PAST FUNDRAISERS
Our Donors Help Us Save Lives
We have recently partnered with ACCT in Philadelphia to provide life-saving care for cats who would have to be euthanized otherwise. Due to the large expenses of these surgeries, we create fundraisers to help with their cost. Check out the happy stories of the cats that PURR has been able to save due to the generosity of our supporters!
We also hold fundraisers to help maintain and improve our cat sanctuary.
Past Fundraisers
Please Help PURR with These Unexpected Expenses!
Help us help these cats get the treatment they need!
September 2019
Since the beginning of this year, PURR has expanded our impact significantly by pulling a number of medically urgent cats from ACCT, the open intake shelter of Philadelphia. Being able to help these cats who were hours or even minutes away from euthanasia has been one of the most rewarding experiences ever!
While we have been able to do more for the cats of Philly than we had ever imagined, we also have incurred more expenses than we ever could have imagined. Fortunately, the incredible generosity of our supporters has offset the vast majority of our expenses, which is why we have been able to continue saving so many kitties!
Recently, however, we have incurred some very large expenses that we were not expecting at all and it has definitely taken a toll on our small rescue.
You may remember Kai, who is now named Willow. She is a lovely senior kitty who was timestamped for euthanasia after being surrendered by her owners. She did not have any significant medical issues so PURR decided to pull her. She recovered from a minor URI and got full blood work tests done, which came back showing everything was great! She really came out of her shell with her amazing foster so she was just about ready for her forever home. Then, last week she started having some very labored breathing and had to be rushed to the vet. She had developed some liquid around her lungs and had to have emergency surgery to drain the liquid.
We recently noticed that Tabitha (formerly known as Tibbles), another darling senior kitty who was surrendered because of dental issues, has a pronounced limp that has gotten worse and is causing her discomfort. We need to get x-rays and then develop a plan of action for her.
The diabetic cat Butterscotch who was saved months ago is still having issues getting his diabetes in check so we had to get him a Blood Glucose Curve Test. After that, he came down with a URI and a UTI so he had to go back to the vet for these ailments and we were charged a lot more than we ever would have anticipated.
The dog we agreed to help, Lexi, had surgery at The Bridge Clinic yesterday and the bill was $1050, which was even more than we had expected!
All these unexpected expenses have taken a lot of our resources at a time when we really need to be getting our colony cats ready for the winter. A few of the colony cats have URIs and we need to get these resolved before the winter months arrive. A couple of the cats have developed dental issues and will need to have extractions before winter. Not to mention, the cost of winterizing the entire colony.
Any help in getting us back on track after dealing with these unexpected expenses would be really, really appreciated! No amount is too small but if you are unable to donate right now, please share!
Thank you in advance for your incredible generosity and for making it possible for us to help the cats of Philadelphia!
Raising Funds for Genevieve's Dental Surgery
Help this young lady get some new chompers!
October 2019
Please consider donating towards the vet needs of Miss Genevieve! While trying to finish up a trap-neuter-release project in West Philly, we realized that one of the teenage kittens that we had caught was really, really friendly and had some serious dental issues that needed to be addressed. We couldn't, in good conscience, put her back on the street so she is safe in foster with PURR.
This precious little orange female cat, who has been named Genevieve, is super affectionate, even though she must be feeling pretty crummy!. She has some teeth that are really infected (we discovered the issues because of how bad her mouth smells) and she is in desperate need of dental surgery. Once she gets fully vetted, she will be looking for her forever home.
Please consider donating to Genevieve's care. If you are unable to do so at this time, please share her story with your friends and family!
As always, thank you so much for your support. It is only because of your kindness and generosity that we are able to continue helping the kitties who have significant medical needs!! We thank you, and the cats thank you too!
Free PURR shirt to anybody who signs up to become a monthly sustainer!
#stylegoals #catlife
August 2019
Philadelphia Urgent Rescue and Relief (PURR) is an entirely donor funded and volunteer operated cat rescue group. Our primary purpose is to provide a safe outdoor sanctuary for cats who are unadoptable in the traditional sense. PURR initially came about as a result of numerous TNR projects that we were doing throughout Philadelphia. Although we helped TNR many managed colonies that the cats could go back to, there were some locations that we could not, in good conscience, return the cats to (they were being poisoned, attacked by pitbulls or otherwise tortured by humans).
