Daily Photo: Meeting Sassy

I had the chance to meet the remarkable Sassy today at the Animals Against the Odds’ Meet and Greet at Burton’s Total Pet. Here she is making bread dough of my coat after she’s walked through my hair, poor kitty, though without getting caught. It’s hard to catch her purrrrsonality in a still photo, especially when she always has squinty happy eyes. Along with her lovely buff fur, proving there are orange girls around, she has rich orange eyes. Her purr never stops and she air kneads if no human or other animal is available to make bread dough.

Sassy is the kitty who was found alone, outdoors in a wooded area with facial trauma as you can see in her photo, though she was friendly and unafraid of humans and was purring up a storm.

After an emergency exam it was found Sassy’s jaw was broken in three places, she had a puncture wound in one upper lip and one of her left lower canines had pushed into her left eye, but had not damaged the eye itself. The veterinarian said the injury had to have happened within and hour or two of finding her since there was not yet any sign of swelling, and if much more time had passed her chances would have been much worse with infections and possible further blood loss. She was about three months old at the time, and was already completely charming despite her painful wounds—in the photo at left she is air kneading during her exam, just a short time after she’d been rescued.

After surgery to repair her jaw she is healing well but will need one more surgery to close the hole in the roof of her mouth that opens to her nasal cavity and remove the teeth that are growing in the roof of her mouth. (I initially mentioned she had had two surgeries to day, but I was incorrect, thinking she’d had surgery the night she was rescued. Sassy has only had one surgery to date, is scheduled for another, plus a spay.)

Sassy is up for adoption even with expected surgery after all her adult teeth have come in, which will be fully covered by AATO. She is expected to make a complete recovery and have no lasting medical needs after the final reconstructive surgery.

Sassy loves everyone, including dogs. She is an absolute doll.

Her surgeries so far have totaled over $1,500.00, and her next surgery will add to that. I know I’ve appealed for her in the past, but a donation to Sassy helps AATO with more of the work they do rescuing both dogs and cats, feeding and caring for animals who live outdoors, and recently voluntarily building enclosures for dogs who have lived all their lives chained in a yard.

Updated information about donating to AATO for Sassy

1) Mail a check or any In-Kind donations for Sassy to AATO, 511 Towne Square Way #213, Pgh, PA 15227 – just note “Sassy” on donation.

2) Donations can be called into PVSEC Surgery Dept, I believe is under Dr. Jon Anderson’s care (if they ask) and of course the account is under our name. 412-366-3400

3) Paypal donations to [email protected]

4) Any Citizens Bank branch can accept donations for our account.

5) If they are on Facebook, they can click the “Donate” button

6) Or Sassy will be at the Steel City Kitties cat show on February 9-10, 2013, and they can make a direct donation there too.

Sassy will have to stay on soft food for quite a while, she really likes those Fancy Feast Appetizer things or any canned food. Also, she seems to like her little hoodie/t-shirts too, and of course any scratching posts. toys or soft treats for her would be appreciated, as you can tell, she is spoiled! LOL So if anyone wants to make an In-Kind donation to her, she certainly will enjoy those too!

I have followed Sassy’s story from the night she was found after having seen that horrifying photo above on the internet. I’ve rescued cats in this way myself and always try to help the individuals and small rescues who are doing good for all animals. A case like Sassy’s can drain a small rescue of funds when so many animals are in need, and when everyone contributes a little, all animals are well cared for.

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