Cami's Second Chance: Support Her Recovery

This is a story about a survivor named Cami and a kind person being in the right place at the right time to save her life.

*Before proceeding: Please take care if you read on. It contains pictures and descriptions of an open wound on a cat. Cami is ok.*

A brown tabby appeared on the porch of our Savage friend and neighbor Michelle and tucked herself into a covered house Michelle has available for community cats.

Michelle went out to meet the cat and immediately knew something was wrong. A foul odor was in the air. Michelle is a nurse and knew what this likely meant - this cat had a injury, a bad one.

Michelle called Savage Cats and my rescue partner Drue rushed over.

Cami in the porch cat house

Drue peeked into the cat house and saw her: exhausted, skin and bones, with a collar stuck around her neck and under her front right leg. Wasting no time, Drue rushed her to the vet.

Cami on her way to the vet

The vet carefully cut off the collar; it had been around the cat's leg so tightly for so long it was embedded in her skin. But, remarkably, the flesh of her open wound was still apparently healthy. Even though the wound was large and in a high-mobility place, the vet expected the cat, now known as Cami, to heal on her own.

Cami's open wound

We contacted Cami's registered owner the day we found her. They chose to surrender Cami to Savage Cats.

Michelle offered to foster Cami and, leaving her past behind, she was now in the best hands.

Cami put on healthy weight, bonded with Michelle, and started to enjoy the comfortable indoor life, but her wound stopped progressing (stalled at granulation tissue or the "proliferative phase of healing") and would not close (remodeling phase).

Cami's granulated tissue

On June 12, Cami had surgery to close her wound. The surgery went as well as it could - the wound was still so wide that it took extra time and care to bring the skin back together in a way that would hold.

Cami's convalescence crate

Cami's healing incision

Even with strict crate rest since her surgery, Cami's wound unfortunately has re-opened. We are working with her vet now on an action plan.

Cami's reopened wound

I covered the cost of the first surgery, but I would need help if another big expense is about to hit us.

Despite everything she has been through, Cami continues to eat, drink, use her litter box, and love on her foster family. She deserves every chance we can give her. Please share her story and help if you can.

With gratitude,

Karla, Savage Cats

p.s. Cats should only ever wear cat-safe collars. Cat-safe or "breakaway" collars will unclasp if a certain amount of force is applied, such as if that collar gets snagged on something that could trap or strangle the cat or if their leg get caught through their collar.