The road to having a place of our own has been a long one and paved with countless obstacles but we finally have full access to a wooded property that serves as a sanctuary to the cats that we could not return to their previous "home" or could not find indoor homes because of various behavioral reasons. Over the years, we have built a number of shelters on site that serve to protect these kitties form the elements as much as possible, although we would still like to do a lot more There is a caretaker who lives on the property and handles all the daily responsibilities of ensuring that the cats are safe and fed.
As with many rescue groups, our biggest hurdle is in finding resources. We always need more volunteers and we always need more money. The monthly food bill alone is approximately $800 and the flea treatment for the summer months is $500. Each time we have a sick cat that needs to get to the vet, we have to assume we are going to spend at least $100 for just basic ailments. Winterizing the colony costs another $500, at least. The expenses never seem to end and it is really hard to keep up with the funding for those needs.
This year we have expanded our efforts and have become a lifesaving partner with ACCT. This has been such a rewarding experience and we have even started helping cute and friendly cats and kittens in addition to the older, tough street cats that are our primary focus :). As wonderful as this experience has been, it has come with additional expenses.
Our goal this month is to generate $200 in monthly sustainer donations. A monthly donation of ANY amount is so valuable to us. Just being able to count on some funding each month alleviates so much of our stress.
A very generous supporter (who happens to be my mother) just had some really fantastic shirts made with our new PURR logo and they were delivered yesterday! Anybody who signs up to be a monthly donor, in any amount, will receive one of these shirts. To become a sustainer, just select the "monthly" option on the donation page. Please message us with your address and t-shirt size and we will get a shirt out to you right away!
If you are already a monthly donor, please message us with your address and shirt size and we will send one to you, too!
Thank you in advance for your continued support. We are so appreciative of the generosity and support that we receive. We are able to help so many more kitties because of you!
Lexi, the 3-Legged Jack Russell's Tumor Surgery
"Okay not technically a cat, but still needs our help!"
July 2019
This fundraiser is a little bit unusual because we are raising money for a dog, instead of a cat! Fortunately, this should allow us to tag all of our dog lovers and bring them into the mix 🐶
A few months ago, PURR found out about an urgent situation involving Lexi, a 14 year old, 3-legged Jack Russell terrier. Lexi had been surrendered by her owner because she had developed sizeable masses on her mammary glands and her mouth that her owner could not provide care for. Because the situation was quite desperate, PURR agreed to help raise funds for the surgery that little Lexi needs to remove the tumors.
While we were getting estimates for the cost of the procedure, we found out about a research study on mammary tumors that was being conducted at Penn. This was really exciting news because it seemed that it would allow Lexi to get the care she needed for free!
We got Lexi signed up and anxiously awaited her initial consultation, which was this past Wednesday. The criteria to be accepted into the study is very specific and unfortunately, she was excluded because she also has the mass in her mouth. We are so heartbroken that this option did not work out and are right back at square one.
The estimates that we received for the surgery ranged from $800 to over $2000. We have decided to have the procedure performed at Dutton Road Veterinary Clinic, as their estimate was the most reasonable and we have used them before.
Please consider donating to Lexi's surgery so that this sweet, beautiful and energetic little girl has the chance to live many more years. If you are unable to donate at this time, please share Lexi's story with your friends, especially the dog-lovers! She is an absolute sweetheart! We don't know what caused her to lose her leg but she doesn't let it slow her down at all!
You can donate through our Facebook fundraiser, or directly to Dutton Road Veterinary Clinic in Philadelphia. Their contact number is (215) 331-2968 and their address is 10901 Dutton Road, Philadelphia, PA 19154. Please be sure to reference PURR and Lexi. You can also make donations via Paypal to purrphilly@gmail.com.
Thank you, as always, for being such an incredible network of supporters. We are so appreciative of your amazing kindness, caring and generosity that allows us to keep helping animals! We sure do hope, for all our sakes, that these urgent situations slow down!
Helping Holly Get Her Leg Amputation
"Let's help her hop into a better life"
August 2019
As many of you know, the last couple weeks have been extraordinarily difficult for kitties in the City of Philadelphia. ACCT is in a code red situation and yet they continue to be flooded with owner surrenders, stray drop offs and multiple hoarding situations. Little Holly came into ACCT during this terrible time and it is nothing short of a miracle that she made it out.
