Blue's Second Chance
Last autumn I started caring for a colony of stray cats in an impoverished area in Kensington, Philadelphia, notorious for drugs and violence. Nestled between, the street side and slope to train tracks was covered in abandoned mattresses, mountains of garbage and needles. The train tracks next to the lot was where drug-users went to shoot up. I would occasionally be stopped by the police who asked what I was doing there, and if I was aware of the nature of the neighborhood.
The cats in the lot were dirty, sick and starving.
When winter approached I set up several insulated feral cats homes.
One day, on my usual feeding rounds, I turned around and saw a gray cat ready to slink away. I'll never forget the way he looked at me; torn between mistrust and hope. At first I hesitated to touch him and my heart broke seeing him in such bad shape. He wasn't having any of it, though, and I was privileged to receive a head butt to the hand and permission to pet. From that day on I would visit the lot to find him sunning himself outside his box, or coming out of it to greet me. I named him Old Blue. 
Blue wouldn't let me out of his sight. If I went to the other side of the lot to feed only moments passed before I heard him calling. I'd look over to see him hobbling towards me happily. I would spend time there despite weather, and Blue enjoyed the company.
Each time I left him I felt torn by a decision. I wanted to bring him home, but was equally afraid to face the possibility of needing to put him down and saying goodbye. If he had FIV we couldn't introduce him to our home cats- because the illness is transmittable by bite. I also knew he was sick and may not last the winter, despite shelter, food and water.
He was emaciated, covered in fleas, sneezed constantly, had eye drips and had such bad ear mites he had disoriented his ears, suffering head hair loss from persistent scratching.
One day I came to the lot and saw he had two abcesses, one on either side of his neck and one on his tail. It was February and around 25 degrees during the day. I knew it was time to take him to the vet irregardless of the outcome. His neck was wet with pus and blood. He was sick and losing precious body heat. I realized he was fighting other cats for his home and decided it would be better for him to spend the rest of his short life warm, well fed and on a soft bed.
I was ecstatic when the vet confirmed he was FIV and Leukemia negative! The vet also said Blue was 6 years old and could live a happy and long life.
There was bad news with the good.
Blue needed several teeth pulled. One was cracked, another chipped with a nerve exposed. The others were rotting, most had already fallen out, and a bad gum infection. He had four salvagable teeth in the back of his mouth. Between three vet visits, dental surgery, neutering, miticide, blood tests and physical exam's the bill was $750.
Last week I noticed Blue was urinating blood. I took him back to the vet who confirmed he had a UTI, needed a UV and two weeks treatment of antibiotics, steroids and another cycle of miticide.
This bill was an additional $238. The vet called a few days later, having received the urine exam results, telling me Blue has diabetes and may need his ear canals expanded, due to the severity of ear mites and the size of the canals. It will otherwise be impossible to eliminate the mites. This is an estimated additional $360/year insulin cost, and ear canal surgery may be around $600.
Despite seemingly endless health issues, Blue has blossomed in our home. He is passive with Twiggy and Zia, and is now boyfriend to a mama cat we are fostering with her 5 kittens. I think he has scottish fold and russian blue in him- he has the quirky personality of a fold, and is not the most graceful or lithe of creatures, but it only serves to add to his charm . He follows me through the apartment and sleeps on (his) pillow, next to my head every night. He is as loyal and sweet as cats come, perfectly content just 'being there'. I can't tell you how much joy I feel seeing him warm, safe and loved.
Blue isn't responsible for having been abandoned, or the number of ailments he's acquired from years of neglect. No animal is.
I am reaching out to GoFundMe because I believe he can recover and still has a number of happy years ahead. Something speaks to me about his ability to love and trust after all he's been through. It's important for me to provide the safety and love he's missed.
All proceeds will go to Blue's care. Any remaining funds will go to Green Street Rescue, a non-profit cat rescue in Philadelphia, whom I work for. There is no donation too small. Thank you.
