The miracle cat
They’ve named her Sunshine Sally. Some have said she’s a miracle. Her golden eyes were big, wild and scared when someone found her last Thursday along Highway 108 near the Twain Harte entrance, said Darlene Mathews, founder and president of Friends of the Animal Community.
They made immediate arrangements to have her seen at Twain Harte Veterinary Hospital.
The kitten had blood on the top of her head near her left ear and also around her nose. It was fresh. It was presumed she’d been hit by a car but the x-rays proved something more sinister.
Animal cruelty.
Veterinarian Kelsey Strand said Sally didn’t
have any broken bones at all. What the x-ray showed was a bullet lodged “just under the skin of the chin” of the nine week old kitten.
Strand said it was apparent the bullet entered at the back of the head near her ear and migrated to the front of the neck right under the jaw.”
The staff at Twain Harte Veterinary Hospital gave Sally IV fluids, support care of nutrition, antibiotics, and steroids to make sure there was no swelling of her brain.
“She’s doing great,” said Strand adding that “in the first few days she was pretty scared and I’m sure in a lot of pain” and “today is the first day I’ve seen that she’s kind of wanting affection from our staff.”
Their plan for Sally is to remove the bullet at the same time they do her spay procedure, which will have to be in a few weeks, because she’s too young and doesn’t weigh enough.
Mathews said, “FOAC is horrified at this type of animal cruelty” adding “any person caught injuring a innocent cat or dog should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law!” She added, “FOAC will always help out when innocent animals are treated inhumanely through no fault of their own.”
Right now Sally’s veterinary bill is at $600 and between the spay procedure, removal of the bullet and more time at the vet office FOAC might be looking at anywhere between $800-1,200 depending on how long she’ll stay at the vet. Strand said she might be ready to go to a foster home sooner and stay there before her surgery and that would save FOAC some money.
“She deserves a wonderful home,” said Strand.
If you’d like to help with Sunshine Sally’s bills and donate to FOAC feel free to contact them through their website at FOAC.US and use the Paypal button or mail it in to PO Box 4627, Sonora, Ca. 95370.