Holly was brought to ACCT in a trap early this month as part of the community cat spay/neuter program. The person who brought her in had seen her in the area and had noticed that she had a bad limp. Sadly, it wasn't the fact that Holly clearly needed medical attention that prompted the person to do something, it was only because Holly was soiling their porch furniture and they wanted her gone.
Unfortunately for poor Holly, spay/neuter surgeries were backed up at ACCT when she came in so the extent of her injury was not initially noticed. Once she got her examination, it was determined that she had a broken leg and she was timestamped for euthanasia because her injury was too extensive to be handled at ACCT.
Fortunately, all the amazing animal supporters went into high gear to try to find placement for Holly where she could get the care she needed. PURR became aware of the situation and agreed to pull Holly but were unable to get to ACCT to pick her up before they closed so another urgent call went out to find transport. Miraculously, ACCT was able to find transport to get Holly to her foster home. This was a huge undertaking that was only accomplished by a massive team effort.
Holly had x-rays taken at 2nd Street Animal Hospital, which confirmed that her front left leg was badly broken and amputation was the recommended. course of action. It was also determined that Holly is an unbelievably sweet little lady and even in the extraordinary pain she was in, she gave head butts and love. Holly must have been somebody's pet at one time to be as sweet as she is. She has clearly been failed by humans time and time again but we believe we can change her life for the good, once and for all.
Unfortunately, the cost of Holly's vetting is going to be almost $1,600. This is a really huge expense for our small rescue and we are begging for help. Any donation is greatly appreciated, no amount is too small.
If you would prefer, you may make a donation directly to 2nd Street Animal Hospital, just please reference PURR/Holly so they credit it to our account. You may also make a donation via Paypal (contact@purrphilly.com) or can send a check, payable to PURR, to 1350 S. Newkirk Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146.
If you are unable to donate at this time, please keep Holly in your prayers and share her story on your page.
Thank you in advance for anything you can do to help us with Holly's medical bills so that we can continue saving the most urgent kitties.
Nyla Was Attacked and Needs a Tail Amputation!
"Who needs a tail anyway? Not this lady"
July 2019
Last summer, PURR volunteers completed a TNR project for a colony of cats living behind an IGA store in the area. Fortunately, the cats could safely be returned to their location because the employees at the store were taking responsibility for their daily care. Since that time there have been no more kittens (YAY!!!) and most of the cats have been doing really well.
One of the cats, Nyla, was dumped at the colony last spring and because of her gentle and submissive nature she has never completely adapted to the outside life. She is a very sweet cat and really shouldn't be living outside at all, but has not been able to find anybody to give her a home.
Sadly, last week, poor Nyla was attacked by something and sustained significant injuries. One of her caretakers took her to the vet for and the prognosis is that she needs to have a tail amputation. The estimate for the surgery is $350 so PURR has agreed to help raise the funds so that she can get this much needed care. It was also discovered that this poor girl is FIV positive so we sure hope that once she is healed up somebody will step up and give her an inside home where she can have the life she deserves.
Please consider making a small financial donation toward Nyla's care, any amount is greatly appreciated!!. If you are unable to donate at this time, please share Nyla's story and send prayers her way that somebody will give her the home she deserves. Thank you so much for all the support you give to improve the lives of so many animals!!!
Tabitha's Medical Expenses
"Getting this gal some new chompers"
July 2019
Poor little Tabitha (formerly known as Tibbles) was surrendered to ACCT this past week by her owner of 9 years. During those entire 9 years, this sweet girl never once saw a vet. According to her surrender paperwork, she started having issues with her mouth about a month ago and eventually stopped eating.
Instead of finally taking the kitty to a vet, her owner surrendered her to ACCT to be euthanized 😿. Because of her condition and the fact that ACCT was at max-capacity, Tabitha was scheduled to be surrendered at 5:00 pm this past Sunday. Tabitha had a lot of people in her corner, however, and a miracle was pulled off that resulted in her being saved.
Once Tabitha was out of ACCT, the urgency wasn't over since she had not eaten in days. PURR was able to get her into our awesome vet for dental surgery the very next day. Tabitha only had to have four teeth removed but these teeth were chipped and had become infected, clearly causing her a great deal of pain. Although we will never know for sure, it is possible that the chipped teeth were caused by trauma inflicted on this sweet cat.
On a more positive note, Tabitha is already starting to feel better and she finally ate today! She is very, very quiet and very, very sweet. Fortunately, her vet bill was not too crazy but since we are entirely donor funded, every expense takes its toll. Thankfully, our donors came through and helped us get her the care she needed!
