Your friendly neighborhood Bobcat: A Happy Tail
December 9th, 2022
By Savannah Verdon, Development and Engagement Coordinator
Bobcat, a cherished community cat, had already lived a long and storied life at 19 years old. But when severe dental disease made it too painful to eat, it seemed less and less likely he would live to celebrate his 20th birthday. Fortunately, one compassionate family intervened to save Bobcat’s life.
Though he belonged to the entire neighborhood in spirit, Bobcat’s primary caretaker was an elderly individual who was later moved to an assisted living facility, leaving Bobcat in the care of another neighbor. Unbeknownst to his new keeper, Bobcat was suffering from an oral abscess that eventually burst. Of all the families in the neighborhood who had shown him love and affection over the years, Bobcat approached Amy and her husband in duress, desperate for some relief from his pain and discomfort.
The sweet old cat was terribly hungry and covered in pus leaking from the abscess. Amy took him in to clean and treat his wound which healed after several weeks of such gentle attention. With the abscess gone, it became apparent that Bobcat was in need of extensive dental care. Both his teeth and gums were severely diseased. Amy had taken to spoon-feeding him pâté cat food, otherwise he could barely eat at all.
Bobcat’s new caretaker did not have the resources to address his veterinary needs, so Amy and her neighbors raised funds to take him to the vet for an exam. Despite his age and rough condition, his blood work showed that he was healthy enough to have the dental surgery! Amy and Bobcat left the vet’s office with antibiotics to fight the infection until they could schedule the surgery – but the neighborhood would need to raise a lot more money to make it possible.
When a colleague of Amy’s – a fellow animal lover – heard Bobcat’s story, they generously donated almost half the cost of his surgery. After Amy’s contribution, they were just short of the total amount needed. Determined to get him the care he deserved, Amy searched online for that last little bit of help and applied for a RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant.
With her grant application approved, Amy and Bobcat returned to the veterinarian to have his dental surgery. He emerged the happy, friendly cat he had been before all the pain set in. For the time he spent in Amy’s home recovering and now for the twilight of his life, he could feel the love of being a part of the family:
“He is doing really well! It’s been two weeks since his dental procedure. Turns out he had to have 28 teeth removed! Two were already missing. He’s been a trooper and a sweetheart. He was in a protective collar for a week, had pain meds and antibiotics, and has been limited to being inside. I’ve never seen an Elizabethan collar this small! He has a healthy appetite – we are feeding him watered-down wet food. He is no longer showing signs of oral pain, which is such a relief. We couldn’t have provided this care for him without this grant and your donors. THANK YOU! He has moved in with my husband and me and our two dogs. He’s known our dogs from time in the yard and hanging around our house. I think the quiet calm of our house has helped him rest and recuperate. He likes being around us and usually sits on the couch watching out the front window. It’s awesome to see him healthier. Thank you!”
The support of our FurEver Friend’s makes a lifesaving difference for pets like Bobcat, keeping them healthy so they can be with the loving families they deserve. We are beyond grateful for the Happy Tails compassionate people like you have made possible in 2022, and we can’t wait to share more heartwarming stories like these in 2023!
