Home for the Holidays with a Little Magic
November 21st, 2025
By Olivia Carpenter, Membership Coordinator –
It was a harrowing story from the start. Vivian*, a pet parent on disability, submitted an application for a RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant to help her best friend, a black cat named Magic. Magic and Vivian had survived a house fire that left the little cat terrified and severely traumatized. Just like humans, the stress of what Magic had been through developed into debilitating physical illness – his digestive system began to shut down. Vivian’s once vibrant and feisty friend was now spending his days crying and hiding under her bed, uncomfortable and in severe pain.
Magic began life as a feral kitten with aggressive behavior that would have seemed insurmountable for a lot of people, but not to his human mom. Vivian took it upon herself to work with Magic, first taking him to the vet to make sure there wasn’t a health issue behind his aggression, then following up with visits from a pet behaviorist to learn how to redirect and improve the aggression. Vivian explained, “he didn’t ask to be born with the struggles he has, but I am responsible for his well-being. I will give my heart and soul to care for this kitty.”
The healing went both ways. Not only does Vivian suffer from seizures that often leave her bedridden, she was also determined to get sober when Magic came into her life. His calming presence and comfort were exactly what she needed in her darkest moments, and he absolutely loved snuggling up to her and staying by her side.
The next unexpected turn in their lives threatened everything they had worked hard to achieve: their home caught fire. While Magic was thankfully rescued in time, he and his mama were now experiencing homelessness, living out of hotels for months. Magic had to be temporarily boarded twice – unavoidable separations that traumatized him even further. His overstressed body rebelled, and he began to have distressing symptoms, severe constipation, and pain. A veterinarian told Vivian his digestive system was beginning to shut down.
By that point, Vivian’s finances were stretched to the limit. Luckily, she found RedRover and submitted an application for help:
“I am currently waiting on disability payments and have been in and out of the hospital due to my seizures, so I have no income at the moment. I spent every penny of my savings on my cat; he takes four medications and is on a special diet for his digestive system. I am struggling to figure out how to pay for his upcoming vet visit. The last thing I want is to rehome him. That would be devastating for the both of us.”
RedRover Relief Urgent Care grants can be funded by On-Call Angels, a special group of animal lovers who pledge to give more than $150 on a regular basis to individual animals in need of urgent veterinary care. Vivian and Magic were quickly approved for an Urgent Care grant so he could get the immediate care he needed, and then we reached out to one of our On-Call Angels who provided the funds to sponsor Magic’s treatment.
When their case manager checked in with Vivian a couple of weeks later to see how Magic was doing, her relief was palpable in the reply.
“Magic is doing much better! It took several days but once his digestive system started getting back on track, he made a good recovery. Since going to the vet and starting B12 shots, he has been using the litter box daily. He is no longer miserable and in pain. He is playing and eating well, and has stopped hiding under the bed. He is back to being my snuggle bug.”
Thanks to the kindness of their On-Call Angel, Magic and Vivian were together again in a new home, just in time for the holidays. “I am very grateful to have my Magic back healthy. Without your help I wouldn’t have been able to care for [him],” she told us.
Our On-Call Angels will tell you there’s no greater feeling than knowing you had a direct hand in giving a specific furry friend in crisis more time with their loved ones. If you, too, want to give pets in need a second chance at life, consider becoming an On-Call Angel. On-Call Angels choose how often they receive a case, what species they’d like to help, and can even help cover temporary boarding for the pets of people fleeing domestic violence, if they’re open to it. Head to RedRover’s website to learn more and submit an application or reach out to Olivia, our On-Call Angel coordinator, at olivia@RedRover.org.
*Names have been changed to protect privacy
