Keanu is a gangly long-legged blue-grey senior who has epilepsy that causes prolonged (some up to 30 mins) focal seizures affecting his head and limbs. He also has gastrointestinal issues. Together, this means he’s getting meds 4X a day.

Samson arrived with an extremely painful oral condition called stomatitis. In effect, he was allergic to the bacteria in his mouth, causing severe inflammation of the gums. Despite being relatively young, the only treatment was the removal of all of his teeth.

Liberty was found after falling off someone’s roof, probably because her balance was impaired due to a massive polyp in her ear that was blocking the canal and creating fluid build-up and leakage. The polyp was surgically removed, with several pre- and post-surgical medications in hopes that new polyps won’t form.

Grace had a torn radial nerve which meant she had no control or sensation of her front leg. It was possibly caused by her leg getting stuck in a fence. Amputation was the only option.

All of these are rescued cats who have much cause to be wary of humans who let them down, abandoning them outdoors to survive on their own rather than addressing their health issues.

Once rescued, they had so many additional reasons to avoid contact with their caregivers, given the need for pills, treatment interventions, and drastic surgery. Far from avoiding their caregivers, each showed signs of gratitude – seeking affection and enjoying life to the fullest.