THE CAT Ch.3 - Plucked from the streets ... now what?

The street cat's life was about to hit a 'life or death' fork in the road ...

Being 'saved' might have felt like being captured for our intrepid blind (and heavily pregnant) cat. As harsh as Soph's life may have been, it was all she had ever known and the back of a cat rescue van would have been as foreign as anything she had ever known. Nature would not have taught her anything about what was to come next ... except how to adapt.

Sadly, blind cats are sometimes euthanised because of the quality-of-life challenges that they face, along with the lack of available carers who can provide them with a safe environment in which to thrive. In many ways, Sophie being pregnant provided a window within which her situation could be evaluated.

To spend time with Sophie is to love Sophie. I wasn't there but you can guarantee that she would've been endearing herself to everyone she came into contact with ...

“She was beautiful right from Day 1. Just a lovely-natured animal. She had something special and I was determined to have her adopted.” - Deb, Little Paws Kitten Rescue

Albeit brief, Sophie's time as a mum was highly successful. She gave birth to a small litter of kittens, some of whom were born exactly like her! Sophie's blind kittens (all of her kittens) were adopted out. None of them would have to go through the hardship that she had endured on the streets.

Sophie sporting the 'post-surgery-poodle' look!

But now that the kittens were gone, what of Sophie? She still had significant trauma around her eye-openings from infection which made her 'visually unappealing' from an adoption perspective. Despite her upbringing, however, she was an incredibly clean cat with impeccable grooming habits. She had responded positively to an improved diet and her coat quickly developed a healthy sheen.

Sophie's fate ... after all she had endured to this point ... was going to come down to economics and logistics $

In the midst of lock-downs and travel restrictions, could an affordable surgeon be found to perform the reconstructive surgery required for Soph to stand a chance of finding a forever home?

To be continued ...

Footnote: Little Paws Kitten Rescue does great work in the community and without them Sophie would not be able to have her story told. Consider helping them out with a donation or maybe even adopting a kitten or cat!

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