Jeannette Walker had quite the fright in the early hours of Monday, April 23rd. The sound of an intruder in her house woke her up at around 4:00 a.m. Little did she know that the intruder had entered through her pet flap with ease. Bravely, yet with a bit of fear, Jeannette tiptoed into the bathroom to investigate the noise. The intruder seemed unfazed by all the commotion. With care, Jeannette reached out to switch on the light, only to be completely taken aback by what she saw.
FieldHaven’s Facebook page shared a heartwarming story about a cat who entered a home through the pet door, not to harm the owner, but seeking help. The feline was in a sorry state, thin, covered in oil, fleas, and bruises. Its pitiful eyes begged for assistance, and the homeowner immediately provided medical attention for the poor creature.
As per the Facebook page @FieldHaven, a lady came across a pitiful kitten and was deeply moved by its condition. She resolved to do everything in her power to aid the poor creature. The woman feared that due to the kitten’s apparent distress, it could be put to sleep in a shelter. Consequently, she began posting about the lost and found pets on a local Facebook page. However, the kitten had a collar but no tags, making it difficult to locate its owner.
The FieldHaven Feline Center, based in Lincoln, California, came across a message about a sick cat and immediately took action. They made arrangements for the poor feline to be retrieved by Yuba County Animal Care Services, who then took him to Marysville Veterinary Hospital for a thorough examination by experienced veterinarians. The scruffy stray is believed to have crawled into a car engine, which caused him to suffer injuries and emit a strange smell. Unfortunately, starting the engine only made things worse for him.
The feline discovered by Facebook user @FieldHaven was in a dire state; emaciated and with a jaw that appeared to have been shattered. It was doubtful whether he could even eat because of his devastating injuries. However, despite his pain, the resilient kitty kept purring. At the veterinary clinic, he was affectionately named O’Malley. Acute pain medication helped ease his discomfort, while a thorough grooming session brightened up his fur. Despite his illness, O’Malley still had an appetite for food. As no owner came forward to claim him, the decision was made to perform surgery on him to help him recover. Additionally, he was also given neutering treatment while under sedation.
FieldHaven initiated a fundraising campaign for O’Malley’s surgery after being offered a substantial discount by the veterinary facility. The charming face of O’Malley inspired everyone who saw him to offer their support in any way they could. Within a day, nearly $2000 had been raised towards his operation. Currently, O’Malley is comfortably sleeping, receiving pain relief, and being pampered with lots of soupy cat food, a cozy bed, and plenty of love and attention from his caregivers. The staff reports that he is eating well and relishing all the care he is receiving.
Wow, your generosity is truly incredible! Thanks to your donations, not only was O’Malley’s surgery fully covered (which would have cost around $800), but we were also able to establish the “O’Malley Fund” with almost $2,000 in donations (and counting). This fund will go towards helping other animals at Yuba County Animal Care Services receive medical treatment so they can find their forever homes. Thank you for making such a meaningful impact in the lives of these animals.
According to Facebook’s FieldHaven page, the anticipated edema was minimal, but the therapy proved to be a total triumph!
The Facebook page of FieldHaven was updated regularly by Donna, the foster mother of O’Malley, as she shared the kitten’s progress through the weeks. According to her, he was growing well and had a healthy appetite, as he would eagerly cry for food whenever he heard a can being opened. However, O’Malley seemed to prefer staying indoors as he quickly wanted to come back in after being taken outside to Buck’s Barn yard. On May 30th, Donna brought him in for a checkup, and the vet confirmed that O’Malley was thriving under her care and was in excellent health.
The information taken from Facebook @FieldHaven states that O’Malley had the wire keeping his jaw together removed in June. While staying with his foster family, he developed an interest in giving free cuddles to seniors at a senior home, on top of his love for snuggling.
According to a post on Facebook by @FieldHaven, O’Malley had his adoption fee paid for already, but he was still struggling to find a permanent home. One possible reason could be because he expressed his desire to be the only cat to his foster parent.
After seven days, an amazing lady entered the premises of the establishment and completely changed her and O’Malley’s destiny.
Tracy was immediately smitten with the adorable ginger kitten and took him into her home with open arms. As a nurse, she plans to keep him as her purrfessional snuggle buddy. A big thank you to all who assisted in nursing this cute little trespasser back to health!