Thank you to the entire team who came together at a moment's notice to help save this sweet kitty. Her original human may have completely let her down, but because of the amazing group of people who saved her, she is on her way to finding a home where she will be cherished, as she deserves.
We are currently desperately looking for a foster or an adopter for sweet Tabitha, so please continue sharing her story and keeping her in your prayers. Together, I know we can find Tabitha a home where she will know what it is liked to be loved.
We Need More Fencing Material For Our Sanctuary!
"Help keep the kitties contained and safe"
June 2019
As many of you know, PURR maintains an outdoor sanctuary for cats that are unadoptable for various reasons (inappropriate urination, semi-feral, etc.). Last year, we had a fence installed around the front part of the property to help keep the kitties on our property. This was very important because of issues we were starting to have with neighbors so this was a good faith gesture to try to resolve those issues.
We had also started noticing some of the cats wandering down the property driveway and crossing the road so the fence had the added benefit of protecting the cats by blocking access to the driveway/road area. The fence has helped tremendously but recently, some of the more savvy cats have found a way around the fence by going way back into the wooded area (which was not fenced in) to get around the fence. One of the cats in particular, has been seen sauntering back and forth across the nearby road so we are really worried that he may get hit by a car.
In an effort to keep the cats contained to our property, last weekend we ran deer fencing through the wooded area to make it more difficult for the cats to get out. However, immediately after we finished that, one of the cats jumped from the porch railing up onto the roof of the cottage that is at the front property and was able to get over the fence that way.
Our next step is to put wire fencing along the top of the fencing we had installed and along the roof of the cottage to prevent access from that way. We also need to continue running the deer fencing through the wooded area, which is an enormous task because of the size of the property.
We have already spent thousands of dollars on the fencing that we have installed to date and the next round of work is going to be at least another $500. We are going to continue to do the work ourselves to save money but are really hoping that we can raise the funds to purchase the material we need to keep the kitties safe.
Please consider donating to this project, no amount is too small! We have also started an Amazon Wish List with many of the materials we will need so purchases off that list would be great too!
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/29AV2NFUC5M5O?ref_=wl_share
Thank you in advance for all your support and generosity!!!
Snowball's Chance At a New Life
"A sweet old gal, looking for a new pal"
June 2019
This week, PURR was able to save Snowball, a gorgeous white senior cat that was surrendered at the shelter (ACCT) by her owner of 12 years. Poor Snowball was timestamped for euthanasia because her medical issues were beyond what could be managed at the shelter.
Fortunately, a foster stepped up for Snowball at the last minute and was able to get to ACCT in time to save her....literally the doors were already locked but somebody was still in Lifesaving and heard her knocking!!!
Snowball is super sweet and absolutely gorgeous. She currently has some issues that are causing some vomiting and diarrhea, but we are confident that we can get that taken care of pretty easily and then she can find a new forever home!
We don't expect her vetting costs to be terribly expensive but, as a tiny rescue group that is totally funded through donations, even the smaller vet bills cause a lot of stress. Please consider donating to help us get Snowball fully vetted and ready for her new beginning!
If you are unable to donate, sharing is a huge help too! As always, thank you for your support!
Update
Snowball has been adopted! You can learn more about her new home on our PURR Alumni page.
Butterscotch, the 12 Year Old with Diabetes
"Let's give this old man something to smile about"
Poor Pampers was surrendered by his owners to ACCT this week because of his health issues. He was diagnosed with diabetes as well as urinary and hind leg issues. Unfortunately, all of PURR’s foster homes were full so we weren’t able to step up to save this poor guy.
Fortunately, at the last minute, Angela Seward, the amazing advocate for time stamped cats, was able to find a foster for Pampers who had experience with providing diabetic cats the daily care they need. Armed with this great news, we reached out to ACCT last night to let them know we would pull Pampers but didn‘t get final confirmation until noon today. It was a very stressful 16 hours of worrying that he had already been euthanized! However, after getting confirmation today that he was good to go, his wonderful foster, Mary Heiser, picked him up from ACCT.
He is soooo affectionate and just full of personality; he really seems to know that she saved him! She will be getting him to the vet as soon as possible and will do whatever is needed to make him comfortable. Even if his days on earth are limited, he will be happy and loved for whatever time he has left. This sweet cat surely didn’t deserve to die scared and alone in the shelter and we are thrilled that we were able to save him! Huge thanks again to Angela Seward for advocating for him and to Mary Heiser for fostering him. Without these two amazing women, we would not have been able to save him.
