Meet Moochi (short for Moo-Cheeks for his black & white fur and big, squeezable cheeks!), a local street cat who most likely got hit by a car and is in need of hip surgery.

Moochi is part of a cat colony that we are attempting to help get fixed and adopted. We got one of the kittens adopted (P.S., she is thriving in her new home!), but had to pivot our attention when Moochi went missing for 3 days and returned limping very badly and in obvious pain.

After zero success getting a hold of local organizations to assist with his care, we decided to take matters into our own hands and take him to the vet to get examined.

The night of Sunday, October 19th, we went during his feed (endless gratitude to Debbie, who devotedly feeds several downtown colonies each and every night), simply put the can in the cage, and this food-motivated boy went right in to chow down. We placed him in our car and brought him to our house, where he settled in with ease and reveled in all of the treats, pets, and head scratches we gave him. He is obsessed with the bed we made him, and there is no denying how grateful he is to be in a safe space with a plush rug to lie on, food he doesn't have to fight over, and a peaceful room all to himself where he can finally rest, undisturbed.

The following morning (Monday, October 20th), we brought him to the vet and were told that he has a fractured pubic bone and a dislocated hip joint (we suspect he was hit by a car).

She shared that, if he is a candidate, a Femoral Head Osteotomy, a surgical procedure that involves removing the head and neck of the femur in cats, would alleviate his pain and restore his mobility. If he were not a candidate or denied access to this surgery, he would be in debilitating pain and, eventually, lose the will to live.

After that appointment, we remained present, showering Moochi with love while he reciprocated with abundant affection: nuzzling his head in our hands and snuggling on us. We stayed positive, but also understood that we could get the unfortunate news that he wouldn't qualify due to the nature of his injury. If you know anything about us, you know that we are animal lovers and have a major soft spot for cats, so you can understand the suspended hope we carried during that period of not knowing.

Luckily, on the night of October 21st, we received a call from the veterinarian with the confirmation that he is indeed a candidate for the surgery! A sense of celebration came over us, as well as a determination to get everything in order for his healing journey to begin.

We decided to move forward with his treatment out of the kindness of our own hearts and will take care of him diligently while he heals. Afterward, we are finding him his forever home, as this boy's time in the streets has come to a close... he just has way too much love to give to deprive someone of that. :) If you are interested in the adoption of this sweetie, please contact us. Whoever he ends up with will be immensely fortunate as Moochi will fill your home and hearts with so much love - he is really such a special boy who isn't taking this care for granted.

We are asking for donations to put toward his surgery. All other costs, like his initial/follow-up vet appointments, X-rays, additional meds, food, and litter, are being covered by us. All of us - August, Moochi, and I (Stephanie) - would be incredibly grateful for anything you are able to contribute. Truly, nothing is too small, and if you aren't able to contribute financially, simply keeping him in your hearts as he goes through surgery and recovery would mean the world to us.

As of October 23rd, we are waiting to hear back from the surgeon's team to schedule the surgery, and we will continue to post updates as we move along this journey.

Thank you for taking the time to be a part of Moochi's story, and thank you for your donation, if you are able and willing to contribute!