Charlie is one of our patients under the Veterinary Treatment programme. One day he appeared in the courtyard of a residential block of flats. He wondered around searching for food, slept under the bushes, hid under the cars and then he got ill.
He was getting worse and worse but people walked past him without paying him any attention.
The only people who did notice him and cared were two ladies who already had dozens of rescue cats in their homes. They tried to help as many as they could (feeding, treating, rehoming) on their very modest income. Despite already having so many cats in their care, they simply couldn’t stand and watch how Charlie was suffering.
They rescued him but asked us for help with his medical care. Charlie had an urgent procedure – his mouth was full of ulcers, rotting teeth and bleeding gums. He must have been in so much pain! He instantly improved and started eating bit by bit.
Then he had a full diagnostic investigation. It turned out that Charlie had FIV – feline immunodeficiency virus – and some heart problems. With these conditions he would not have survived long on the street. But with appropriate care he can live a long and happy life and be a wonderful pet.
FIV is harmless for humans but contagious for cats through bites and saliva. So another good thing about Charlie’s rescue was that he could no longer infect other cats.
Charlie’s has flourished under good care. The volunteers have created a separate enclosure for him to isolate him from other cats. But Charlie is a smart and social boy. He is bored on his own and as a former pet he is desperate for human love and attention. So he purs, fluffs up his tail and rubs his cheeks in delight when someone visits him.
We hope that one day someone will come along who will love him forever.
We thank everyone who supports our work. 🙏❤️ Regular support allow us to give animals like Charlie a fighting chance!