We expect that Pampers medical expenses are going to be pretty significant, which will further tax our already limited resources! Any help you can provide through donations or shares will be appreciated more than you know. We also expect that Pampers will be an expensive foster for Mary so we set up an Amazon wish list to help with some of the supplies she will need as she gets him back on his feet. We will update it as we get more information but to start, clumping litter is the biggest need!
The link to the Amazon wish list is below: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3BDHHOLT3E5CK?ref_=wl_share
UPDATE: May 19th, 2019
Butterscotch had his vet appointment yesterday. The vet confirmed that he does, indeed, have diabetes but they estimated his age closer to 12 or 13 years. They also found a pelvic injury, consistent with being hit by a car, that may be causing his hind legs to drag a little.
Butterscotch was really good at the vet and has become really happy in his foster home. The only downside is that he is turning into a very expensive kitty!! He will need insulin twice a day, which is really expensive, along with the cost of the syringes. In addition, he is on prescription food, which is super costly.
We have already spent more than we have raised on his vet appointment, blood work and prescription food and we haven't even purchased a single vial of insulin!
To make the situation even worse, some of his original pledges, were never honored 😥 Please help us obtain additional support for Butterscotch by donating or sharing. He is going to be a huge expense on a small rescue, but we know that with our amazing donors and supporter we'll be able to get him the help he needs!
Moo Moo Desperately Needs Dental Surgery
"A new smile for a senior kitty cat"
June 2019
Moo-Moo was scheduled to be euthanized as he was one of ACCTs many medically urgent cats. Fortunately, PURR was able to rescue him!
Moo Moo is a sad old stray cat who was living on the streets of Philadelphia until he was brought in under the TNR program. The staff at ACCT realized how severe his dental issues were and could not, in good conscience, release him back to the streets in his condition, especially considering they estimated his age to be 15 years old!!!
Moo Moo's personality is very quiet and shy. He is definitely in discomfort but he seems to be okay hiding out in a carrier in his crate. He comes out to gobble down his wet food and to use the litter box 😸.
Moo-Moo's dental surgery is scheduled for July 3 so we will see how he does after that. He has a colony to go back to but if he stays as sweet as he seems to be, we will really try to find a home for him.
Considering the extent of Moo-Moo's dental issues, it is likely that he will have to have almost all of his teeth removed, which of course becomes quite expensive. Any donations toward his care are greatly appreciated, as are shares and prayers!
Thanks in advance for anything you can do! Without your generosity and support, we would not be able to help these medically urgent kitties!
Cuervo's Hyperthyroid Radiation Treatment
"Curing a disease, and giving him a new lease on life."
May 2019
Approximately 2 weeks ago, PURR rescued Cuervo and his sister, Ouzo, from ACCT, where they were timestamped to be euthanized after being abandoned there by their owner. They were terribly stressed and for the first week in their foster home, they spent most of their time hiding under the bed.. Their foster mom is very patient and was happy to give them time to decompress but she started worrying because they weren't eating.
Last Wednesday, she was able to get them to the vet and discovered that their health issues are more extensive than initially thought. They both will need dentals, although Cuervo's teeth are much worse than his sister's teeth. They both came down with pretty severe upper respiratory infections during their time at the shelter so they are being treated for that right now and once they are healthy, they will be able to get their dentals.
The biggest issue, though, is that Cuervo was diagnosed with Feline HyperThyroidism. For the time being, the vet prescribed oral medication two times a day for the disease, which he will require for the rest of his life. This is not an ideal solution because it is very hard to get him to take the pill and it significantly reduces his adoption potential.
The vet told us about a relatively new treatment for this disease called Radioactive Iodine (I-131) Therapy for Feline Hyperthyroidism. It is safe and effective and is as easy as one injection just under the skin, much like a routine feline vaccine. The I-131 hyperthyroid cat treatment is absorbed quickly into the cat's bloodstream and the diseased thyroid tissue. Once in the thyroid, it destroys the overactive portions of the thyroid gland.
This treatment cures the disease for life. The downside is that only a few veterinary offices perform the procedure and the least expensive price we have found is $1250. Although it is a hefty price tag up front, in the long run it is extremely cost effective as the daily pills and corresponding blood work can add up quickly.
