Support Onion's Journey to Recovery

On Tuesday evening our cat Onion was attacked by a coyote in our driveway. She survived in the woods alone for 2 days before returning home and is currently in critical condition and receiving medical treatment at the Burlington Emergency & Veterinary Specialists (BEVS) in Williston, VT. She is an absolute champion and her will to live is strong. It looks like with proper medical care, she will surive.

The attack occurred in our driveway as I was putting our 2 year old to bed. I heard an animal screaming, knew it had to be Onion and was outside within seconds to witness a coyote jump off of her (presumably surpised by my appearance and yelling) and into the woods. Onion fled. We looked extensively for her (she answers to us when we call and knows to come with the sound of treats or a food can snapping), but just couldn't find her. We searched for her in the woods that night for hours and swept the woods around our home repeatedly over the next 2 days, understanding that we may be looking for her dead body at that point. Onion is 4 years old and is the sweetest, most loving and social kitty. She's a family member and we missed her terribly.

After looking again for Onion on Thursday morning, I sat down on our front steps mid day and noticed I had a flat tire on my car. I had to pick up our children from daycare that afternoon and would have to leave as soon as I could get the spare on in order to get it fixed before picking them up. I called our neighbor for assistance with changing the tire and headed into Middlebury.

Another neighbor called while I was at the tire shop to say that she heard a meow that morning outside of her home, and that it definitely wasn't her own cat. I was hopeful, but guarded. I left the County Tire, picked up both of our kids, and headed home with the intention of bringing them with me to the neighbors to search for Onion.

We arrived home at about 3:30 pm and I was getting our 2 year old and 3 month old ready to go to our neighbors on foot when I heard a meow outside. I ran out to see Onion on our steps attempting to make it up to the house. I was in shock, awe, and I could also see that she was in extremely rough shape. If I hadn't gotten a flat tire, we wouldn't have been home at the time.

I picked her up and she collapsed immediately. It seems she used every last bit of life left in her just to make it home. We drove the 50 minutes to BEVS. I kept one hand on Onion the entire time as she lay in the passenger seat next to me. I told her she was safe and hoped she kept breathing. My eyes darted between the road and the clock and I was comforted each time I felt my hand rise and fall with the movement of her belly.

The vet on duty told us her prognosis was poor and her chances of survival slim. She had suffered a puncture wound from a tooth on top of her skull, most likely has a broken jaw, and most critical at the time was that the infection had turned to sepsis due to so much time having passed from the attack. The vet was concerned she had brain damage because she was so 'mentally dull'. They were picking maggots out of her wounds. But, she was alive. And she came home to us. We beleived she wanted to live.

Onion has now been receiving care for 2 days and she has come such a long way. She has stabalized, she is getting up and moving around. We were able to hold her today and give her some love and affection. She's going to make it.

Unfortunately, emergency care is extremely expensive. She needs surgery on her jaw, a CT scan, and to stay hospitalized for a longer period of time. Unfortunately, we are in a position where we need to ask for help in order to provide this care for Onion. To those who are able and willing to provide any assistance to help with Onion's medical care, thank you. It is so incredibly meaningful and appreciated. For those who cannot, we completely get it. If you're able to share this story, that is also helpful. If you're able to send Onion some love and think of her on her healing journey, this is also incredibly helpful.

For those asking why we allowed her to go outside, I implore you to believe me that there was very little choice with Onion. We live in a very small house and Onion would spend the entire day meowing loudly if she couldn't be outside. We understood intellectually, that this meant risking that we could lose her to a predator, but when faced with that reality on Tuesday, it was impossible to accept that we weren't going to fight for her to live. She is fighting to live, and we want her to come home to us once again, alive.