Monday, July 16, 2007

Annie

"Abscess Annie" was in my home from May 20, 2007 to June 26, 2006. It's hard to believe she was here only just over a month; it felt like much longer.

Annie came to me after languishing at the shelter with horrible abscesses all over her back. She was simply unable to receive the kind of intensive care she needed in that environment, despite the workers' best efforts. While nobody knows for certain what caused her injuries, professionals speculated that she was doused with gasoline and possibly burned. She had already been in the shelter for quite some time when I brought her home.

She had 6 large abscesses covering her back, many of them oozing puss. She had a raging fever, and was severely emaciated, though her thick fur hid it from first glance. I'd never seen an adult cat so skinny. The pictures don't even begin to do the damage justice. :(







With a lot of TLC, antibiotics, twice daily abscess lancing, draining, and cleaning (eew!), and high-quality kitten food and canned food, Annie began to put on weight and recover. Then suddenly she took several steps back. Just as I thought all her abscesses were gone, she developed a very high fever, and her hip bones felt mushy and hot. I feared the tissue had turned necrotic, and rushed her to the vet. The put her under anesthesia and cleaned her out as much as they could. At this point the shelter had spent as much on her as they could, and the rest of was to me, Annie, and fate. She got worse for a few days, then finally began improving again.

The whole time she was in my home, she was nothing but utter sweetness, even when she felt her worst.

By the time I returned her to the shelter, she was a solid, hefty, and healthy cat. She has since been spayed and her hair is growing back beautifully. She is not happy to be at the shelter, but greets me warmly when I visit her near daily. Please keep your fingers crossed that she'll find her forever home soon.