We are really hoping to be able to raise the funds to get Cuervo this treatment. If we can do that, he will be totally adoptable and can go on to live the healthy and happy life that he deserves! He is such a sweet cat but has had such a rough time recently.
Please help us raise the money for this huge expense by sharing or donating.....no amount is too small! Thank you in advance for your amazing support!
Zack-Zack's New Teeth
"You helped us save his life, now let's save his smile!"
May 2019
PURR recently rescued Zack-Zack from ACCT in Philly where he was timestamped to be euthanized because his medical issues were beyond what could be provided at the shelter.
We had called ACCT about pulling poor Luna, a gorgeous black cat who had virtually no interest. After agreeing to pull Luna, Lifesaving at ACCT mentioned Zack-Zack, telling us about how wonderful he was and we agreed to pull him too.
What an absolutely AMAZING cat he is! 😻He's gorgeous, fluffy and so affectionate, even while he must be feeling terrible as a result of the awful condition of his mouth.
He is super skinny, surely because of how painful it is for him to eat, and he has a bit of an upper respiratory infection but these are relatively easy issues to take care of with funding!
Please consider donating to the vetting expenses of this amazing fellow and/or help us find a forever home for Zack-Zack! So happy that we pulled this guy, Zack-Zack is going to have an amazing life!
Update
Zack-Zack has been adopted! You can learn more about his new home on our PURR Alumni page.
Cat Colony Spring Clean Up Day
"A clean home is a happy home. Let's spruce things up for our residents!"
Our annual Spring Cleanup Day was scheduled for Saturday, May 18, 2019 at the colony and was a great success!
We can use people of all skill/physical levels....there will definitely be a job for everybody! Some of the tasks we need help with are as follows:
Sweeping out sheds
Replacing soiled bedding with new linens,
Putting new tarps on shelters
Installing chicken wire fencing
Trimming shrubs
Helping with applying/recording flea treatment applications.
Playing with cats!
We will have pizza and soda/water — please send us a message if you can make it or if you have any questions.
If you are unable to attend but would still like to help, please consider making a donation toward the supplies (tarps, building material, fencing material, cleaning supplies, etc). No amount is too small! We are 100% volunteer/donor funded and the expenses add up quickly. The flea treatment alone is $500!
Thank you in advance for any and all support!
Cuervo and Ouzo, Siblings In Need
"How does a person abandon their 8 year old cats at a shelter? The confusion and fear they were feeling is so clearly displayed. It's heartbreaking, but we will help them learn to trust again."
April 2019
Quervo and Ouzo were surrendered to ACCT in Philadelphia by their owner because he was moving and claimed he couldn't take them along. These two bonded cats, who are approximately eight years old were clearly petrified at the shelter.
Because they were doing so badly emotionally along with their medical issues, they were timestamped for tonight.
Quervo initially came to the attention of PURR through the wonderful Angela Seward and the consensus was that we should try to save him. However, once we discovered how bonded Quervo was with his sister, Ouzo, the decision was made much more difficult as we realized that if we were going to save Quervo, we also had to save Ouzo. Ultimately, we felt we had to save this bonded pair so one of our volunteers picked them up tonight!
They don't appear to be in terrible health but the vet examination at ACCT showed that they both have some dental issues that need to be addressed, which is always expensive. Bloodwork was conducted that also indicates some thyroid concerns so we will need to follow up on that.
For the time being, we are just happy that they are out of the shelter and no longer at risk for euthanasia. Our plan is to get their dental issues taken care of first since that can cause so much discomfort. Once the dental problems are resolved, we can determine what other medical issues need to be dealt with.
As we start down the path to getting them the care they deserve, we will looking for a foster and/or adopter who will give them a forever home together. Thank you for your support!
Bandit's Eye Surgery
“We truly cannot express our gratitude to all of you who donated to his care. It is only because of your support that we are able to provide the care these animals deserve.”
April, 2019
We recently accepted some cats into our colony from a terrible hoarding situation. The cats we took in were too shy/scared to be good candidates for adoption so it was determined that our compound would be a decent alternative option for them. Sadly, during the acclimation process, one of the cats developed a terrible eye infection. He was put been on antibiotic eye ointment and oral antibiotics but each day his eye became worse.
