Briar came into my life unexpectedly, and he’s changed it in ways I never imagined. He was found on the side of the road by a woman who runs a dog rescue, and she brought him to my house on her way to a kitty rescue. The rescue was full, so I offered to take Briar and his brother in, giving them a safe place to recover while we got them neutered, tested, and vaccinated. At first, we thought Briar was about twelve weeks old, but it turned out he was actually six months old—he was just so severely malnourished that he looked much younger. With a lot of care and patience, we nursed both kittens back to health.

Just when we thought Briar was finally on the mend, the vets discovered his jaw was broken. The vet said he was thrown out of a car at a high speed. He has a constant infection that created an abscess, and pus would come out. His jaw is crooked, and his front bottom tooth actually goes into the roof of his mouth. The vets warned that he would probably get sepsis and die, but Briar proved them wrong. Four months later, he’s still here—walking on a leash, going hiking, and living life as a true adventure cat. He lines up at the door every day, eager to explore the world.

Briar’s journey hasn’t been easy. He lives off wet food, probiotics, antibiotics, and pain medicine drops, and I’ve done everything I can to help him, including maxing out a credit card and applying to cat sanctuaries for support. He has an appointment on January 28th with a vet who truly cares, after calling twelve different clinics. Many said he was “just a rescue” and suggested letting him go, but I can’t give up on him. Briar needs surgery to repair his jaw and more x-rays to assess the damage. The cost is overwhelming, but I want to do everything I can to give him a chance at a happy, healthy life. Any support will help Briar get the care he needs and keep his adventurous spirit alive.