Help Timmy Fight For His Life
Donation protected
Because Timmy is a cat (and refuses to learn to write - you know how stubborn cats can be...) I have offered to transcribe his story for him. My name is Jamie Adams, Timmy's completely smitten forever mom.
Lets just get this uncomfortable part out of the way first...
We are raising funds to cover the cost of sudden, unexpected expenses associated with Timmy's recent cancer diagnosis. While his bills are currently still adding up, we are hoping to defray his current expenses down to a point where cost will continue to NOT be a deciding factor in the care that we are able to provide to him.
Now that that is out of the way, lets step back down memory lane for a minute...
On August 1, 2014, Timmy became a member of our family. He was adopted from the amazing folks at the Nashville Cat Rescue organization. This was his first night in his new home...

Many might think his story starts here, but not for this guy! He had quite some 'tails' to share when he joined us!
Timmy used up EIGHT of his nine lives when he was shot by a disturbed young man out at the Nashville Fairgrounds. This person did not intend to kill him - at least not right away. Instead, he sought to torture him. He shot him twice, in both front legs - shattering the bones and shredding through tissue. But this guy underestimated Timmy's will to live. Good samaritans who found Timmy, quickly got him into rescue where he was then immediately treated by specialists at a local animal hospital.
Timmy suffered tremendously in those early days, but once in the care of humans who loved him, he began to improve. He stabilized enough for surgery to amputate one of his mangled front legs and to piece together the remaining front leg.
These are photos of what we lovingly refer to as his 'bionic' arm - you can see the large metal plate, and several screws that hold it in place. You can also see the bullet fragments, too small to remove (the small bright white flecks), and all the staples used to close him back up.

Some may think that an animal who was treated this way would be soured on human interaction from that point on. It sure would be understandable. But Timmy didn't get that memo. From the time he began recovering from surgery, everyone he came in contact with was in awe of just how sweet and loving he was.
Because of the callous nature of his attack, Timmy became a local TV star - local news channels began following his recovery. This is when Timmy's Dad, Bryan, first heard about him and his story. Ever the clever cat-dad, Bryan planted the seed in Jamie's brain that perhaps we would be the perfect home for Timmy.
You see, way back when Jamie and Bryan were first married, they adopted a little chocolate lab puppy named Ally. After having her a few short months, she became critically ill with a congenital disease with a dire prognosis - she was initially given weeks or months to live. The thing about animals is, they often don't realize they are sick - and Ally just kept on living her best life. We decided that as long as she was up for the fight, so were we. Ally lived for five full, amazing, happy years before passing peacefully. Although her parents knew this day would come sooner rather than later, they were devastated. But as they laid on the floor of the animal hospital, tearfully saying their goodbyes, a little kitten kept reaching out of his kennel and pawing at Bryan's pants. Despite being overcome with grief in that moment, we found ourselves smiling through the tears at this precocious little cat.
Well, turns out this little guy was hit by a car, would be losing a back leg and would eventually need a home. Even though the last thing we were looking for was another pet at that time, we felt like Ally had prepared us to help the animals who might need a little something 'extra'.
And so began our journey to helping animals who may be a bit more difficult to adopt or who may need a little extra care or attention. It felt natural to adopt another tripod - we referred to them as the fasted six paws this side of the Mississippi. And Timmy is FAST! He gives our weimaraner a run for his money...when they aren't lounging together

On the back of the sofa, are the fastest six legs in the south - Timmy on the left and Al on the right. Shiner is front and center and watching over all of our medical misfits is the original - Ally - our first chocolate lab.

