Special Appeals A Place for Pickles
One evening back in February, the cattery manager was getting ready to go home, when an urgent call came through about an injured stray cat. The lady who found him had actually adopted cats from us before, but wasn’t expecting this boy to stagger into her garden. He was in a sorry state, bleeding and covered in bite wounds where another creature had attacked him. She managed to get him in a carrier, and took him to the vet for emergency treatment, but knew she wouldn’t be able to afford the bills for his future care.
We agreed to try and help, and appealed to our supporters to bring together the funding he needed. Moved by his plight, people gave generously and so Pickles, as he was called, could rest easy that night, knowing his road to recovery was planned out. We gave the lady some extra supplies to keep him comfortable, including a heat pad, blankets, and also absorbent puppy pads, which came to be much needed in the days to come.
The lady was happy to foster Pickles at her house while he needed extra care, and soon noticed that he wasn’t using his litter tray properly, instead urinating wherever he lay, like he had no control over his bladder. After scans, tests, and medication, we were all relieved when this finally improved, and in the meantime his other wounds were healing nicely, and he’d also been neutered. Things were looking good!
Unfortunately, Pickles began to grow stressed at being kept inside a house, even though it was for his own good. He was used to wandering, and though he’d grown to enjoy being cared for, he missed the fresh air and freedom. He was also nervous sensing there were other cats around, even if he was kept in a separate room. He came down with cystitis and was urinating blood, and it was clear he needed a change of scenery ASAP.
To everyone’s relief, one of our regular cat and kitten fosterers had just the thing: a private room fitted with a custom-built catio, so he could enjoy a taste of the outdoors while still remaining safe. He was very pleased with this, and as spring has turned to summer, he’s enjoyed many hours of sunbathing.
But of course, Pickles can’t stay in foster forever, he needs a permanent home of his own. Despite numerous appeals on our social media over the past months, not a single person has applied to adopt him. We’re now in July, and six months after first needing help, this poor lad is desperate to finally get a happy ending to his story.
Pickles would prefer a child-free and pet-free home, with access to a safe outside garden/yard area, away from busy roads. He can be very affectionate, but can snap if he’s upset or startled, so a person with previous experience of cat ownership would be ideal, someone who can read his body language and make sure he’s comfortable.
As mentioned, Pickles has had past issues with stress cystitis and FLUTD, though he’s been doing very well for a while now. A calm environment would suit him best, and he’ll need closer monitoring than other cats as he settles into a new place. These extra requirements mean he’s not a cat that would suit everyone, but after he’s fought so hard to get better after his ordeal, he deserves a good life. Advice and support will be given to his new owners if needed.
We very much hope that soon we’ll be able to update Pickles’ page, to announce that he’s found his perfect person at last.