Help Lauren Save and Rehabilitate an Abandoned Cat

•OCTOBER 31ST UPDATE•

Cowboy is thankfully looking so much better than the day we trapped him! His coat is looking full and wounds are healed, which is a huge relief for us. He has a room to himself and loves to nap in his cat cube and sit in the window. He now immediately jumps onto his window spot when I come into the room, and he likes to sit and watch us as long as we are in there. We still haven’t been able to pet him, but we know that will take a while since the abuse he came from. He will eat his dinner only two feet away from me, and sometimes will come out to sniff a treat we are holding. We are making progress very slowly, but I think it’s going well. We have decided to keep him since we see people posting about pets they decide to get rid of on a daily basis. We would hate for someone to take him and decide they couldn’t keep him or that they didn’t like him. With us, we know he will always be safe, warm, fed, and off the streets. We have been feeding him canned food and have been going through a lot since he was underweight. If you have any cans of cat food you don’t need, we would love to take it off your hands! We have also been soaking dry food and offering him lots of treats. Please let us know if you have any advice for helping him settle more, and getting to a place where we can pet him so he doesn’t have to be afraid anymore. Thank you! Pictures below to show you how’s he’s doing today!

•OCTOBER 1ST UPDATE•

Cowboy had his second vet appointment today and we were able to get all the shots he needed done! It’s estimated that he is about 5 years old, and I’m thinking he weighs about 8lbs. We have been feeding him as much dry and canned food as he wants, and today he got a special can of salmon after his vet appointment. He will now hangout on the windowsill area when I’m in the room and doesn’t get scared when I refill his food or hand him a treat. He is still too scared to be pet and won’t take a treat from my hand, but he is definitely learning that we are here to love him and help him. Poor guy is still a little thin for his size, and has gone through so much. If you have any cans of food your cats won’t eat, or unscented litter you aren’t using, we’d sure appreciate it as he still has a long road ahead of him. Pictures below are from his car ride back from the vet, and him enjoying some salmon once home.

•SEPTEMBER 18th UPDATE•

After a week in the crate getting used to all the smells and sounds of our house, Cowboy has just been released into our extra bedroom. He is starting to gain weight which is a HUGE win for us. He is also starting to eat in front of me (Lauren) and let me touch him for just a second at a time. We ordered a two story cat hiding tower for him so that he has a place of his own to feel safe. Right now he just has lots of hiding spots that we made for him in shelves and behind furniture. His next vet appointment is on October 1st, which is where he will get booster shots and a closer checkup on other things that might need attention. Poor guy is absolutely terrified of people still, but him warming up to me even a tiny bit has been so exciting. Please enjoy the updated photos below.

•SEPTEMBER 10th UPDATE•

After three nights of trying to catch Cowboy, we got him! My husband made a trap we could trigger from inside the house, and with some tasty salmon, we caught him after two hours of waiting and watching! He of course hates being in a crate, but he is just too crazy to be let out quite yet. The crate is a huge dog one, and it’s about the size of one at the humane society or bigger. He’s got blankets, a litter box, a toy, and food and water in there. We are hoping that after a week, he will have calmed down enough so that we can start trying to pet him and show our only intentions are to help and love him!

•FRIDAY UPDATE•

Cowboy ate a little bit of food this morning which is a great sign. We are closely monitoring him since he has FIV and could go downhill quickly if he starts feeling rough. He’s pretty exhausted right now and we are checking on him every hour. Hoping he will eat again tonight and start perking up tomorrow!

•MEDICAL UPDATE•

I think we’ve settled on the name “Cowboy” for our rescue boy. He was at the veterinary office today and was neutered, vaccinated, treated for worms, fleas, ticks, and ear mites, microchipped, and tested for any diseases. He tested positive for FIV which is basically feline AIDS, and will need to become an indoor only cat. He will be back for a checkup in three weeks, and hopefully we will find out roughly how old he is. Our best guess is 4-6 years old, but we are no professionals. He’s got an entire shed to himself with lots of hiding places, and we will give you an updated photo as soon as we can get close to him! Any donated money will go towards his medical bills, which are currently at $600 and will probably continue to grow.

•UPDATE ON STRAY•

Thanks to all of you, the stray cat that we are calling “Ranger” or “Cowboy” was caught last night and is now being fixed, vaccinated, microchiped, dewormed, treated for fleas and ticks, and getting other health concerns checked out! Huge shoutout to HomeTown Animal Hospital for getting him seen so quickly!

Thank you to everyone who has given cans of food and litter to us. This guy is going to have a long road to recovery, but will be back home with us today to be spoiled and rehabilitated. We have an entire shed for him to stay in until he is safe enough to get close to. If you have any cozy cat items you don’t need, we would love to use them for him. I will be spending today shopping and making sure he has everything he needs.

•UPDATE

Kitty (let’s call him Ranger or Cowboy for now), has been caught and is safe indoors. We will be making veterinary appointments in the morning and start any medical treatment needed. We will update again once we hear from the vet on what needs to be done.

Hello! My name is Lauren and we are currently in the process of taking care of an abandoned cat. His owner passed away and the people who moved in didn’t want him around. Based off of how long we’ve been next door, he has been on his own for a year. He has obviously been abused since he is now terrified of people, his ribs and hip bones are showing, and will definitely need medical attention. Our plan is to catch him, take care of any medical needs he has, rehabilitate him, and either keep him or find him a home by Christmas. Donations will go to vet bills, food, and any objects he will need for comfort. If there is something you specifically want to get for him or donate towards, please leave a comment so we can fulfill your wish! Until we can get close enough to take his picture, please enjoy the photo of our rescue who was a stray for four years before coming to us!