Help Save My Brother's Cat Thunder

Hello everyone, my name is Anna Stone. Please help me and my brothers, Vincent and Kevin, save Thunder. Thunder is my brother Kevin’s cat who was injured as result of a tragic accident in late April. We humbly ask for a moment of your time as we share our difficult experiences over these past few weeks below.

 

 

Thunder is a 2-year-old, blind orange tabby. He is as sweet as he is feisty and is practically Cloud's little cat brother. A little fact: Cloud and Thunder are both rescue animals! Thunder is known to give loving head boops when you hold your hand near his head, and Temptations kitty treats are his favorite. Kevin often wears Thunder in a cat backpack and takes him out on walks with Cloud. They are truly the inseparable trio.

 

 

 

In late April, Kevin had to leave town for urgent personal matters; Vincent and I took turns looking after Cloud and Thunder in his absence.

 

On Friday, April 22nd, a freak accident occurred in which Thunder fell from the balcony when Kevin was out of town. We had scheduled for cleaners to come to the apartment later in the afternoon. However, due to some logistics issues with the cleaning service company, they moved the appointment hours earlier on a last-minute notice. Vincent canceled his lunch plans and rushed to Kevin's apartment, where two cleaners were already waiting. I was still working at my office when the incident happened around 4 PM.

 

While the cleaning was going on, it appeared Thunder was hiding in his usual spot under the couch. When the noises got too loud, Thunder squeezed through the door onto the balcony, where he typically roams around and uses his litterbox. Frightened by the sudden start of the vacuum, he scurried past the balcony guard rails and free-fell six stories onto the pool deck below. This all happened within a split second before anyone could react. With Thunder being practically blind, this must have been such a terrifying and traumatic experience for him. We were very fortunate that a few building residents and staff were quick to the scene and helped Vincent get Thunder to the emergency vet within 30 minutes.

 

At the emergency room, Thunder was diagnosed with a broken left arm, bruising of the lungs, and internal inflammation. The doctors administered pain medication and oxygen treatment to stabilize his condition.

 

 

Thunder stayed at the emergency vet for two days before being transferred to a specialty emergency vet in Lewisville, Texas, to get blood tests, screenings, scans, and other treatments. While the initial expenses were very steep, we were just so relieved that Thunder survived and was receiving the necessary medical attention.

 

 

On Sunday, May 1st, the doctors deemed Thunder to be in the clear, and we were finally able to bring him back for recovery and homecare. However, as we took Thunder to a primary vet to change his bandages, they noticed a fever and boarded him for the night to monitor his condition. The next day, the primary vet recommended that we take him back to the specialty vet for further examination due to his fever. So far, we've been to the emergency vet three times, all resulting in at least one night of hospitalization, and to the primary care twice. Due to his internal injuries, Thunder has also been tube-fed since the day of the incident. We are hoping he can get off the tube and return to a normal diet as soon as possible.

 

 

These past few weeks have been tremendously stressful for my family as we try to make difficult decisions regarding Thunder's uncertain future. This is becoming an immense, seemingly insurmountable financial burden for me and my siblings.

 

We respectfully reach out to our friends, family, and community to support Thunder’s path to recovery. We kindly ask that you please provide any financial assistance you are comfortable with and spread the word. We will use any funds obtained to pay existing and upcoming medical bills for Thunder, and any other products/services that aid Thunder’s recovery, per the vet's advice. Lastly, we will keep everyone up to speed with photos and updates regarding Thunder’s condition. Thank you so much for your support - Thunder really appreciates it!!

 

 

May 8th, 2022 update

 

Thunder is still recovering from his injuries at the emergency vet in Lewisville, Texas. Thunder is hospitalized and undergoing various tests to make sure there are no bacteria infections. The trauma is causing inflammation in his body, thus giving him waxing and waning fevers.