12 Saves of Christmas: Day #2 – Pete’s Lifesaving Journey
Each day, we’ll share one of FieldHaven’s 12 most heartwarming cat saves of 2021. Each happy story was made possible through your generosity!
We met Pete after a good Samaritan found him and was referred to FieldHaven Feline Center. No family was found, and because we noticed his very irregular breathing patterns, we immediately had our veterinarian take a look at him. Pete was initially diagnosed with mega-esophagus, a medical condition that can quickly become life-threatening.
Despite this, Pete’s personality was charming and endearing. He was alert, active, and loved meeting people. That’s why we knew we had to go the extra mile for him.
Mega-esophagus is when the esophagus doesn’t properly move food into the stomach. We put in a feeding tube so he could continue to eat without comprising the esophagus. His prognosis wasn’t good, but his quality of life was; we wanted to fight for him.
Pete was seen by a specialist at UC Davis who discovered something wonderful—Pete did not have mega-esophagus! He had laryngeal paralysis, a condition that reduces the ability to breathe deeply and can obstruct the airway. The best news? Surgery could fix this, so Pete would be given the chance to live an almost 100% normal life. Even better, thanks to your donations, Pete received the surgery!
Now, Pete is thriving. He’s gained weight, his coat is shining and he’s more confident. He was adopted by a special supporter of ours, who fell head over heels for him, and he, for her. However, Pete also decided that her other cats are not worthy of his friendship, so just this month, we all agreed that Pete is not meant to be part of her family. He wants to be the only pet, where he can enjoy solo outings with his person, and not have to compete for any time. He’s a lover, a companion, a playmate, and so much more—he just wants someone all to himself. As hard as it is for all of us to accept that this is not the right fit, we’ve learned more about Pete, so we are grateful. And, thanks to donations from people like you, Pete received the care he needed as well as time in a home.
Now, with the holidays fast approaching, we ask for two things:
- Help us find Pete a new home, where he can be the only pet and spoiled with plenty of love and attention.
- Give the gift that keeps on giving: a donation that will allow us to keep providing lifesaving care to cats like Pete.
Pete is a mega success story thanks to your generosity. We know many more cats need that same happy ending. You have the power to help us do that!
The Great News?
We’ve been gifted a $60,000 donation match for holidays!
That means throughout the holiday season, every gift is doubled, up to $60,000. Your generosity will go twice as far toward helping homeless cats! That’s pretty spectacular! Please make a gift for the cats today. We really can make the season of giving and love last all year long.
With sincerest thanks and warm wishes for the holidays,
– Joy Smith, executive director of FieldHaven
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