Calvin "The Robert Down Cat" Needs Your Help
Spende geschützt
****
UPDATE: We are heart broken to tell you, we said goodbye to Calvin today. (July 3rd) please read our July 3rd update below to hear what happened.
Financial support is still appreciated. We gave Calvin every chance to get back to Robert Down Elementary, we are sorry he won’t be at the school this year with the kids. We are so proud to be part of this community that would rally behind Calvin. He loved you all.
Please keep reading to hear his story and how many lives he touched. If you have photos of him or stories to share please keep them coming. They are bringing a little bit of joy to our broken hearts.
****
Late Friday night (June 28th) Calvin was attacked on our driveway by two dogs running loose through the are of Robert Down Elementary in Pacific Grove, CA.
Calvin is the 30 lb cat who greets families before school at Robert Down Elementary in Pacific Grove. Most of you who have had the pleasure of meeting our huge friendly cat know him as a sweet, lovable and social giant who walks the halls of Robert Down Elementary. He's always hoping to get pets and scratches from the kids who he loves so much. The kids and staff adore Calvin so dearly that he has become the unofficial mascot of Robert Down Elementary.

Calvin, a dog at heart, when not at Robert Down, or at home with us demanding snuggles, walks our neighborhood loving on anyone who he sees, running up to strangers and making people smile where ever he goes. You may even be one of the families on the regular rounds he takes to see his friends.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to our community members who jumped to action in Calvin’s time of critical need. While we were away on vacation and our pet sitter was home for the night, Calvin was attacked by two large breed dogs who had gotten loose. Several of our neighbors, some of whom we have never met but who know Calvin, jumped to his rescue by getting the dogs off of him and calling the police, who promptly arrived. The neighborhood came out to help locate Calvin who had gone to hide while others went to find the dogs. Our community came together in ways that have brought us to tears and saved our amazing Calvin.

A wonderful couple found Calvin, scooped him up and took him to a night time emergency vet. Others followed, visiting Calvin while we were away so he had friendly faces in his critical time and reaching out to us to let us know what had happened. They have all expressed how special Calvin is to their families and their willingness to help in any way.

Now for the sad details:
Calvin's first night was spent with a team of doctors trying to get him stable. True to his nature, Calvin was already purring before he was stabilized.
On day two, a special surgeon came in from another location who performed operations to repair crushing damage to his belly, groin, hips and back legs, as well as tearing and crushing damage to his chest. During the four-hour operation, the surgeon realized the damage they saw on the outside was only about 10% of what was actually wrong. Calvin underwent a tremendous amount of reconstruction and tissue removal, where dead tissue torn away from his muscle was cleaned up. The muscles on his chest were torn from tooth drag, but repairable. His entire rib cage was crushed, and in a surgery not typically performed on cats because of their petite size, the surgeon successfully rebuilt Calvin's rib cage and sternum.
Calvin made it through the surgery, but is not out of the woods by any means. The soft tissue damage he endured required large amounts of tissue removal. Healing this tissue damage is the most critical part of his recovery. The doctors have placed several devices in him to drain fluids and are doing everything they can to maintain blood flow to areas where he sustained the most damage. This includes special devices, procedures and laser therapy to help the healing process. If these are successful, Calvin will recover and be back at Robert Down for the first day of school with Remi our son, who starts Kindergarten this year.
Prior to the surgery we were given an estimate of $5,000 to perform the operation and stay in the hospital for several days. After getting part way through the procedures, the surgeon realized the damage was much more extensive. In the afternoon we received a call from the surgeon that Calvin made it through the surgery. However, because of the unforeseen tissue damage, the surgery and time in the hospital was going to easily cost more than $10,000. (Latest update from Vet was $12,000)
We are asking that you help Calvin by helping us with his medical expenses. He still has 7-9 years left in him if he recovers. He is the most special cat. We are so thankful we got to be his people and it has been a blessing raising him and watching him become the friendly giant he is. Thank you to The Pet Specialists of Monterey for your skilled hands and big hearts. We know Calvin is in the best care.

What happened to Calvin is unfortunate and horrible, but because of the neighbors who came together to help him and rushed him to an emergency vet, he is still here and still Calvin. He is facing a very hard and long recovery and is still considered critical, but the vet says he still purrs and rubs his face on anyone who comes near.
All Calvin wants is to get back home to his now very large and extended family, our amazing PG community. Calvin is so special to so many and we are forever grateful for those who stepped in while we were gone. Thank you truly. We wish we knew everyone of you and could hug you in person.

