As brave and strong as his God of Thunder namesake, beautiful lynx point Siamese cat Thor survived the historic tornadoes that tore through the Little Rock, Arkansas, area by taking cover beneath the accumulating debris. His fine-tuned feline instincts saved his life but, unfortunately, he couldn’t avoid a devastating injury to his lower jaw.
That’s where Alley Cat Allies, and our incredible supporters, came in. To help the feline victims of the tornado, we connected with Community Cats Global, just outside of Little Rock.
As rescuers dug through the rubble to pull out an exhausted, injured Thor, Alley Cat Allies finalized a grant that would cover the costs of his extensive care as well as that of many more cats and bottle baby kittens impacted by the disaster.
Alley Cat Allies’ disaster grants fund all necessary care, no matter how expensive the procedure. It was no question that we would cover the costs of the specialized surgery Thor needed to repair his jaw, as well as wound treatment and spay and neuter for other cats and the round-the-clock care neonatal kittens need to survive.
Just weeks earlier, we provided the same critical disaster funding to save cats’ lives in the aftermath of tornadoes in Mississippi. And at the end of April, we did it again after tornadoes in Oklahoma. Today, we stand ready to protect cats and kittens through all the disasters yet to come—and we rely on our supporters and donors to make it possible.
Meet
Buddy
Sarah Richardson of Community Cats Global, a recipient of Alley Cat Allies’ disaster relief grant, tells the story of this tornado survivor.
Everyone in Little Rock loves Buddy! They’ve known him from years of being a “restaurant cat” in the hard-hit area of Walnut Valley. He was one of the first ones found injured after the storm and the vet estimates he is 15+ years old. He has a permanent head tilt from years of an untreated medical condition, but now he’s happy, getting healthier, and thriving.
You won’t meet a more chill cat. He’s truly such a sweet senior boy who deserves the very best. Thank you to Alley Cat Allies for your grant as we continue to treat our tornado cats and kittens. Everyone’s doing better and getting top-notch vet care!
The Tiny Steps to Recovery,
One Paw in Front of the Other
Thor made it through surgery like a champ, but was stuck with a limited diet due to the wires inserted to help him heal. None of it dampened the can-do spirit that made him a well-loved member of his Little Rock community. We’re thrilled to say Thor braved his weeks of recovery and had his wires removed early this summer!
But Thor’s story was far from the only journey to recovery. Tornadoes at the peak of kitten season meant Alley Cat Allies’ disaster relief grantees had their hands full with tiny, vulnerable neonatal kittens. In Arkansas, our funding helped provide round-the-clock care that dozens of kittens needed to survive.
In Mississippi, Alley Cat Allies’ grant to Greenville Animal Clinic & Hospital, saved tiny tuxedo Nado and many more impacted kittens. Nado was just 4 weeks old when he was rescued from twisted metal and concrete left by the disaster. Our funding ensured he could be examined, treated, and cared for throughout his recovery.
Adorable as he is, Nado found his new family in short order!
Weeks later in Oklahoma, our grant to Tiny Paws Kitten Rescue provided that same critical care to kittens Poppy and Lily. The two little siblings were rescued after tornadoes and had painful eye infections.
Today, Poppy, Lily, and dozens of other kittens have not only come back from the brink of tragedy wrought by the tornadoes, but are on their way to many bright, sunny days ahead.
“The community has come together to help the animals affected by the tornado. We’re so grateful to Alley Cat Allies for helping us with the cost of medical care. We appreciate it so much.”
Edwin Nordan, D.V.M.
Greenville Animal Clinic & Hospital
But the Work is Far from Over
Out of the rubble and into the arms of a new family! Thanks to Alley Cat Allies’ tornado relief grant in Mississippi, Nado was rescued, cared for, then adopted.
Disasters will strike again, and cats will need us. Your generosity empowers Alley Cat Allies to save lives when the worst comes to pass. For that, we cannot thank you enough.
Find more exclusive stories and photos of cats and kittens we saved this year with our disaster grants at alleycat.org/
tornado-relief/.