystal Creek Animal Hospital and it was determined he had lost so much weight that they only way he'd survive was with a hospital stay. Your generous donations of $750 provided IV fluids, the ability to force feed him and give him the life saving medications he needed. He is a very loving cat and purred the entire time. We hope he's able to recover and find a happy furrrrever home. Update: sadly Charlie didn't make it. They don't always survive. But we were glad we could help him be in less pain in his remaining days. Thank you for all your support for sweet Charlie.
In April 2020, Landin was found in the most unbelievable shape. This poor boy was missing fur, had hook and tape worms, had a dilated rectum that made it difficult for him to go, was underweight and anemic and had horrific mange. Pic 2 is from June and you can see the vast improvements! Who knew his fur was black and brown and so pretty? Donations from you helped us pay for the very expensive care this kitty required to be happy and healthy again.
In May 2020, Tangerine came to us with hookworms and a horrible case of sarcoptic mange. A lot of fur was missing and he looked and felt terrible. Within weeks, he was looking tons better and his sweet purrrsonality came out more and more. Tangerine LOVES people and to be pet and will rub all over you, purring. He's still got more healing to do but thanks to your generous donations, we can continue to treat this kitty and prepare him for a new home.
In April 2020, Sunny came to us with a ruptured and badly infected eye. The foster feared the eye would have to be removed but thanks to our great vet, Dr. Vergel, at Crystal Creek Animal Hospital, he was able to figure out a way to save it by just using medication, but it was costly. Due to your generous donations of $500, she was able to get the right meds and her eye is looking better and better every day. Thank you!
In Feb 2020, it was discovered that poor Bojangles had FIP. Feline Infectiouos Peritonitis was previously a death sentence and most vets recommended euthanasia as there was no cure. Recently, products like GS and Mutain have come on the market and many have had success with these treatments in overcoming FIP. The trade off is, it's VERY EXPENSIVE. We pleaded with our followers and supporters to donate and help us save this kitty. Your donations of over $1,300 have helped his foster afford the 6 week treatments needed to save his life. He continues to improve and a recent vet visit and bloodwork analysis showed his levels are good. Yay!
November 2019 brought us Brady. Brady was found with a damaged tail and we feared infection or worse. Crystal Creek Animal Hospital said amputation was the answer. Your donations of $595 helped Brady have the surgery he needed to be a healthy and happy cat. He looks great now and loves to curl up with his foster mommy every night.
Summer of 2019 brought Lilly to us. The beautiful calico was having a hard time getting around and it was discovered that she needed hip surgery. The funds you donated helped her receive the surgery she needed for a better life and soon after she was adopted by a wonderful woman who also adopted Bean from us. We are so grateful and happy you were able to help us give Lilly the best life and future.
In 2013, we were able to rescue a group of kittens from a pipe. Everyone came together to help save them. Spay the Strays was able to get them cleaned up, healthy and homed.
In 2015, Dakota came to us in very rough shape. We gave him the medical care, food and love he needed. What a difference it made. He looks like a new kitty!
In 2015, Lily was found and had been abandoned. Vacationers came across her and fed her and helped take care of her. They went home knowing Spay the Strays had Lily in their care. Upon returning to Canada, they realized they missed her terribly and wanted her in their life. They contacted our director, Anita, to see if there was any way they could have her. Anita arranged for Lily to join them in Ontario and she has a true forever home now!
In 2015, Chance and Chunzie came to us a part of what we called the Eyelid Kitten Group. The kittens needed medical care and lots of good nutrition and love. The group of 6 were able to recover and most of them were adopted, but for some reason, Chance and Chunzie weren’t able to find the right owners. Then, in 2019, a woman saw them at one of our adoption events and decided to adopt Chunzie, now Malbec. A few months later, she decided she needed to take Chance as well. Chance immediately felt he was home and was thrilled to be reunited with his brother. All are doing well and their owner still sends us regular updates on how wonderful these boys are doing.
In 2017, Sparkie was found at 2 months of age. He had a very bad eye infection and had to have one of his eyes removed. He joined a foster family right around the time Hurricane Irma hit the area. Despite this, donations from you helped him get the medical care necessary to make a full recovery. His foster family fell in love with him and decided to adopt him. He loves life in his furrrever home. 
In 2018, Florida was experiencing a severe cold snap and temperatures were near freezing. Mystery was found, in the cold, barely moving. She was rushed to the emergency vet where it was discovered her body temperature was very low and she refused to eat. Thanks to $1,000 in donations by you, she received the medical care she needed to bring her back to life. After her hospital stay, she still needed a good home to recover in and receive daily fluid injections as well as hand feeding to build her strength back up. Her foster family did this for five months and soon after, a family member met Mystery fell in love. They soon adopted her. Now Mystery travels wherever her military family goes and they are completely inseparable. 
In 2018, Three 6-week-old kittens were found by a nice lady. She started feeding them and noted the mother cat wasn’t around much and wasn’t interested in taking care of the kittens. She also found out a neighbor didn’t want them around and intended on doing them harm. She contacted Spay the Strays and Venom, Panda and Thor joined our Spay the Strays family. We were able to raise $150 for their care and found them happy homes (Venom and Thor going together to the same family).
In 2019, Butterscotch was found, left in the children’s section of a library. She as lethargic and needed immediate medical care. Your $285 helped her receive the fluids, antibiotics and eye medications necessary to get her well and help her find a happy furrrever home.
In 2019, Liberty came to Spay the Strays, desperately needing our help. This poor boy was underweight, had eye issues and was in really bad shape. Unfortunately, both of his eyes had to be surgically removed to due a severe eye infection; however, he is making great progress otherwise. Thank you to the many donations that flooded in toward his care and for food, toys and cat furniture (which he LOVES), he continues to improve every day.
In 2019, Petal was rescued along with her mother, Sunflower, and siblings Bud-Asher, Honeybee and Clover. Petal had a severe eye infection and your $100 donations got her the treatment and care she needed to get healthy and find the purrrfect forever home. Petal adores the other kitty in her new adoptive family's home and they are bffs!
In 2019, Rocky Rusty came to Spay the Strays with severe mouth issues. Your donations allowed him to have the necessary mouth surgery for extractions and to treat the Stomatitis and Gingivitis that caused him much pain. He continues to heal and is grateful for all the care he's gotten.
Update: we're sad to report he passed away in 2021.
In 2019, the Polka Dot Kitten Group and mom, Kirumi, came to Spay the Strays. This young mom and her babies needed medical care and a foster home. Your donations of $150 helped Kirumi, Sailor Moon, Sappho, Rantaro, Shiro and Sora get the care and vaccinations they needed. They are all looking forward to finding the right furrrever homes soon.
In 2019, Nacho was found with vision issues, was near paralysis and fell into a coma. It was discovered he had a severe fungal infection called Cryptococcosis. Your donations helped him get the care he needed. Today, his eyesight has returned and he’s doing great. Sadly, Nacho passed away in Feb 2020. We were all saddened, especially Anita. Nacho will always be remembered for the amazing kitty he was.
In 2019, Rosaline was rescued by Spay the Strays. This four-month-old kitten was not eating, was lethargic, weak and wasn’t walking normally. Your $1,280 helped her get x-rays, bloodwork, ultrasounds and medicine to help treat Anemia and Thrombocytopenia (which had caused her a seizure and vomiting). It was also discovered she needed surgery to remove an ear polyp. This sweet girl is a fighter and is getting stronger and better each day. She now runs and plays with the other foster kitties and loves just being a normal cat.
