Picked up extremely skinny stray

[tiggs2012]

No one is judging you here, what you did was remarkable and so very kind! I took in a stray cat last July, she was very skinny too, not quite like your girl but bad enough! She is now thriving and (unfortunately) expecting babies in the coming weeks.

I too had money troubles and I had my girl for 3 weeks before she saw a vet, but luckily for me she was pretty healthy, she has a recurring ear infection, and started to gain weight farely quickly. She loves us all now and I as disappointed as I am in myself for letting her get pregnant (not that I could've prevented it as I was under the impression she had been spayed, but that's a different story lol), we are now patiently waiting for the arrival of her little bundles of joy :-).

Here's a pic of my girl Tigger (Tiggs)

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• tiggs2012
• Mar 26, 2014

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• tiggs2012
• Mar 26, 2014

The first pic is more recent, she's very tired and very moody at the moment due to the hormones lol but we love her :-)

 

[loopycann]

I'm anxious to hear what you say after examining her teeth. Teeth and oral health can sometimes tell alot about a cat.

If I were to just tell it like I see it, which I tend to do alot of times, okay all of the time... my guess would be one of two things.

That either she is old and has some kidney failure/disease going on, OR she is felv positive.

Now just so you know, neither one of these are death sentences, but need to be controlled with the help of diet and possibly meds.
Kidney function loss can show up like this, without proper diet and possibly meds. 

Felv can be bad for her IF her weight/lack of, is because it is taking her down beyond help.

I have a thread here somewhere I will find and you can see Baby's incredible transformation. She is fat and happy now, living in a wonderful place with the kindest lady ever, who only has felv positive cats, she says because they are impossible to rehome.

Okay so I just located the thread about Baby, but it wasn't finished.  Titled One of my latest rescues is extremely/gravely sick, possibly FIV positive, can use some advice

The outcome to this was, Baby tested positive for felv, my vet recommended euthanization right then, but I couldn't do that, I needed to allow her even if only a week, to not leave this world without anyone loving her. No idea how much time she had, but it didn't look good.

Week to week, she slowly responded to good food and antibiotics. (she had an extreme URI )

I had her, loved and cared for her for about 5 months before her going to her new permanent home.
Baby weighed 4 1/2 lbs at the time I rescued her. 
After lots of antibiotics, I mean literally a good 4 months straight (but she was very sick) she left here a fat, lovable 11 lbs

Baby's before and after pics-oh, the first pic she doesn't appear to be as skeleton like as she was due to her fur, but I was afraid to handle her due to her boney body! She felt like lifting a 3 month old kitten. 

Baby 001.JPG

• catwoman707
• Mar 15, 2013

Baby, Dottie 014.JPG

• catwoman707
• Mar 18, 2014

So you see? You just never know. My goal for her was to give her whatever amt of time she had left, feeling good, loved, babied, special, and well fed.
I can't bare for a living creature to leave this world alone and suffering. Unloved.

So no matter what happens, just know in your heart you have already done so much for her, made a world of difference to her.

I just want to say to cat woman ,you have really opened my eyes as to what's possible when there is passion present.Ypur pictures have encouraged me to keep on doing this ,what we all do,and that is loving, caring,trying, helping,these little lost ones who without peeps such as yourself,josiemeow,etc(there's too many to name) wouldn't have the opportunity to live into cat hood loved and cared for.I just wanted to say thank you.

 

[loopycann]

@Tiggs2012 - hi,what a beautiful baby and you are a beautiful soul for what you do too.I too have an expecting momma cat.She joined my family of throwaways 2 days ago.Keep up the excellent care.Isnt this a rewarding hobby,passion,life calling???????

 

[tiggs2012]

Thank you, I think everybody has a little bit of good in them, they just have to unleash it, I love animals and I would do anything for them! I'll be honest, I wasn't going to keep her at first because my tomcat doesn't like other cats, he just hates them, but my heart told me to do it! My tom might not like her but that's his problem haha, he's anti social that one lol!

 

[nls8520]

I just wanted to say thank you for saving this cat. Seeing that picture of that poor cat in that shape is so incredibly sad. I am glad the cat is in good hands now. Seriously thank you, its nice to know people out there actually care about living things in that capacity, even though the world looks bleak sometimes.

 

[catwoman707]

I just want to say to cat woman ,you have really opened my eyes as to what's possible when there is passion present.Ypur pictures have encouraged me to keep on doing this ,what we all do,and that is loving, caring,trying, helping,these little lost ones who without peeps such as yourself,josiemeow,etc(there's too many to name) wouldn't have the opportunity to live into cat hood loved and cared for.I just wanted to say thank you.

Thank you so much for what you said, and it means so much to hear that my pics have given you encouragement to continue to help animals who so desperately need our help.

They are the true innocents in this world, guilty of nothing except the will to live.

My stories of Baby, and Destiny, and the first orange male cat I posted, Buzzy, are meant for encouragement, not to mention when I see them, how good it makes my heart feel remembering these cases, along with so many others I haven't mentioned that, despite their extremely bleak outlooks and vets advising me to euthanize, with drive and compassion, turned their lives around, gave them a second chance at life, a feel good, happy, loved life they so deserve.

Even in cases that are out of our control, when we are unable to save the life for whatever reason, an incurable disease, whatever the case, by simply showing the animal we care, someone DOES care, allowing this cat even a day, 1 week, however much time before his/her end, a feeling of love and food and warmth, rather than to die alone, unwanted, no name or home, suffering, hungry, is worth every minute to them, always remember this.

Many people out there have the deep compassion as I do, some rescue like myself, some do not, maybe they feel they can't make a difference, they don't know how, they don't have the money or resources, space, time, whatever.