Timmy quickly found his place as the head of our pack of animals - which currently includes a 12 year old cat sister, a 1 year old cat brother and a 7 year old dog-brother. Despite making sure everyone knows that he is the boss, Timmy continues to be sweet and snuggly to everyone he meets...as long as you keep the petting above the shoulder. If you pet the back, he will remind you he is the boss.
In January of this year, Timmy came down with what everyone thought was just a kitty cold. The weather had been all over the place - hot, then cold, then raining, then snowing - so it's wasn't unexpected that he would have a cold - EVERYONE in the area was sniffling. However, after two rounds of different antibiotics where he would get better, but not all the way, and then get worse again - it was suggested that we should flush his sinuses to knock the last pesky bit out once and for all.
The day he went in for this minor surgical procedure, we fully expected to be on the road to recovery by that evening.
But things didn't work out quite that way.
While doing the procedure, it was found that Timmy had zero airflow (going in or out) of his right nostril. X-rays were performed that showed some kind of mass taking up the entire right side of the inside of his nose. His veterinarian consulted with a specialist who indicated he should have a CT performed to further identify what the mass was. His CT was scheduled, he came home, and basically returned to his normal life as if nothing had changed.
However, a week before his CT, we came home one night to find that he had a swollen nose. We spoke with our vet that evening and we agreed that he was in no immediate distress, but brought him in first thing in the morning for evaluation and next steps.
By now, the mass in his nostril was 'restructuring' the bones in his nose and eye area, which was causing the sudden swelling. Getting him in for the CT became urgent, and he was seen a day later.
In an effort to start conservative before performing expensive diagnostic tests, a needle aspirate was completed to identify what the growth in his nose is. This was not successful. At this point, the CT was completed (to tell us where all the mass is located) and a full biopsy of his nasal tissue was performed. Timmy tolerated the anesthesia and the procedures really well, and during our visiting hour with him that evening, he was fairly alert (still a little sleepy from the anesthesia) but back to his loving silly self. This was taken that evening:

Sadly, the CT revealed that the mass is causing widespread destruction of his sinus and nasal cavities. The biopsy results indicated that it is cancer. Unfortunately, the biopsy was unable to tell us if the TYPE of cancer he has carcinoma or lymphoma.
Because the prognosis and treatment options are very different for these different types of cancer, an additional lab was ordered that will provide this information definitively. However, it will take at least 3 weeks to get the results.
Because of the aggressiveness of his disease, and the absolute helplessness we feel doing nothing in the meantime, we have opted to have a repeat needle aspirate that we hope will be successful this time. He tolerated the first one extremely well, and because he does not have to go under full anesthesia (just some light sedation instead), we feel that it is worth the slight stress on Timmy and the additional expense to try to get an answer sooner than three weeks from now.
To date, Timmy's medical expenses directly related to his illness are just over $7,500. This does not include the radiation therapy he will begin in about two weeks which will range between $5,200-$5,600. While we fully intend to give him whatever care he will need in I the future, the reality is, these large expenses that have been incurred over a very short period of time, put a financial strain on his family.
We are committed to not letting financial burdens be a deciding factor in the care that we give him. Whether this means providing him with chemo or radiation or if this means keeping him happy and comfortable at home - our only interest is in making sure that Timmy is not in any notable pain, that his loving and playful personality stays intact, and that his quality of life does not suffer.
Timmy has been a fierce ambassador for the kitties of Nashville. He is a brave example of fighting through pain and hopelessness to find love and peace with his new family. He is the living embodiment of perfect imperfection. To his family, he is the pumpkin spice of life.

We believe his life is worth fighting for.
Please stand with us (and Nashville's original 'Predator') and donate what you can

