IT TAKES A RESCUE ORGANIZATION

LACY’S JOURNEY
by Darlene Papa

The little female cat was a terrible mess. Very near death, she was a living irony of the phrase, “Something the cat dragged in.” She was filthy dirty, with stains on her once white fur and sticky mats around her face and paws. That was just the surface! Who knew what other health conditions were festering internally! To counteract her grime and smudge, and to give her some dignity and a positive aura, her rescuers gave her a beautiful name: Lacy.

Looking at this raggedy little creature, the folks at Lifeline For Pets, a no-kill rescue organization based in Pasadena, knew they had to get her to the vet right away. What horrors had she
survived? Yet, she was so trusting that she started purring the moment she was touched. When someone held her, she would just snuggle into their arms. She had been through a horrific ordeal of being abandoned in an apartment complex. Lacy had to live on scraps to eke out an existence. One tenant in the complex did not like animals and threatened to throw Lacy in the pool. By the time a kind tenant saw her and took her in, Lacy could hardly walk, her eyes were stuck shut, and her mostly white fur was brown from the dirt and filth she had been living in. This tenant said it looked as if someone had poured glue all over her face and eyes. The kind tenant contacted Lifeline to ask for assistance.

Lifeline took Lacy immediately to their vet, Dr. Linda Iburg at Whiskers To Tails. There she was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. Her teeth were in such horrible shape that her age could not be determined, except that she was young. Treatment required surgery for removal of most of her teeth, surgery for spaying, and medications for the upper respiratory condition. She was bathed, too, but the stains would remain until new fur grew in.

All during her recovery period of several months, Lacy remained very sweet and social, always purring the minute she was picked up, just wanting to be held and loved. She got along fine with the other cats and never caused a bit of trouble. Lifeline knew Lacy, once recovered, would be very adoptable.

However, Lacy’s treatment was expensive, and it is difficult for a small organization such as Lifeline, to come up with the funds. The volunteers turned to their supporters for extra help. A Fundraiser for Lacy campaign was waged on Facebook and email. People were very touched by Lacy’s story, by seeing photos and videos of her on-going improvement, and they knew that this angelic, sweet soul deserved much better. They were so generous that Lifeline was able to reach their goal of paying for Lacy’s medical treatments!

After Lacy was given a clean bill of health, and her fur was soft and white, it did not take too long for her to find the purr-fect new home. She now lives with a mom who’s totally in love with Lacy, and Lacy reciprocates that love ten-fold! Pictures are at lifelineforpets.org, on the “Happy Stories” page. It’s a match made in heaven, or, shall we say, a long journey for a precious little soul to find her way to heavenly bliss! It just takes responsible folks, and a skilled rescue organization.

NOTE: Abandoned cats have a miserable life. If an owner cannot keep an animal, they should find it a caring home. Most shelters and rescue organizations will work with the owner and give suggestions. Finding a pet a new home can be very difficult, but it is certainly worth the effort for the pet’s well-being.

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