The thing is, we all can. Just as the OP on this thread does, he is a young man, no car, money is tight, does not have his own place yet even, and just by him simply seeing a cat who really needs him, taking her home, giving her love and food, showing he cares about her, giving her a name, safety, a sense of belonging in this world where she was obviously discarded, well that speaks huge volumes to me. He is truly a hero in my eyes. 

People tell me often, "there's a special place in heaven for you for doing what you do", well I don't know about all that, but what I do know is, rescuing is in a way, a piece of heaven on earth to me, it fills my heart with love and gratitude they have all felt because they know I cared enough to help them.

That feeling is indescribable.

 

[feralvr]

People tell me often, "there's a special place in heaven for you for doing what you do", well I don't know about all that, but what I do know is, rescuing is in a way, a piece of heaven on earth to me, it fills my heart with love and gratitude they have all felt because they know I cared enough to help them.

That feeling is indescribable.

:touch: :touch: You just melted my heart....... :grphug:

 

[catwoman707]

You just melted my heart.......

How sweet of you to say, made me smile. Thank you!

It also tells me that you have the same kind of compassion

 

[ayeshajae]

Reading about you guys saving the kitties makes me want to do something to for kitties, do you remember how you first started helping kitties catwoman?

 

[feralvr]

Reading about you guys saving the kitties makes me want to do something to for kitties, do you remember how you first started helping kitties catwoman?

Hi Aleysha So glad that this thread has touched your heart and spurred you on to wanting to help the innocent, helpless and unwanted kitties. We really can't get off track here in this thread with lots of our stories so as to take away from Josie and Pixie. It happens ALL the time especially in these types of threads filled with such love, care and heart BUT we don't want to get too far away from the subject of a particular thread. IT IS OK though to ask and I have a great suggestion for you if you are willing??!! You could start a new thread, all your own, right here in the Stray/Feral Forum asking for stories from others about their first rescues. It would be SO very heartwarming to hear and to read. I know I would love to add in my story too along with Catwoman's. :bigthumb: :heart3: What a great idea !!!!! :nod:

 

[ayeshajae]

Yah sorry for getting off subject and I'll also take your advice :3

 

[catwoman707]

Reading about you guys saving the kitties makes me want to do something to for kitties, do you remember how you first started helping kitties catwoman?

I just love that you are interested in helping save kitties!

I keep trying to get here to reply, to say just what Feralvr has said above, I am happy to share my early experiences and how I got started rescuing, but rather than us taking over this thread, just start a new thread and I will be watching for it!

I'm sure you will hear from many others as well, like Feralvr said too, we all love sharing our own stories  and would be more than happy to advise.

 

[msaimee]

Josie, if you're still around, I'd love to get back to the subject of Pixie and for you to give us an update on how she is doing.

 

[feralvr]

Josie, if you're still around, I'd love to get back to the subject of Pixie and for you to give us an update on how she is doing.

Checking in here too! How is Pixie, Josie?? Hope to hear a positive report soon. :cross:

 

[jodiethierry64]

Josie, How's Pixie?

 

[josiemeow]

She passed away this morning. She was suffering. Her lungs were collapsing. She was having spasms. I was literally falling apart..i wanted to scream and just run away. I wanted her to just get better.. why did.she have to leave me? She made me happy.. i miss her. I hate that i saw her sufering.. all i did was grab her and hug her and told her how sorry i was. And that i loved her so much.. this is why i havent been here. Ive been busy taking care of her.. tears are coming outbof my eyes. My heart aches. I didnt even know her for a month and i am drowning in my own sorrow . I am in pain. I just want her back. I want her to cry to me. To purr.. i wanna kiss her forever and ever. Her little tiny paws.. i miss them so much.. i am going crazy here. I can bearly see what i am typing. Tears and pain is all feel.. i miss my baby so much! How can abyone pass by her and had left her out? She was so much love! She means everything to me.. before she passed away i noticed she was trying to cuddle with my other cats.. i just feel an emptiness. Its cold. My.world is so grey. Its unexplainable... i couldnt of had enough of her .. i want her back. I hate everything. My love i miss you so much baby.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Oh no.  I am so sorry about Pixie.  Please know that you gave her a wonderful few weeks.  You loved her and cared for her like no one else ever did.  She knew she was loved and she will be forever grateful.  Please take the time to grieve.  Losing a pet is so very very hard.  You will be in my thoughts.

 

[ayeshajae]

I'm really sorry about your pixie, you did so much for her

 

[feralvr]

OH dear Josie...... Honey - PLEASE don't do that to yourself !!!!!!!!! Your going to make me cry just for you. Listen, Pixie WOULD have died out there ALL ALONE AND SUFFERING to death. You were her ANGEL, her GUARDIAN to her next life, sweetie. You must know that this is true. We, who rescue, sometimes are just used as a stepping stone for one who needs us so desperately to help them peacefully to the bridge. To have a dignified passing to the bridge. You are a hero, sweetie. Pixie's hero. You saved her from a terribly torturous death. You also gave and showed her love in her final days. You will be rewarded for your blessings that you bestowed on Pixie. I promise you. Big giant hugs to you for your big giant compassionate heart. :heart3: :heart2:

I know that it is so very easy to fall in love with one like Pixie so allow yourself to grieve what could have been with you and her. I think after that, you will feel very good inside about what you did for her. :grphug: :grphug2:

 

[catwoman707]

Oh my god I am sobbing! I can't even type

I am so very sorry. I have to take a few minutes but I will be back here. 

You described that pain so perfectly, I know it too well.