Stinky is an elderly colony cat who lives in a transit lot next to a Q train station in Brooklyn, NY. The transit workers there have cared for him for many years, providing him food, shelters, and even a litter box so he doesn't have to do his business in the woods.

They estimate that Stinky is over 10 years old - quite the feat for an outdoor cat.

But over the last few months Stinky's eye became clouded and, even more concerning, began to swell. He can no longer fully shut it when he blinks and we can only imagine the discomfort he feels with that built up pressure.

To make matters worse, sometime this week Stinky suffered a mysterious injury to one of his ears. The entire top portion of it has been ripped away, leaving a jagged raw wound. Blood splatters are still visible along the back of his neck.

I met Stinky the other day as I was walking to the train station to meet up with friends. He trotted right up to me to say hello and I immediately knew I couldn't ignore him or his situation. Within 24 hours, I had connected with his feeders who happily accepted my offers to get him care, secured him a low(er) cost vet appointment, and trapped him to bring him inside.

The funds being raised here are to help cover: a sedated examination and an eye surgery to remove his eye (the likely resolution for his condition). Stinky may also need a dental surgery, which some portion of this fundraiser might cover but we will likely need to raise the goal if that is the case.

Unfortunately, I met Stinky at a time when I was gearing up to pull off one of the biggest trapping projects in my rescue history, one which will involve medical care and fundraising. But I could not ignore Stinky's need. Any excess funds raised for Stinky will be rolled into that project, which I plan to share on Instagram soon!