Rescued from hoarding house — now at peace

This was an emergency rescue — there was no time to get him into a rescue group or shelter. I had to act fast, and now I’m asking for help.

This cat had already been through so much trauma. Instead of being released outdoors back where he was trapped & neutered or placed in a safe home to see if he was friendly enough to adjust to indoor life, he was placed in a hoarded house; in a bedroom in which four resident cats has access to— one of whom was bullying him. He was mostly hiding in between the wall and the radiator covering. His spirit was breaking, and he started eating less.

When I found out about this this past Sunday, I set a trap. But he was too traumatized to go in. After three days of him not eating, I knew we had to take a drastic measure. I called a fireman friend to help me. He came with this gloves to scruff him out from under a radiator. It was terrifying for him and heartbreaking for us to witness. I feared that leaving him there would mean he would die.

We got him out and took him straight to a loving, compassionate foster couple. He had started eating a little, which gave us hope, but he wasn’t moving. There was concern that he might have suffered an injury during the rescue — or that his time in the overheated room (no AC) had done more damage than we could see. The bully cat had also had access to him.

We rushed him to VEG ER in Lincoln Park where they ran bloodwork and started supportive care. But the prognosis was not looking good. With the guidance of the doctor, we made the decision to take the most compassionate path forward and help him cross over the rainbow bridge. This hurt so much. He was beautiful and deserved so much better. They failed him, and I’m so angry. He could have been alive now and thriving.

The total emergency bill was $685, which I covered myself.

If you feel called to help, even a small donation would mean so much.

Sphinx didn’t get the long, peaceful life he deserved — but he was loved, he was fought for, and he wasn’t alone in the end. I cannot thank my friend who came to pull him out and the most loving, compassionate couple who offered to foster him and showed him so much love in their sanctuary home.

Your support would help lift some of the weight of this unexpected loss and honor the little life we tried so hard to save.

Sleep easy, baby boy.

You’re safe now.

You’re free.

And you’ll never be forgotten.