Lloyd the Cat vs Car

Our Lloyd came to us by his choice after breaking into our house in January of 2010. Since then he had been keeping us, and our neighbors in good spirits because he adores people. You cannot keep him inside. He becomes emotionally distressed and physically stressed. He is also attracted to those in distress and attempts to comfort them.  After moving to the Ball State University neighborhood in the fall of 2017, he has adopted University students.  After we discovered his continued social conquests,  we made an Instagram page and put a QR code on his collar. What happened next was simply amazing. 

We discovered he knew so many students that were our neighbors.  He had been venturing to campus through the fence. He was a regular presence on the Ball State cow path behind the Johnson and Lafollette complex dorms. He made friends with the food service workers and we discovered while all of his walkabouts weren’t resulting in a trim and fit feline. 

We were interviewed by the paper, had video projects done by students and a Kindergarten class in North Carolina (mother of a student) wrote him letters and we wrote them all back. 

Today, in one of his many hunting exploits, Lloyd ran into a  moving car while chasing a small and furry potential treat. Students stayed with him, I was contacted, and they did most of the work in getting him out from under the truck where he was hiding. 

We drove directly to the vet where xrays were obtained and then rushed off to the emergency vet for overnight care and pain management. 

While waiting I updated his Instagram because I knew word would spread. Before we got to the emergency hospital college students were asking if they could help.  We know our Lloyd is loved and tonight it is overwhelming to see how much. 

As of right now we’ve had X-rays and he will spend the weekend in the hospital for pain management and observation to ensure that he remains neurologically sound. He ran face first into a car, his face is pretty swollen so it’s a valid concern but he seems exactly like himself. Despite his pain and condition, he charmed the 1st Vet we saw at Care Animal Hospital.  He has a potential fracture in the best possible place in his jaw (from what they told me and I’m just going with that line of thought now) He has bruising around his lung which they hope is just bruising and will monitor over the weekend. Heart looks normal. Everything else is tip top!  Lloyd is resting with meds and fluids and a catheter that I’m sure he will torture us about when he’s back up and moving. 

The potential for surgery on Monday is highly likely with the jaw.  Our only concern is his quality of life. He brings so much love to so many.  We don’t want him suffering. Not suffering could cost a bit. So if people want to assist because they love Lloyd, we are forever grateful and accepting of that. If for some strange reason more is donated than we’d need, it will all go towards helping other cats who need it. We don’t know right now what that would be but medical care for shelter cats sounds like a good plan. 

I’ve given an estimate of worst case scenario with the surgery.  I will say nothing has cost us worst case scenario to this point.