Squeaker's Story

Squeakers’ Odyssey started like many of our foster kittens. He and his sister, Carina, were strays. My friend Joanna saw two kittens along the side of a busy road near downtown Orlando on 7/12. She called me to find out if anyone in RAIN had room. I told her I could take them so she went to pick them up. There were some teenage boys standing around and Joanna asked them to help catch the kittens since they were a bit skittish. They told her that they didn't like cats and were afraid of them. Joanna got two of them to overcome their fear with a $10 bill. After catching the kittens she asked if there were any others. They told her there had been three, but someone kicked the black one to death earlier that day. No wonder these kittens were scared of people. Joanna brought them to me and I put them in the spare bathroom. They seemed to be very happy to get food and water as they attacked it with gusto. In the morning I checked on them and they both hid. Nether Joanna or I had heard a sound from them. That night two other volunteers, Sue and Marlene, came over. They bathed them (lots of fleas on the boy), put on Advantage, shots, etc. The kittens still had not made a sound. When we held the little boy, he was breathing hard and we figured it was from being terrified. After the first week the little girl started coming out to be petted when I went in to check on them. The little boy still hid and breathed hard when I picked him up. Then on July 23^rd to my surprise, he squeaked at me when I picked up the girl. He also pawed at my ankle. He had decided he wanted attention. He continued to squeak at me if I picked up the girl and not him. That is when he got his name. I named the little girl Carina.

Thursday, July 25^th, Sue and I took the kittens to be tested for FeLV/FIV as we figured they were now old enough. While there I was holding Squeakers and he was breathing hard even though he was calm. The vet didn't like how he sounded and did an x-ray. That is when we found out he had a diaphragmatic hernia, most likely induced by trauma. His diaphragm was ruptured and his intestines were up with his lungs. The vet was not optimistic and was surprised he had survived this long. Sue suggested we take him for a second opinion, which I did the next day. The second vet was more optimistic. Pat, RAIN’s President, OK'd the surgery, which was done later that day. Squeakers’ surgery cost $373. The recovery tent and follow-up medications brought the cost to about $550. He was adopted out for $65, the difference was made up by donations from people like you. Donate to RAIN today

Squeakers is a sweet little orange and white tabby about 11 weeks old when the surgery was done. He recovered completely and loves to be petted and purrs at the slightest touch. Squeakers was adopted and is taking care of a nice couple's house now.

It appears Squeakers’ "crime" was just being a cat and the sentence was a kick from some teenage boys. Thankfully it doesn't appear he holds all people to blame for his injury. It is a shame that too often the truly humane and unprejudiced ones are the animals, not the people.

Squeaker's surgery was done by Dr. M. Alexandra Sumerlin at The Cat Hospital, Altamonte Springs, FL. 407.831.9810. Visit the Kitty Doctor

Squeakers' sister, Carina, is a sweet and pretty tri-color tabby. It appears she avoided the boys. My Merlin 'attacked' her with kisses the first day she was out in the house. She must have liked it because she went back for more. She would come to me often and climbed up to sit and sleep on my lap and shoulder. She was later adopted by a nice family who says she is 'as sweet as cake'.

After surgery Squeakers had to be kept confined. I found this ‘Pet Tent’ at a cat show that weekend. It gives him room to move around while keeping him from running and climbing (and maybe falling). It is setup in a separate room so the other cats don’t excite him.

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Squeaker's Odyssey An RAIN Success Story

Squeaker's Odyssey
An RAIN Success Story