Smiling Violet: A Happy Tail
July 11th, 2022
By Savannah Verdon, Development and Engagement Coordinator
As 2021 wore on, Haley felt her mental health worsening, hitting its lowest by the beginning of November. She suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder which made it almost impossible for her to work. Most days she had trouble even getting out of bed, much less leaving the house.
Known as a skilled community cat caretaker, Haley received a call from her local grocery store about a small cat eating trash out of their dumpster. She gathered her trapping supplies and was on her way within minutes. After trapping the cat, Haley brought her home to be fostered until she found a new family.
She had no intention of keeping the little green-eyed piebald calico she named Violet and had even spoken with a few potential adopters. Still, after several weeks, she knew in her heart there was no way she would be saying goodbye.
Violet had found a family of her own, and a big family at that – Haley and her partner also shared their home with cats Iris and River, plus Teddy the Australian Shepherd. River was particularly fond of Violet:
“She has an older brother kitty named River, and his world wouldn’t spin without her. They are the best of friends. She was the perfect addition to our family, our last baby.”
Despite her early days and weeks living outside, Violet was healthy overall. So it came as a surprise to Haley when Violet became very sensitive around her mouth. As Violet drooled and ate less and less food, Haley decided it was time to go to the veterinarian.
The veterinarian determined that Violet had several ulcers around infected teeth and an excess accumulation of tissue in her mouth. If they could remove the excess tissue and pull the infected teeth, Violet’s ulcers could begin to heal. But with just her husband’s income keeping their household afloat, the unexpected cost of Violet’s surgery simply wasn’t feasible for Haley.
Her heart felt shattered. Violet had saved her from the depths of her mental health struggles, and Haley felt she owed her the best care possible. She searched online for any help with paying the cost of surgery, and soon came across the RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant program.
When her application for an Urgent Care grant was approved, Haley wasted no time in scheduling an appointment for Violet’s surgery. It was clear how instantly Violet felt relief once the infected teeth were pulled: She was almost fully healed just a few days after the surgery, with her appetite returning in full force. Haley snapped a picture of Violet giving her slow blinks of affection and trust, a token of her gratitude for her second chance.
From families like Haley and Violet and all of us here at RedRover, thank you! We couldn’t do it without the compassion and generosity of our FurEver Friends.
