The Best Cat Ever: Ranch’s Happy Tail

By Savannah Verdon, Development and Engagement Coordinator II

Ranch: a versatile salad dressing as beloved as it is despised, and the name of one handsome cat with brilliant blue eyes. Citlali adored her sweet boy, and how could she not with the J-shaped mark across his little button nose? Looking somewhat like a feline Groucho Marx was but one of his many endearing qualities.

In his four years of life, all Ranch has known is the love of a family:

“Ranch is a part of the family. I have had him since he was 10 weeks old and he has been nothing but the best cat ever to me and my family. He has an older dog brother who loved him from the moment he came home. He has been there for me at some of my lowest points and even the highest. I thank whatever greater power for his love and his bright personality.”

When you’re young and healthy and surrounded by the ones you love, not feeling well can be all the more unexpected. Citlali was just as alarmed and confused as Ranch was when he started using his litter box more frequently but straining to urinate each time, the quintessential symptoms of a bladder blockage in male cats. Seeing her boy suffering, she didn’t want to waste another moment, so she brought him to the emergency veterinary hospital.

One hospitalization and thousands of dollars later, Ranch was unblocked and the veterinarian had prescribed a special diet and medication to prevent future blockages. Citlali brought him home, relieved that the worst was behind them. She was optimistic that the new prescription food would work as intended, even though Ranch wasn’t thrilled with it. But only a few days later, his bladder blocked again.

The first hospitalization had been devastating to Citlali’s finances, and it was simply unfeasible to bring Ranch back to the emergency veterinary hospital. She found another veterinarian whose treatment would be more affordable, but that was only the first step – she needed to find help with paying for a second hospitalization.

Fortunately, Citlali had options. She was referred to RedRover after being awarded a grant from another organization, and she didn’t hesitate to apply for a RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant. With one of our On-Call Angels at the ready to make their Urgent Care grant possible, Citlali and Ranch were approved in no time. Before Ranch left the hospital for the second time, he had a catheter placed to relieve his bladder and he was unblocked, clearing the way for Citlali to bring him back home to his canine brother.

Two weeks later, Ranch hadn’t become blocked again and Citlali knew this time that the worst was truly behind them. She noted how much happier he seemed, even if he was still unenthused about his prescription food. But the good boy he is, he still ate it. Perhaps it would taste better with a little bit of ranch dressing.

We are so thankful for opportunities like these to help families when they need it most, and we couldn’t do it without kindhearted people like our On-Call Angels and supporters. Thank you for putting your compassion into action for animals like Ranch, and for bringing this family from crisis to care!