Sugar Bear Tabby with Bad Eye Saved from Streets, Needs a Home

Tabby stray cat with bad eye improving.
Such a sweet face!

Hello cat lovers,

Here is our latest rescue. His name is simply Tabby. Why? Well because he is part of outdoor colony that was fed nightly by resident volunteers in downtown Miami. They noticed his bad eye and took him in to vet for treatment.

Tabby's left eye looks murky

Tabby chillin' in pet carrier on way to vet.
This is no ordinary cat!

This sugar bear has a bad case of conjunctivitis and eye inflammation. The good news- with daily drops it is stabilized.  Therefore he can not return to the streets.

Vet examining bad eye

While many outdoor cats have difficulty adjusting to indoors or would experience great stress at visiting a vet, not this Tabby! Amazingly he is mellow through it all. Enjoying the clean soft blanket, the regular food, the soothing voices and lots of affection.  Oh does he love affection. The videos and photos are proof.

Tabby ready to take a nap waiting for the vet. Why not?

So we are on a mission to find him a home.  Tabby is middle aged about 5-6 years old.  Neutered. Fully vaccinated. He tested positive for FIV, and negative for FeLV.  Parasite-free. Tabby is also excellent with other dogs and cats.

Tabby sleeping soundly on bed of foster guardian.

FIV (Feline Aids) is not a death warrant.  Cats with FIV can live with other cats safely. He has some minor dental issues, but no long term health issues. He needs a proper indoor home to monitor his eye issues and keep him healthy.

Still purring after the vet. Amazing!

This is great pet for adoption. With middle age cats you already know their personality. He's mellow yellow. A "sugar bear" as evident in all the photos and videos. Welcomes sleeping with his guardian. Gets along with everyone and every pet.

A followup visit after one week.
Tabby's eye is looking a lot better.

To meet Tabby please call or text Sabrina at 1-786-554-0084. (Downtown Miami). Let her know you saw this posting on Riverfront Cats website.

If you are not able to adopt Tabby, but would like to help, please share this information with friends via email or social media or word of mouth. Or donations are welcome to cover the vet bill. He still has another follow-up visit, the third vet visit.

Feel free to make a donation of any amount. Our umbrella organization is Pawsitively Humane.

Vet Bill

Click on mobile version of this site to get the right column and click DONATE.


Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for caring.
Thank you for making a difference in the lives of homeless, voiceless cats and our community!

‎Daffney is the latest Miami Riverfront rescue Calico kitten!

She's a calico as seen by her soft tri colors of white, caramel and gray.

At 10 weeks young, Daffney is a dynamo and loves to play chase, hide-and-go-seek but she's also a lover and will meow to pick her up, pet her, feed her, pay attention to her... best of all she rubs her chin and whiskers against your chin and face. This is called "marking". That means she's claiming you as hers!  ‎She also gives lick kisses! Daffney runs,jumps, and snuggles with you in bed. She may lay across your chest like a fur collar or nestle in between your shoulder and chest. Oh yes. She'll look at you and raise her chin to signal she wants you to scratch her.   Communication and Love. The recipe for purrfect relationship.

Daffney would love to have another kitten playmate. She's good with cat friendly dogs too!

She is healthy, had both rounds of vaccinations and rested negative for FIV and FeLV.‎ We will provide certificate to get her spayed. All vet records will be provided.  

To meet Daffney please contact us at 305 771-3163 or email us at riverfrontcats@yahoo.com.

Saving Leroy's Legs

   
For May 7 update, click here. 
 
UPDATE April 29, 2013: Please scroll to the bottom to read the latest news on Leroy

Many of you may recall Chaz Leroy, (the gals called him Chaz and the guys at Florida Power & Light [FP&L] yard called him Leroy) but the latter name won us over.  Leroy is one of the black Riverfront cats that is friendly, docile, affectionate and spotlighted in our various posts about caring for community cats. From educational videos to National Feral Cat Day, Leroy is a favorite of the caretakers at Riverfront Cats.

