Feral Paws Rescue

This is what has been keeping me very busy this summer:  Dusty-Gracie.  My little miracle.  My little miracle that I got from Avenal State Prison was half dead? I wanted to try and help him and keep him alive. As you know this has been alot of work and trips to the vet.   Well the BEFORE picture is pretty bad – but it’s actually better than what he originally looked like: no hair on face, legs, or ears.  Every part of him scabbed and in horrible condition.  This before pic is after 3 l-o-n-g hard weeks of constant care to bring him up to looking this good (which is still pretty rough).  A day or two after this pic was taken, his anus prolapsed (fell out about 2 inches) – that was a whole new experience.  I told the Vet after he did surgery on DG to put the anus back and neuter the lil’ guy:  “Gee, we get hair growing back on your face, ears, ‘n legs & then your butt falls out!”  The Vet blushed & laughed. The AFTER pic was taken by the Vet this past Tuesday. Big difference! Understatement, yes?!!!  He’s a healthy lil’ guy & a big love bug.  He’s 3 months old.  That first month of his life was pretty rough & he fought very hard to stay alive.  I figured if he could do it, then I could do it, too.  We’ve really forged a bond. At times I didn’t think he’d be alive in the morning (during those first 3 weeks), but he’s got a strong life-force & I did a whole lot of talking with God & He never left my side. Dr. LeBeuf worked wonders! Life can be so rewarding. Animals have always touched my heart.

Dear Feral Paws Rescue,

  Thank you for putting Dusty-Gracie on your website….it is WONDERFUL – I sure hope DG’s story opens more hearts and good homes for other cats.  Sometimes people need to see the worst that can happen to an animal & how it can actually be so rewarding when a person steps up to help. 

 I’m sure there will be some people who think this is two different cats.  And they’ll probably think I broke the bank in medical costs, which only came to around $200 for Vet expenses & meds – but it was the time invested in the lil’ guy (making sure he was kept clean and reassured he was wanted and loved) that was so much more important.  Like anything else in life, you get what you give, and sometimes you get the rarest gift of all, a diamond in the rough like Dusty-Gracie!

 His name happened this way:  He was so small & under-nourished that it was hard to tell whether this kitten was a male or female.  I thought it was a female and Mom named it Gracie (Grace of God that it was living), but the Vet examined him and after a little intense probing discovered she was a he.  The Vet put it this way:  “Well, I’m afraid it can’t be a Gracie, but it could be an Elvis!”  We both laughed. To this day the Vet insists on calling him Gracie! 

  As far as some will only  see DG in this world as just concerned, he is a prison cat – and I hope we have helped your efforts to help the cats of Avenal Prison. God has put you in a unique position to do some good for the wee-ones.  Feel free to use Dusty-Gracie on your website.   

Hugs to you,

Karen

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