If you are able to, please help us help Calvin by donating and sharing his story.
UPDATE: We are heart broken to tell you, we said goodbye to Calvin today. (July 3rd) please read our July 3rd update below to hear what happened.
Financial support is still appreciated. We gave Calvin every chance to get back to Robert Down Elementary, we are sorry he won’t be at the school this year with the kids. We are so proud to be part of this community that would rally behind Calvin. He loved you all.
Please keep reading to hear his story and how many lives he touched. If you have photos of him or stories to share please keep them coming. They are bringing a little bit of joy to our broken hearts.
****
Late Friday night (June 28th) Calvin was attacked on our driveway by two dogs running loose through the are of Robert Down Elementary in Pacific Grove, CA.
Calvin is the 30 lb cat who greets families before school at Robert Down Elementary in Pacific Grove. Most of you who have had the pleasure of meeting our huge friendly cat know him as a sweet, lovable and social giant who walks the halls of Robert Down Elementary. He's always hoping to get pets and scratches from the kids who he loves so much. The kids and staff adore Calvin so dearly that he has become the unofficial mascot of Robert Down Elementary.
Calvin, a dog at heart, when not at Robert Down, or at home with us demanding snuggles, walks our neighborhood loving on anyone who he sees, running up to strangers and making people smile where ever he goes. You may even be one of the families on the regular rounds he takes to see his friends.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to our community members who jumped to action in Calvin’s time of critical need. While we were away on vacation and our pet sitter was home for the night, Calvin was attacked by two large breed dogs who had gotten loose. Several of our neighbors, some of whom we have never met but who know Calvin, jumped to his rescue by getting the dogs off of him and calling the police, who promptly arrived. The neighborhood came out to help locate Calvin who had gone to hide while others went to find the dogs. Our community came together in ways that have brought us to tears and saved our amazing Calvin.
A wonderful couple found Calvin, scooped him up and took him to a night time emergency vet. Others followed, visiting Calvin while we were away so he had friendly faces in his critical time and reaching out to us to let us know what had happened. They have all expressed how special Calvin is to their families and their willingness to help in any way.
Now for the sad details:
Calvin's first night was spent with a team of doctors trying to get him stable. True to his nature, Calvin was already purring before he was stabilized.
On day two, a special surgeon came in from another location who performed operations to repair crushing damage to his belly, groin, hips and back legs, as well as tearing and crushing damage to his chest. During the four-hour operation, the surgeon realized the damage they saw on the outside was only about 10% of what was actually wrong. Calvin underwent a tremendous amount of reconstruction and tissue removal, where dead tissue torn away from his muscle was cleaned up. The muscles on his chest were torn from tooth drag, but repairable. His entire rib cage was crushed, and in a surgery not typically performed on cats because of their petite size, the surgeon successfully rebuilt Calvin's rib cage and sternum.
Calvin made it through the surgery, but is not out of the woods by any means. The soft tissue damage he endured required large amounts of tissue removal. Healing this tissue damage is the most critical part of his recovery. The doctors have placed several devices in him to drain fluids and are doing everything they can to maintain blood flow to areas where he sustained the most damage. This includes special devices, procedures and laser therapy to help the healing process. If these are successful, Calvin will recover and be back at Robert Down for the first day of school with Remi our son, who starts Kindergarten this year.
Prior to the surgery we were given an estimate of $5,000 to perform the operation and stay in the hospital for several days. After getting part way through the procedures, the surgeon realized the damage was much more extensive. In the afternoon we received a call from the surgeon that Calvin made it through the surgery. However, because of the unforeseen tissue damage, the surgery and time in the hospital was going to easily cost more than $10,000. (Latest update from Vet was $12,000)
We are asking that you help Calvin by helping us with his medical expenses. He still has 7-9 years left in him if he recovers. He is the most special cat. We are so thankful we got to be his people and it has been a blessing raising him and watching him become the friendly giant he is. Thank you to The Pet Specialists of Monterey for your skilled hands and big hearts. We know Calvin is in the best care.
What happened to Calvin is unfortunate and horrible, but because of the neighbors who came together to help him and rushed him to an emergency vet, he is still here and still Calvin. He is facing a very hard and long recovery and is still considered critical, but the vet says he still purrs and rubs his face on anyone who comes near.
All Calvin wants is to get back home to his now very large and extended family, our amazing PG community. Calvin is so special to so many and we are forever grateful for those who stepped in while we were gone. Thank you truly. We wish we knew everyone of you and could hug you in person.
If you are able to, please help us help Calvin by donating and sharing his story.
Organisator
Bobbi Jean Wood
Organisator
Pacific Grove, CA