Meet Mr. Rogers!

Back in November 2024, I found this cat meowing SO loudly in the alley around my house as I was walking out to my car. I brought him inside and gave him food, water, and a litter box while I went to work. I posted all over social media about him and heard nothing back, so I decided to go to my vet and scan for a potential microchip. He had a microchip, but it wasn’t registered. The amazing and caring staff at the vet were able to trace the chip back to the original shelter he was adopted from and got the owner’s information. The vet was able to get ahold of the owner, and later that day, the owner picked the cat up. The staff urged the owner to register the microchip and gave them instructions on how to do this (it takes 3 minutes, but that was apparently too much time). I also learned the cat’s name was Roger. I had been calling him “Diva,” so I was WAY off.

Almost exactly 3 months later, I see my cat Diego standing up on his window perch staring at something in the alley. I look outside and hear the loudest “MEOOOOOW”. I saw Roger walking across the top of someone’s patio wall, and when we made eye contact, I felt like I knew he was meant to be with me. I screamed, “ROGERRRRR!” and he jumped from a 6-foot wall to me, so I carried him inside.

I spent the next week diligently trying to find the owner, whose contact info I did not have since only my vet had that information. I posted on social media (again) and realized how many loving and kind humans out there would help me, a stranger, with taking care of and helping this cat. I went back to my vet and had them scan the microchip. They were able to quickly reach the shelter and find the owner’s contact info (…again). I called, texted, and emailed this person repeatedly until I realized I wouldn’t be getting a response back. I texted again about a week later, asking him to confirm if the number I had was even correct! He read it and never responded. To this day, still no response. So, I renamed the cat….kinda. Since I call my other cat, Diego, Mr. Boy, I decided I had a perfect opportunity to name him Mr. Rogers. He was NEVER going to be abandoned again.

Some Difficult News

I got Mr. Rogers vaccinated and did blood testing; he came back negative for all tests! Over the next few days, I noticed he was limping, didn’t jump to play with toys, and wasn’t putting pressure on his right hind leg. I made an appointment with my vet and scheduled to get x-rays done. Yesterday, I was able to see the x-rays and couldn’t believe my eyes. His femur had been fractured.

After the vet was able to show a specialist his x-rays, they believed it to be capital femoral physeal dysplasia. He was most likely born with this condition, and he will always have an issue with his right hip. There is a procedure that can be done called FHO (Femoral Head Ostectomy) that will relieve a lot of pain and help Mr. Rogers live as normal a life as possible. This procedure, while less expensive than a complete hip replacement, is still going to be costly. The estimated cost is between $1,000 and $3,000, and I will be getting a more specific cost next week.

Your Support is Everything

As I have 2 other pets, one of whom has been extremely expensive due to treatment costs for severe separation anxiety and allergies that have caused countless infections, I am not able to handle the costs fully. Therefore, I am sharing Mr. Rogers’s story in hopes of getting any support possible to afford his procedure. This cat deserves nothing less than a procedure that could transform his life. He was abandoned by his owner and left to live a life of pain. I am so glad he found me, and I will do everything in my power to help him be the happiest and healthiest cat he can be.

If you’re still reading this, thank you for hearing his story. It means the world that so many kind and caring people care about this cat as much as I do. ❤️