The stray cat is in critical condition
The team at Catcuddles London Cat Sanctuary has once again taken in an extremely unwell stray cat, leaving them with no choice but to launch another urgent fundraising appeal in hopes of covering the extensive veterinary treatment he desperately needs to survive.
The cat, named Bonjeck, is approximately six years old and arrived at the organization’s North London Cat Clinic last week in a shocking state of neglect. The lower half of his body was completely encrusted in feces, a result of the chronic diarrhea he has been experiencing, which has caused him to “leak” small amounts of excrement almost constantly. This ongoing gastrointestinal issue has clearly led to a severe and steady weight loss, leaving him frighteningly thin.
Bonjeck’s plight is made all the more tragic by the fact that he has been forced to endure these deplorable conditions while living as an unneutered stray. This has inevitably led to him contracting Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) from repeated fights with other cats. He is also displaying symptoms of cat flu, leaving him in generally poor health.
A long road to restore your cat’s health
Immediately upon arrival, Bonjeck underwent neutering at the North London Cat Clinic, in addition to testing positive for FIV and receiving a thorough wash while under anesthesia. He is currently on two different types of antibiotics to treat his cat flu symptoms, and has been placed on a strict diet of gastrointestinal food to aid in digestion – a regimen that will cost the organization approximately £20 per week.
Crucially, Bonjeck has also undergone further blood tests, at a cost of £75 each, the results of which will determine the next steps for his treatment. The Catcuddles team expects that within the next month, an abdominal ultrasound will be necessary, which will incur an additional cost of around £150 per session, plus fees for specialized evaluation.
Bonjeck’s mistrustful nature towards humans means that he must be sedated for each of these procedures, adding to the overall cost of his care. Additionally, the infectious nature of his cat flu symptoms has necessitated an isolation protocol, limiting the number of other routine operations that can be performed at the clinic on the days when Bonjeck is treated, resulting in a loss of income.
From the outset, Catcuddles is facing a bill of at least £800 for Bonjeck’s immediate care, and they are under no illusions that this is just the beginning of a very long and challenging road to recovery.
A Plea for Support
For the time being, Bonjeck is resting comfortably in a heated suite at the Catcuddles headquarters, a far cry from the desperate conditions he has endured on the streets. However, the organization’s volunteers are faced with the daunting task of keeping both Bonjeck and his environment clean and hygienic, as he is entirely unused to living in a home and has yet to grasp the concept of a litter tray.
Despite the obstacles, the Catcuddles team is steadfastly committed to restoring Bonjeck to health, with the ultimate goal of finding him a loving forever home. But they cannot do it alone, and are once again turning to their wonderful community of donors and supporters for help.
