Animal Rescue Stories

Sooty

Sooty was a feral kitten who had lost his Mum. She had had to be put down after being snared.

I fed his family group (some 10 cats)for six years until I retired and then brought him and his sister home.

After living in the spare bedroom for a couple of years, with run of the front garden, his sister died.

Over the years he gradually took over the house, our two big dogs and my lazy-boy recliner.

Here he is in his final days some fifteen years later, an elderly Gentlecat to the end.

Gordon Oxley
Richards Bay, South Africa

Four Once-Doomed Cats

Our four cats, in order of appearance: Mark, Raymond, Shelly, and Widget. They are all rescued cats. After our cat, Andre, (also a rescue cat) died, we had a huge hole in our lives. In the local shelter we found Raymond. He was four years old and had been languishing there for a long time since no one wanted an old cat. We couldn't resist his plaintive murrr and brought him home that same day along with two other kittens.

Unfortunately, over the next couple of months both kittens died, one of Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), one of another disease. Going back to shelter, we found Shelly and George. Sadly, George died, we believe of melamine in the food we fed him once a week as a special treat. We were devastated. We had lost 4 cats in 2 years and weren't sure we should try adopting another. A coworker told me about the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo cat rescue center where students rescue cats and kittens abandoned on their campus. They care for the sick, find homes for the kittens, spay or neuter the wild adult cats and release them back on campus where they have feeding stations. I brought home kitten Mark. Shelly and Raymond instantly accepted Mark and they became the "Tres Amigos". We thought our family was complete. But no, Widget turned up abandoned in a neighbor's back yard at 7 days old. I couldn't say no to adopting him. The rest of the gang loved the tiny kitten. My husband became "mommy cat", feeding him every two hours and then teaching him how to eat out of a bowl. As you can see in the photo, they are all great pals. They fill our home with love, and during night crazies, mayhem.

Ruth
Santa Maria, CA

Angel on Earth

After suffering from extreme depression for many years, it was suggested that I get an animal for company. When I saw Jake, a Jack Russell Terrier that was about to be shipped to a pound because he was "too old" at seven months, I knew he was my animal soul mate, and we were fated to become best friends. Everyday he keeps me going, and quite literally, sometimes keeps me alive. He knows when I am sad, cuddles I need him, and always seems to make me laugh when my smile can't be found. He brings joy into the lives of everyone he meets. Jake has proven everyday that he rescued me that fateful day in 2003 more than I rescued him. He is truly my angel on earth.

anonymous
Torrance, CA

Dog alerts owners to cat's diabetic reaction

My rescued dachshund, Laci, woke me up with incessant barking. This was unusual, so I got up to investigate and found my 17 year old diabetic cat, Sandy, staggering while walking around aimlessly in our bedroom. Sandy was having an insulin reaction and Laci's barking alerted us to her condition. If not for Laci's alert, Sandy may have continued to deteriorate through the night and may have died from low blood sugar.

Lori Powell
Delray Beach, FL

Chandler Anne

My daughter, Maggie, rescued Chandler Anne from the Lee County, Alabama Humane Society when Chan was only a few months old. As we were looking at all the puppies, Chan was the only puppy that was not jumping all over us. My husband suggested that Maggie pickup the little black dog sitting in the back corner. Maggie never let her out of her arms. Chan had found her forever home and her family. When Chan was only 6 months old, I was taking her for a walk around the block. She saw two little boys playing ball. She wanted to play with them and pulled the leash out of my hand. Just as she did, I saw a truck coming and tried to stop them. The driver was not looking where he was going! She was hit by the front tire but luckily, the back tires missed her. I franticly called my husband who had heard my screams and was already getting in our car to come find us. Chandler had surgery the following day at Auburn University's Vet School where a rod was placed in her leg due to all the bone damage. When we went to see her, Maggie very carefully picked her up. Chan put her head on Maggie's shoulder to cry and moan. We all cried with her, it was a very sad day. About 6 months later, the rod had to be taken out because it was started to come through her skin. After much, much pain and lots of money, Chandler Anne is now a fun, silly, 90 lb. baby girl who will be three years old in May. Chan and Maggie have fallen in love with Wes who adores them both! It is such a happy ending!

Donna
Auburn, AL

Willow found her forever home!

