The Plight of the Feline – Angela Carried Many Secrets 05/07/2024 By Kerry S Today was a great day to save a life! This little lady came into St. Paul Animal Control (SPAC) as a stray on a Friday afternoon, sneezing and drooling. It was thought she had ulcers in her mouth and that her nose had split in half due to a potentially deadly virus. Meet Angela! Angela had been struggling to eat, and SPAC staff were suspicious that she had calicivirus. This very contagious virus is not something that a shelter has the resources to take on while keeping other cats safe. In fact, it is almost impossible to quartine and prevent an outbreak. So the shelter needed to move her asap. They put out an urgent plea, or Angela would need to be euthanized on Monday. The shelter manager contacted our Executive Director, and she agreed to help Angela. One of our amazing foster homes said YES to getting Angela out of the shelter that day. Although SPAC was closed, an incredible staff member, came in so that we could get Angela home. She noted that Angela is the sweetest, always making biscuits and chirping. Angela’s life means something. So, we gave Angela a big welcome to the Pet Haven family! We expected her to have higher-than-average medical costs and maybe even emergency or urgent care visits, but we didn’t realize how much. But, boy, was she hiding a whole lot of secrets. Angela’s foster had set up her medication and fluid routine and was tidying up the room when she found what she could only describe as large red globs. Upon further inspection, though, we realized they were underdeveloped kittens Angela had given birth to. In total, her foster found five in her room. Angela was so thin when she came in, just barely 4 pounds, and so sick her body could not care for the babies, and it had to give them up. Of course, we decided she needed to be seen urgently, and Angela was dropped off at WellHaven Pet Health Maple Grove that Monday morning. But she wasn’t done surprising us yet. While getting checked out at the clinic, Angela sneezed out a bullet. Yes. A bullet. Angela underwent a slew of medical procedures, including bloodwork, emergency spay, removing teeth that had been shattered by the bullet, and x-rays totaling over $1,700. She doesn’t have calicivirus after all but is significantly underweight. We have no idea what she has endured. Despite ALL of this, Angela’s foster reported Angela eats like a champ and requesting cuddles. She has the most amazing whiskers, gorgeous dark stripes, and silky soft fur. It is clear this girl is grateful. It is clear this girl is a fighter. Monday was the day Angela would’ve left this earth. Instead, she is here. She is meant to be here. Angela was bought into impound where she was at risk of being euthanized under suspicion of having a contagious virus. We took her in but she had a couple surprises in store. Angela went through a miscarriage and had a bullet lodged in her skull. How she survived, we absolutely do not know. We are so grateful for our friends at WellHaven Pet Health Maple Grove who accepted her in urgently and, although her costs were high, they would’ve been at least double at an emergency clinic. We can’t thank WellHaven enough for always making room for us. She was diagnosed with a cleft palate, grade 3 periodontal disease with infection, and rhinitis due to the destruction the gunshot caused. We will be keeping an eye on her progress. If her rhinitis/congestion doesn’t improve, we will be looking at recheck x-rays or even a CT scan. So, cross all your paws for a great recovery! At just over 4 pounds, Angela will need to gain weight carefully and is spending much of her days resting and recovering. But when she’s awake, she patiently waits at the end of the bed for her foster mom. Despite having some bad poops right now, she’s continuing to eat, preferring her foster’s lap as her chair. Angela is really a gem, and so is her foster mom! Because of the heightened awareness of Angela’s story, we have discovered at least two cats with other rescues who had the same injuries and were found in the same area. We have started working with animal control to pinpoint the responsible people. Life for street cats is hard. We value these lives and do everything we can to help them survive and find a safe place to land to be loved and cherished. Please report when you see pets being hurt. To support Pet Haven and Pets like Angela, Please consider a gift to our Phoenix Fund that helps us say YES to pets that need extra care. We believe they have value. We appreciate your support, and so does Angela!