Eventually it got to the point where it looked like the eye was hanging out of the socket, and we knew immediate action needed to be taken. We were initially hoping to have his eye removed at a low-cost clinic but weren’t able to get an appointment soon enough. Thanks to the incredibly generous donations we received, we were fortunate enough to be able to get him an emergency appointment at the Philadelphia Animal Hospital with the wonderful Dr. Rebecchi.
UPDATE: APRIL 19, 2019
Bandit came through his surgery with flying colors! He has really come out of his shell during this difficult time and is so sweet and calm, even while we clean out his eye and apply eye meds.
He definitely deserves an indoor, forever home so we will also be looking for a foster to help socialize him a little more! Please continuing sharing on his behalf for a foster home or a forever home! He is such an awesome cat and really deserves it!! The silver lining of this hardship he had to endure is that he had a chance to come out of his shell and show his sweet personality!!
Please reach out if you are able to help in anyway! In the meantime, please send prayers and positive thoughts!!!
Kitten's New look and Lease on Life
"Kitten is a super sweet senior kitten who was dumped at ACCT by her owners of 14 years. Can you imagine???"
March, 2019
Kitten had a large growth on her side, which limited her adoption potential and so she was scheduled to be euthanized on a Sunday at 5:00 pm. At about 4:45 pm, PURR decided to pull Kitten and try to get her medical issues resolved. We are soooo happy that we made that decision because this kitty is absolutely amazing. She is so loving and affectionate and is in great health, other than the growth on her side of course.
Thanks to Angela Seward and her amazingly generous friends, we had a great start on the funds needed for her medical expenses. Our amazing donors came through for the rest and we were able to get her the help she needed.
Kitten really is absolutely precious -- while she was at her vet appointment she didn't stop rubbing against everybody for pets and proceeded to make herself comfortable right next to the keypad :)
Complicating her surgery was the fact that she has a heart murmur, which made the sedation a little trickier. Thankfully though, Kitten came through her surgery with no problems whatsoever! She didn’t seem to be in any discomfort, other than hating her cone (although her pain meds probably helped).
UPDATE: April 2019
Thank you again to everybody who helped save Kitten!!! She has a new name, "Sweetie", which fits her perfectly. In addition to a new name, she has wonderful new home!! As soon as we met Barbara, the lady who opened her home to Sweetie, we knew this would be a fabulous situation. Barbara is one of those people who just radiates kindness (and the world could use a lot more of)! She has a few other kitties, who also welcomed Sweetie into their home.
This was such a perfect ending and could not have been accomplished without everybody coming together to help in any way they could. Thank you again!!
You can learn more about her new home on our PURR Alumni page.
Getting Gum Some New Teeth
February 2019
PURR rescued Gum from ACCT in Philadelphia. Gum is a feral kitty who had some really serious health issues. These included some awful dental problems that required tooth extractions, and some eye issues as well.
Gum has obviously had a really tough life so far but we were committed to getting him the vet care he deserves so he can live out the rest of his life comfortably. With the support of our donors we were able to get him back to health and welcomed him, along with his new name, Steely Dan, to our sanctuary where he will be able to live out his life comfortably.
Also wanted to give a huge shout out to Angela Seward, who does such an amazing job of bringing awareness to these tough cases and gets so many of them saved!
Big Orange, Big Problems
February 2019
PURR rescued Big Orange from ACCT in Philadelphia where he had come in as a semi-feral stray with terrible issues. His medical issues were beyond the capability of what ACCT could provide so he was timestamped for euthanasia until PURR came along.
PURR quickly got Big Orange scheduled for dental surgery at Naaman's Animal Hospital. He had to have numerous teeth extracted but came through surgery with no complications. The vet, Dr. Mule, also noticed that a large portion of his mouth/gum area was missing, possibly from cutting his mouth on a metal can, maybe while foraging for food 😢. His recovery went great but as he started feeling better it became very obvious that he had no interest in being an indoor cat.
UPDATE: March 2019
A volunteer with PURR boards horses at a farm near her house and helps take care of a small, managed colony there. They offered to have Big Orange live at the farm with their other kitties.
After acclimating in an enclosed area for about a month, Big Orange was released to roam freely. He will be taken care of for the rest of his life and will never have to scrounge for food again.
Although he will still be an outdoor cat, his new home is a world away from the streets on which he was struggling to survive. He is a big strong cat and now that his dental issues have been taken care of, he will be able to have the wonderful life he deserves!
Thank you all once again for making this possible!!