Every penny raised will be put towards defraying his medical expenses, and keeping him happy and comfortable for whatever the journey ahead may be. Any amount raised in excess of his direct medical needs will be donated - in full - back to the group that saved his life the first time he found himself fighting - Nashville Cat Rescue.
Asking friends and family, even strangers to help us is not a comfortable place for us to be.
We are humbled and grateful... for those who can donate.
...for those who can share this request.
...for those who have been inspired by Timmy.
...for everyone in the rescue communities.
...and for everyone who has loved our Timmy!
Thank you!
Bryan and Jamie Adams (Timmy's humans)
Maggie and Fuzzy Pete (his cat-siblings)
Shiner (his dog-brother)
Lets just get this uncomfortable part out of the way first...
We are raising funds to cover the cost of sudden, unexpected expenses associated with Timmy's recent cancer diagnosis. While his bills are currently still adding up, we are hoping to defray his current expenses down to a point where cost will continue to NOT be a deciding factor in the care that we are able to provide to him.
Now that that is out of the way, lets step back down memory lane for a minute...
On August 1, 2014, Timmy became a member of our family. He was adopted from the amazing folks at the Nashville Cat Rescue organization. This was his first night in his new home...
Many might think his story starts here, but not for this guy! He had quite some 'tails' to share when he joined us!
Timmy used up EIGHT of his nine lives when he was shot by a disturbed young man out at the Nashville Fairgrounds. This person did not intend to kill him - at least not right away. Instead, he sought to torture him. He shot him twice, in both front legs - shattering the bones and shredding through tissue. But this guy underestimated Timmy's will to live. Good samaritans who found Timmy, quickly got him into rescue where he was then immediately treated by specialists at a local animal hospital.
Timmy suffered tremendously in those early days, but once in the care of humans who loved him, he began to improve. He stabilized enough for surgery to amputate one of his mangled front legs and to piece together the remaining front leg.
These are photos of what we lovingly refer to as his 'bionic' arm - you can see the large metal plate, and several screws that hold it in place. You can also see the bullet fragments, too small to remove (the small bright white flecks), and all the staples used to close him back up.
Some may think that an animal who was treated this way would be soured on human interaction from that point on. It sure would be understandable. But Timmy didn't get that memo. From the time he began recovering from surgery, everyone he came in contact with was in awe of just how sweet and loving he was.
Because of the callous nature of his attack, Timmy became a local TV star - local news channels began following his recovery. This is when Timmy's Dad, Bryan, first heard about him and his story. Ever the clever cat-dad, Bryan planted the seed in Jamie's brain that perhaps we would be the perfect home for Timmy.
You see, way back when Jamie and Bryan were first married, they adopted a little chocolate lab puppy named Ally. After having her a few short months, she became critically ill with a congenital disease with a dire prognosis - she was initially given weeks or months to live. The thing about animals is, they often don't realize they are sick - and Ally just kept on living her best life. We decided that as long as she was up for the fight, so were we. Ally lived for five full, amazing, happy years before passing peacefully. Although her parents knew this day would come sooner rather than later, they were devastated. But as they laid on the floor of the animal hospital, tearfully saying their goodbyes, a little kitten kept reaching out of his kennel and pawing at Bryan's pants. Despite being overcome with grief in that moment, we found ourselves smiling through the tears at this precocious little cat.
Well, turns out this little guy was hit by a car, would be losing a back leg and would eventually need a home. Even though the last thing we were looking for was another pet at that time, we felt like Ally had prepared us to help the animals who might need a little something 'extra'.
And so began our journey to helping animals who may be a bit more difficult to adopt or who may need a little extra care or attention. It felt natural to adopt another tripod - we referred to them as the fasted six paws this side of the Mississippi. And Timmy is FAST! He gives our weimaraner a run for his money...when they aren't lounging together
On the back of the sofa, are the fastest six legs in the south - Timmy on the left and Al on the right. Shiner is front and center and watching over all of our medical misfits is the original - Ally - our first chocolate lab.
Timmy quickly found his place as the head of our pack of animals - which currently includes a 12 year old cat sister, a 1 year old cat brother and a 7 year old dog-brother. Despite making sure everyone knows that he is the boss, Timmy continues to be sweet and snuggly to everyone he meets...as long as you keep the petting above the shoulder. If you pet the back, he will remind you he is the boss.