Willow found us! It was chilly that day...I am a die-hard boater so it didn't matter to me. I was off to my favorite island to camp overnight on my boat. I called my wife on the cell phone & told her I found a great spot on Willow Island. What I didn't know-is that I wasn't alone on this island.
When eating my lunch I heard a dog barking in the woods. There was this very thin Australian Blue Heeler barking frantically. I thought she was a wild dog or sick, perhaps and shooed her away. I called my wife again to tell her about the dog. We both worried that she was somehow lost but figured a boat would be coming by soon to rescue her. I was getting ready for bed when I spotted her again, lying in the woods, quietly watching me.I turned in for the night and in the morning there she was curled up as close to the boat as she could get! I noticed how very thin she was, ,she had been lost for quite awhile. I invited her in and she hopped right into the boat. I took her home with me and my wife immediately fell in love with her. We fed her again and she snuggled up to our old German Shorthair, Rudy, as if it were a natural thing. In September, my wife had surgery for uterine cancer and that dog, who we named Willow refused to leave her side. I think our Willow is destined to be a hero. She has a new buddy--Boots, a rat terrier. Her friend Rudy passed away in 2006 and she missed her terribly until Boots came along with his manic terrier energy-but that's another story!

Ron Edfors
Clinton, IA

Buns rescuer

Honey Bear had a best friend named buns. Buns was a huge white new zealand rabbit that lived in our backyard. Buns would escape under the backyard fence and run the neighborhood, Bear would go out and track him down for me to bring him home. They would play chase in the backyard everyday. Bear would chase buns until he stopped and would face her down, jump in the air and kick out his back feet at her, then turn and romp off with her in pursuit. One winter, we had 22 inches of snow in one night. When I went to look for buns the next morning he was no where to be found. I took Bear outback and told her to go find buns. She found him buried in the snow about a foot away from where he would go under the deck to spend the night, nearly frozen. Had Bear not found him, he surely would not have lived thru that ordeal. Bear loved her buns and she saved his life that day.

joannie drayer
harrisburg, PA

Putter the Miracle Cat

Just before Putter's 3rd birthday, he was diagnosed with "Acute Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy", and given a diagnosis of 200 to 500 days to live. The cardiac veterinarian, Dr. Rupp, held out little hope. She did tell us though that in "rare" cases the disease has been known to reverse. She started Putter on Enalapril 2.5MG 1 a day; and Lasix 12.5MG 1 a day. She continued to see him at 3 month intervals.

On his second visit to her, she was slightly hopeful. His condition had not worsened. We continued his medications and she saw him 3 months later. At this time she was very, very happy with his progress. She cut the Lasix to 1/2 tablet a day for two weeks, then 1/2 tablet every other day. He remained on Enalapril, 1 a day. His prognosis had gone from "Acute" to "Moderate". She wanted to see him again, but not in 3 months, but in 6 months.

The next visit on May 11, 2005 was one of the happiest days for us. His diagnosis was now "Mild Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy". He went from "Acute" to "Mild" in just over a year's time. Dr. Rupp took him off the Lasix and left him on Enalapril, 1 a day. His chance to live a normal cat's life span was now excellent. Gone was the dire 200 to 500 day death sentence he originally received.

Today, March, 2009, Putter is a healthy, beautiful, loving, and playful eight year old. He still takes his Enalapril once a day, and thanks to Dr. Rupp at the Veterinary Specialists of South Florida, Putter is alive and well and my "Miracle Cat".

I hope Putters' story will bring hope to anyone whose cat has been diagnosed with Heart Disease. Where there is love there is always hope.

Sue Judge
East Liverpool, OH

A helping hand or paw

Ti was thrown away at birth in a trash can before he was rescued. When I was extremely ill from diabetes he stayed on my bed with one paw wrapped around my finger to let me know someone was with me. I used to hold his paw when he was a baby soothing him as he slept.
Love goes a long way.

C.B.
Boynton Beach, FL

Best Friends

After looking for a while on Petfinder.com, a picture of a young calico named Tess popped up. She had been adopted and then returned. When I went to the Norton Animal shelter to see her, another cat was out of its cage and paying close attention. "Who's that?" I asked. "Oh that's her brother Tony. Do you want him too?"
Tess & Tony are now good friends with our all-white longhaired cat named Charley. No heroic stories to tell, they're just great companions.

Rob
Newton, MA