Emporio has a new lease on life after unique surgery
You may recall that Alley Cat Allies provided lifesaving liver shunt surgery for Tank the tabby earlier this year. One year old Emporio has the same condition, called a portosystemic shunt. In the most basic terms, it means there is an anomaly in his blood vessels that causes blood to be diverted around his liver rather than through it for detoxification.
Great news: Alley Cat Allies covered the costs of the same liver shunt surgery for Emporio, and now he’s doing amazing and his prognosis is positive!
We’d like to share the words of Emporio’s foster caregiver, Allison, who has been with him throughout his journey:
“Emporio has been my foster cat for nearly a year. He was a young kitten when I first took him home, and his special personality showed right away. He was playful and mischievous, as kittens tend to be, but his sweet temper was truly unique. He loved to jump into people’s arms, and snuggling was his favorite activity. In this early period, his liver shunt medications seemed to be working well, and at times, his energy and happy attitude would make his condition feel unreal.
However, as time went on, this began to change. His seizures became more frequent and caused substantial vision impairment. He no longer played and needed to be coaxed into eating. It was clear that the medications, even at increased dosages, would not be a long-term solution. His lethargy became so severe that I feared the worst.
Emporio is now six weeks post-surgery, and each day, he is becoming more like his old self again. His favorite game is running to catch toys and balancing himself on the top of his scratching post like a circus elephant on a ball. He even has most of his vision back! He should be fully weaned off all his medications by October, and in a few weeks, he will be taken off his prescription food. He is going to be in awe when he has his first-ever treat. I suspect he will be ready for adoption in no time.
Your donation saved this special cat. He is now over a year old and, thanks to your generosity, has a long and happy life ahead of him.”
We’re thrilled for Emporio and excited to see what his future holds! Thank you to Allison for taking great care of Emporio, as well as the rest of the team at Lollypop Farm, the Humane Society of Greater Rochester for providing his surgery and treatment.
We’re continuing to provide aid for cats impacted by the Maui wildfires
It’s all to help the many community cats and indoor cats displaced by the disaster; cats like Lilli, who lived in an area that was badly scorched. A neighbor just outside of the burn zone is now watching out for her.
We’re still strategizing more ways to protect cats in Maui, in both the short term and the long term.
Our veterinary grant reunited Minnie with her siblings
Amazing news! For weeks, one of our veterinary grants has covered the treatment of a little group of kittens (among many other cats!). But one of those kittens, Minnie, struggled to overcome her illness.
While her siblings, Oreo, Mudpie, and Reese’s, were getting better by the day, Minnie had to be separated from them to receive more intensive care.
But earlier this week, Minnie finally recovered enough to reunite with her siblings! Now that she’s with her brother and sisters, she’s extremely happy, at ease, and healing even faster. The whole little family is getting healthier, friendlier, and more playful by the day!
Thank you to our incredible supporters for making Minnie’s care possible. These are the faces of just some of the kittens you help us save every day!
Meet Minnie’s siblings, too!
Since we introduced you to Minnie, we’d like to do the same for her siblings! Meet Reese’s (calico), Mudpie (white) and Oreo (tabby).
These three also needed treatment for various medical concerns, all covered by Alley Cat Allies’ veterinary grant. We’re so glad to say they’re thriving now, especially after Minnie returned to the cuddle pile!