In January of this year, Timmy came down with what everyone thought was just a kitty cold. The weather had been all over the place - hot, then cold, then raining, then snowing - so it's wasn't unexpected that he would have a cold - EVERYONE in the area was sniffling. However, after two rounds of different antibiotics where he would get better, but not all the way, and then get worse again - it was suggested that we should flush his sinuses to knock the last pesky bit out once and for all.
The day he went in for this minor surgical procedure, we fully expected to be on the road to recovery by that evening.
But things didn't work out quite that way.
While doing the procedure, it was found that Timmy had zero airflow (going in or out) of his right nostril. X-rays were performed that showed some kind of mass taking up the entire right side of the inside of his nose. His veterinarian consulted with a specialist who indicated he should have a CT performed to further identify what the mass was. His CT was scheduled, he came home, and basically returned to his normal life as if nothing had changed.
However, a week before his CT, we came home one night to find that he had a swollen nose. We spoke with our vet that evening and we agreed that he was in no immediate distress, but brought him in first thing in the morning for evaluation and next steps.
By now, the mass in his nostril was 'restructuring' the bones in his nose and eye area, which was causing the sudden swelling. Getting him in for the CT became urgent, and he was seen a day later.
In an effort to start conservative before performing expensive diagnostic tests, a needle aspirate was completed to identify what the growth in his nose is. This was not successful. At this point, the CT was completed (to tell us where all the mass is located) and a full biopsy of his nasal tissue was performed. Timmy tolerated the anesthesia and the procedures really well, and during our visiting hour with him that evening, he was fairly alert (still a little sleepy from the anesthesia) but back to his loving silly self. This was taken that evening:
Sadly, the CT revealed that the mass is causing widespread destruction of his sinus and nasal cavities. The biopsy results indicated that it is cancer. Unfortunately, the biopsy was unable to tell us if the TYPE of cancer he has carcinoma or lymphoma.
Because the prognosis and treatment options are very different for these different types of cancer, an additional lab was ordered that will provide this information definitively. However, it will take at least 3 weeks to get the results.
Because of the aggressiveness of his disease, and the absolute helplessness we feel doing nothing in the meantime, we have opted to have a repeat needle aspirate that we hope will be successful this time. He tolerated the first one extremely well, and because he does not have to go under full anesthesia (just some light sedation instead), we feel that it is worth the slight stress on Timmy and the additional expense to try to get an answer sooner than three weeks from now.
To date, Timmy's medical expenses directly related to his illness are just over $7,500. This does not include the radiation therapy he will begin in about two weeks which will range between $5,200-$5,600. While we fully intend to give him whatever care he will need in I the future, the reality is, these large expenses that have been incurred over a very short period of time, put a financial strain on his family.
We are committed to not letting financial burdens be a deciding factor in the care that we give him. Whether this means providing him with chemo or radiation or if this means keeping him happy and comfortable at home - our only interest is in making sure that Timmy is not in any notable pain, that his loving and playful personality stays intact, and that his quality of life does not suffer.
Timmy has been a fierce ambassador for the kitties of Nashville. He is a brave example of fighting through pain and hopelessness to find love and peace with his new family. He is the living embodiment of perfect imperfection. To his family, he is the pumpkin spice of life.
We believe his life is worth fighting for.
Please stand with us (and Nashville's original 'Predator') and donate what you can
Every penny raised will be put towards defraying his medical expenses, and keeping him happy and comfortable for whatever the journey ahead may be. Any amount raised in excess of his direct medical needs will be donated - in full - back to the group that saved his life the first time he found himself fighting - Nashville Cat Rescue.
Asking friends and family, even strangers to help us is not a comfortable place for us to be.
We are humbled and grateful... for those who can donate.
...for those who can share this request.
...for those who have been inspired by Timmy.
...for everyone in the rescue communities.
...and for everyone who has loved our Timmy!
Thank you!
Bryan and Jamie Adams (Timmy's humans)
Maggie and Fuzzy Pete (his cat-siblings)
Shiner (his dog-brother)
Organizer
Jamie Parlier Adams
Organizer
Murfreesboro, TN
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