Freddie is a young domestic short-haired black and white “tuxedo” male cat who was rescued in New Haven this year at the end of April. He wandered into the yard of Fred, a compassionate man who previously received assistance from GNHCP for feral cats and kittens born on his property. At rescue, Freddie was covered in feces, had an abscess on his right leg, and was severely emaciated. The skin on all four pads of his feet has been burned off – possibly from walking in something caustic. He weighed in at only 6.6 pounds, and bloodwork determined he had a systemic infection and was anemic. 

Freddie received initial veterinary treatments, including medicated foot soaks, antibiotics, injections to boost his immune system, and vaccinations. After one week, the foster mom noticed Freddie was “gulping,” and starting to wheeze. He was taken to a local emergency veterinary hospital and placed in an oxygen tank until an Internal Medicine specialist could examine him. Upon examination, it was determined Freddie had an inflamed larynx, most likely caused by a viral infection. An infectious disease blood panel was sent out to determine the cause of the virus. At this point, we are waiting for the results. In the interim, Freddie remains in foster care and is taking medication for inflammation and viral infection. He continues to purr and get lots of attention. We are hopeful Freddie will soon be “on the mend” so he can find his permanent forever home.

Aziza was abandoned outside the GNHCP center in a carrier. Although a full-grown adult, she was severely emaciated with sores on her hind leg hocks. X-rays determined she had a soft tissue injury to her right hind leg. She walked with a limp and had a couple of flare-ups where walking became painful. We were referred to a veterinary orthopedist who recommended amputating the affected leg. The surgery went well, and Aziza is now adjusting to moving around on 3 legs.

Aziza is sweet and playful in one-on-one interactions with humans, and would do best in a quiet home with adults and where she is the only pet. She loves window-watching and likes to use her paws when she eats and drinks!

Ivan was rescued as an adolescent, and before he was a year old he was diagnosed with stomatitis. He had a full dental extraction to try to resolve the issue, but the stomatitis persisted. It is being treated with Atopica (cyclosporine), which has helped to reduce the inflammation. For a while he was getting the medication every day, and when the sores seemed to be under control we tapered the dose down, until eventually he was only getting it once a week. But the sores came back at the lower dose, and we had to increase back to a medication schedule of every other day. The stomatitis is back under control now, and Ivan will likely have to continue at this maintenance dose for the rest of his life to keep the inflammation in check. As the issue is ongoing, Ivan needs to remain in foster care, and we are hoping to find a foster home for him to move to long-term. 

Ivan is very gentle and shy, but he likes to play chase with other cats at the center, and he absolutely loves catnip! When he isn’t playing, you’ll usually find him window-watching or tucked away in a quiet nook for a nap. One of his favorite hideaways is the laundry basket!

Brooklyn was abandoned in New Haven.  She is about 4-5 years old, and was clearly "out of sorts" with what was happening in her life.  Brooklyn received all of the routine veterinary services and went into foster care, where she blossomed into a confident and pet friendly cat.  The GNHCP President received a call one morning that Brooklyn was having difficulty breathing.  The foster mom wasn't sure if she ingested something or had an acute upper respiratory infection, but she needed medical attention. Brooklyn was taken to a veterinary emergency hospital where it was determined she was having an asthma attack.  She needed to spend 24 hours in an oxygen tank and receive medications while at the hospital until she could comfortably breathe. Brooklyn was released from the hospital and is currently taking steroids to help control her asthma. She will need to continue on the steroids, gradually tapering off, for several months. We do not yet know if her future will require steroids for the remainder of her life, and/or if an inhaler will be prescribed if Brooklyn continues to have asthma flare-ups.

Matisse is a 1-2 year old gray female cat who was rescued in New Haven. The origin of Matisse's wounds are uncertain, as her rescue did not involve a direct communication from the person who found her. Our veterinarian suspected a food allergy, and Matisse is now on a special "novel protein" diet." She has seen a feline dermatologist, and was on a course of medication for 8 weeks. Her fur has grown in completely (The "after" photo which i will get to you later today) and we are now under the care of our regular veterinarian. Once the food trial is complete, and GNHCP understands her dietary needs, she will be available for adoption.

When Dale was rescued, his right eye was swollen and discolored, and he did not have vision in that eye. Our veterinarian recommended the eye be removed. He was a little nervous because of this limitation, but he quickly overcame any disability and blossomed into a playful and loving cat. He was adopted in 2021 with another foster cat (pictured) and living a wonderful life!

Simone was rescued by GNHCP with a serious eye injury that required removal of her right eye. She was most likely abused before GNHCP found her, and we are thankful that we found her in time to provide treatment and get her the care she needed. Simone needed to learn to trust people again and became a long-term foster. She was recently adopted by her foster mom and is in her forever home where she will receive lots of love and proper care.

Stevie was rescued from a feral cat colony in New Haven when he was 3 months old. He suffered an injury to his right eye before being rescued. Regular eye treatments failed, and GNHCP brought Stevie to an ophthalmologist. GNHCP was told the ocular pressure in the eye was fine, and that there was slight vision in the eye, to not remove it, but ensure Stevie was checked annually. In the interim, he developed an ulcer in his left eye, which did not respond to treatment and needed to be removed, and the pressure in his right eye increased to above the normal level.

Stevie is now an adult and has been adopted by a former GNHCP Board member.