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Bing’s Life is Worth the Care

Bing’s Life is Worth the Care

SAFE Haven for Cats saves EVERY cat we can, regardless of what care it takes to get them ready to thrive again. When we found a tiny kitten who needed life-saving surgery we didn’t turn him away. We gave him the care he needed to live his best life.

Tiny bobtailed Bing was rescued along with his mom and four siblings from the Wilson County Shelter in March. Their shelter was full, and they didn’t have any more room to take in cats, so SAFE Haven agreed to take the whole family. After a quick medical examination, they were off to their new foster home where they would stay until they were old enough to adopt.

Once the family was settled in their new home, the foster parent noticed something felt different with one of the kittens when she picked him up. After a medical exam with Medical Director Dr. Jennifer she determined he had pectus excavatum, a deformity that occurs in the chest bone. If left untreated, this condition can be life-threatening to a cat and would significantly shorten their lifespan.

All of Bing’s siblings went on to get spayed/neutered and adopted. Bing, however, had to wait longer so he would be big enough for surgery. In the meantime, he went back to foster and got to play with several older cats in the house. His favorite toy? Their tails, of course! Since he doesn’t have one, he found their tails just fascinating.

The severity of pectus excavatum varies but typically makes it difficult for the kitty to breathe, exercise, and even eat. In Bing’s case, it was severe enough to require surgery to save his life. Most shelters and pet owners could never afford to pay for this type of surgery. It often costs thousands of dollars to do the surgery and aftercare. But at SAFE Haven, we know cats deserve more.

On June 27, he underwent surgery and was given a splint to expand his rib cage overtime. He will have at least four follow-up visits to further adjust the splint to bring his rib cage back to a normal shape. Once the splint is removed, Bing will go on to live a normal life and will be ready for adoption!

Bing has been doing very well with his treatments and his happy personality continues to shine through! We know he will make a family very happy someday soon.

The procedures and extra care to save cats lives are very costly, but SAFE Haven believes all cats deserve a chance at a happy and healthy life. Bing’s surgery and care will total $3,000. We’re raising the funds to cover Bing’s care by July 31. Won’t you help fund Bing’s surgery?

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Pumpkin’s Rescue Story

Pumpkin’s Rescue Story

Here at SAFE Haven we meet hundreds of cats and although there are many similarities with each of these kitty’s stories, we’re consistently blown away with their distinct personalities and resiliency. Pumpkin is no exception!

Pumpkin arrived at SAFE Haven in early December. She was very thin, covered in fleas, and had a severe upper respiratory infection that caused damage to her corneas. Upper respiratory infections are like severe colds and if left untreated can be serious and life threatening. The SAFE Care Clinic immediately went to work on getting her better, starting her on antibiotics and eye medications.

After just two weeks of treatment she made a full recovery from the infection and her wonderful kitten personality came to life! She was left with scars on her eyes that will likely stay with her for the rest of her life, but she doesn’t seem bothered by them at all! She’s quickly adapted to the love and attention from the staff and is returning that love with cuddles and little mews.

Pumpkin arrived as a sick kitten with little energy but is now full of spirit ready for her new home thanks to the hard work of staff and support from the community! You can help cats like Pumpkin by donating to SAFE Haven for Cats!

Puma, The Tiny Kitten with a BIG Personality

Puma, The Tiny Kitten with a BIG Personality

Puma, The Tiny Kitten with a BIG Personality

On the evening of Christmas Day, our Shelter Director Sherri received a call from a rescuer who found a kitten under the hood of her car who needed a new loving home.

When the rescuer arrived, Sherri looked into the big carrier and found a little grey kitten, huddled in the back, huge eyes peeking out. When talking with the rescuer further, Sherri learned that the family was were driving the car when her son heard the kitten crying. They stopped on the side of the road, opened the hood, and saw the little one. The kitten immediately worked her way further down in the engine area. The rescuer said she wasn’t moving the car until she figured out where the kitten was! The rescuer found her in the wheel well, terrified. They safely retrieved the scared kitten and took it to SAFE Haven.

Once Sherri put the kitten into an enclosure in the shelter, the still frightened kitten ran to the back of the cage, hissing the whole time. When any staff person would go into her cage, they would hear a deep guttural growl (way bigger than the size of the kitten). She clearly thought she was a big, scary cat. And that’s when a cat named Puma was born! We had to give her a name that was as big as she thought she was! But over the next few days, Puma started to calm down. She got used to her human caretakers and knew they are just there to love her.

Puma is now in a foster home working on her social skills and getting lots of good food, so she can grow big and strong! She will be ready for adoption in a few weeks!