Sadly Leroy went missing for three days--a red flag that something bad happened. Was he injured and fighting for his life? Recuperating in places we never see? Or was he.... dead? You see Leroy never missed a feeding. He showed up like clockwork at 7am to greet the FPL guys at the gate for breakfast, in the yard at 3pm for afternoon snack, and in the evening over by our condos for dinner. Cats are smart. Their internal clocks are more reliable than a Swiss clock.

With each passing day volunteers walked the neighborhood, calling his name, treats and tuna in hand. No sign of Leroy.  Our hearts sank a notch every time. The last day he was seen was a Wednesday. Then he appeared on Sunday. Laying in the high grass, away from the cat house, Leroy was lounging on a lazy Sunday.  But this was no post picnic weekend wind down. In the dim light, we discovered his hind left leg was grossly swollen and missing fur, but no trace of blood. Did he lick it away?   A volunteer came rushing with a pet carrier and towel and we scooped him up, no struggle, no hissing. Leroy was play-dough in our arms as we contorted his body and gently placed him in the carrier.

Leroy on vet exam table

The vet explained there were no bite wounds or fracture. It appeared to be a chemical burn. His fever was running high and there was a 50/50 chance of saving the leg. Our options: try an aggressive treatment to save the leg, or go straight for amputation.  Thankfully he wasn't feral and we gambled he would remain tame indoors (as can happen when  you place an outdoor cat and try to convert him to an indoor cat). If administering medications was not a struggle, Leroy would remain indoors regardless of the final outcome. So why didn't we bring him in earlier? Good question. For many reasons.Click here to learn why.

Leroy's left hind leg

We opted for aggressive treatment.  The vet cleaned the leg and then noticed a similar burn on his front left paw. Volunteers felt faint. Double amputation? The word "amputation" is like a loaded gun for the untrained. Like doctors and soldiers, witnessing and treating horrific injuries is common occurrence, it's part of the job for animal rescuers.  Prior experience prepares us. But a possible "double amputation" left us speechless.

Leroy would remain hospitalized for three days and two nights, hooked up to an IV, and given fluids, antibiotics and pain medications. On the third day we picked him up, both left legs mummified in bandages they looked like clubs next to his healthy svelte legs.  

Leroy resting at home in carrier with bandages on both left legs.

RC Volunteers continue administering antibiotics, antacid, a laxative and pain medications and return every two days to change the bandages.

At this point we are praying to save Leroy's legs.  

We can't do it alone and need your help. 

 

Leroy happy and healthy, January 2012

The vet bill is approximately $600*.   It adds up fast. If you can help with a financial donation, we welcome any amount. Simply click here or the Give Now button on top right.We are only asking for help if you can give.

Not every one is able to donate and we completely understand. However, if you have to do online shopping for your household or buy pet food, supplies and medications, please consider shopping at your favorite retailers (Walmart, Petsmart, Amazon, eBay, Old Navy.... ) by first visiting this page, clicking our links, and begin shopping so that Riverfront Cats receives a small proceed! It's a win-win-win for all! 

REMINDER: Mother's Day is coming up! Buy your gift online and help homeless pets at the same time.  

UPDATE April 29, 2013: 

Bad news / good news.  The fever returned and the left hind leg has not improved. The specialist determined the leg must be amputated. The good news is that the swelling reduced in the front left leg and the leg is salvageable.  The estimate for the amputation is $1,800 at Miami Veterinary Specialist.

More importantly, Leroy is in good spirits and adjusting well to indoor life.  He has not hissed or shied away from other resident cats.  We will provide lots of TLC for his recuperation and we know we can find him a permanent loving home.  Tripods (3 legged) animals are easier to find homes for than healthy adult cats. 

 

Bless you for caring. Together we can make a difference!


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* Leroy's vet bill is addressed to Sabrina Vega. Sabrina is the Vice President of Pawsitively Humane Inc. aka Riverfront Cats.  No board members receive any compensation.