Would You Help a Shell of a Cat?

I always smile when people refer to me as a cat expert, because I am far from it, and today's vet visit slammed this home for me. I thought Shell was a young cat- maybe two years old- she is about six years old. I thought she had been attacked by a dog (that's what I had been told) but she wasn't. Now here is my plea to all true cat lovers-
Do you have it in your heart to help Shell? She came to me recently, a shell of a cat that she could be. Her health issues are long and complicated. She was part of a “managed†colony (mismanaged actually).
Because of malnutrition and a compromised immune system, Shell has the largest rodent ulcers in her mouth I have ever seen. Not just one or two, she has seven! The largest of the ulcers is underneath her tongue and it has swelled to the point of pushing her tongue out of her mouth where it stays permanently.
She has stomatitis, a bad URI, felineherpes virus and her skin (she had to be shaved because she was one solid mat of dirt, debris and waste). But even when she was long haired, every time she went to scratch herself, her skin would tear and rip and an infection would start! Currently she has 12 wounds on her body!
She has been to the vet for probably only the second time in her life- and she was given a shot of depo medrol and covena. We are hoping in two weeks time, the massive ulcers in her mouth will start to go down. But I know that she will stay here because no one ever wants to adopt an ongoing vet bill.
Do you have it in your heart to help her? If so, one of my websites www.kitten-rescue.com has a donation button there. Put on the subject line Shell and all the monies no matter the amount will go into her care. She deserves a chance to have a life that offers her love, warmth, good food, vet care and warm laps. She is sweet beyond measure and I wonâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t give up on her until she tells me to.
So here she is- and I thank you~

I am pulling for Shell and cannot believe all the suffering she has been going through out there on her own. Well, now she has you and I commend you for the care and love you are bestowing on her. I am donating to Shell. She deserves to have a chance at life.

p.s. I went to put in the subject line -- Shell, but there is no option to change it from - kitten donation. How can I change the subject line for the donation to be for Shell??

I can't get that changed, but it doesn't matter because anything coming in from now on with that account will go to Shell. I think she deserves a chance to have a life.

Ok, thanks for clarifying that. I pray she makes it, I really do for Shell

MA, Check your PMs

Based on what I am finding out about this sweet girl, her journey is going to be a long one. There is no miraculous cure lying around the corner I am afraid, even with the strong prayer presence of the members here. I will be blogging about our journey on my blog (see signature below). I just hope I am up for the challenge.

I am sure you can sort her issues out. She is very lucky to have ended up with someone who will do so much to help her

We will certainly have your back when times get tough and you feel like you can't go on....Shell has ALL of us pulling for her now so neither of you will be alone...

I am writing in greater detail on my blog- but I will update this with shorter versions when I can. Right now, I am two nights sleep deprived, so if I don't make sense you will know why.

It's been determined that Shell has what they call Fragile Skin Syndrome. It is caused by one of three things: Cushings (rare in cats) Diabetes or malnutrition. What it means is I am not to handle her at all And if I do, I do so gently. Even washing her wounds carefully I can further tear them open. She is to be kept in an immaculate environment, if her water bowl tips over, I am to immediately clean it up. I solved that problem and installed a pet fountain in her cage. She drank immediately! YAY! First time drinking water since she arrived.

I gave her a Kitty Buffet yesterday to see what SHE wants to eat. Her choices: wet food (FF) wet food (friskies) Puree, dry food, grated cheese, cream cheese balls and small pieces of KFC. She ignored everything but the wet food. I now have her on Cat Lovers the kitten variety with Vitamin C, B, forte flora (a probiotic) plain yogurt with active cultures and GSE added- Doesn't that sound yummo? Her legs may look like chopsticks, but they carry a BIG heart!

Oh MA!!!!!

AWW Shell's buffet sounds just perfect for her, especially since she got to paw-pick her own entrees!!!! I am constantly thinking of Shell and you and know she is in the right environment and in the right hands if she is to pull through this health nightmare. When you can, add some more pictures of Shell periodically, she is a beauty

the blog for today made me sad and happy. I am sad for Shell and all the pain she must be in, I am sad because she has never known such care before, I am sad for the many months she was out there alone with these terrible mouth and body sores, BUT I am happy she is with you, and I am happy she showed you today how much she loves you and is fighting for you. That was really special ...

Hey everybody, Shell now has a ChipIn page if anybody wants to helop this little girl to pull through, here is the link: http://shellofacat.chipin.com/shell

Oh Carlolina, that is GREAT!

I'm blown away guys by the kindness being offered to this cause. Shell vomited last night, but I think it is because she isn't used to having a steady supply of food! How sad is that? I am now giving her a vitamin and mineral supplement with her meals and that nasty, smelly, yucky thick discharge that used to hang out of her mouth has gone away! Her tongue has me concerned, because where it hangs out of her mouth, on the outer edge of that tip, it has a bloody crusty lining to it- I'm wondering if it is losing circulation? I know that they can amputate some of the tongue if need be but I am really hoping that that ghastly rodent ulcer under her tongue will stop swelling and recede and make her life a bit more easier than it is now.

for the meds to kick in and help start those ulcers on the road to decreasing in size. Poor Shell...... think of her often

I know you have a good vet, but will share some advice I received from mine last week when I had Pinky in for his chronic rodent ulcers: A single shot of depo usually doesn't knock it out and you need to repeat the shot every 2-3 weeks for 3 total doses. Please take this simply as a second vet opinion.

Sending healing vibes for the little girl!!

Here she is on her third morning with us



Please don't feel sorry for her. Honestly, she is doing SO much better than when she first arrived! I know here she looks like she has had a hard night at the bar! But she is gaining weight!

It's hard not to feel sorry for this little girl - knowing her history. Her pic with her tongue hanging out just says so much about this life she's had.

That said - I am SO happy for her. Gaining weight is such a wonderful thing for her after only a few days with you.

You are an angel for helping this girl. Not many would have it in them to do this. Congratulations & Good Luck on your future together with her.

Actually I think she looks proud and for the first time in her life she feels happy and loved . She will be a real beauty once she fills out and her coat comes back. Positive thinking, I still pray she pulls through all of this. Thank you MA for putting your heart on the line to save her too. and she does look like she is putting on some