Cats are stronger than you may think. So, you shouldn’t be surprised to hear horror stories from different shelters talking about cats that have been through thick and thin.
Not to mention that there’s nothing more heart-wrenching than a cat that’s bound to stay at a rescue or a shelter by no fault of her own.
Now, we’d go as far as to argue that cats are stronger than dogs. No, cats are better than dogs – on the off chance that you’re a “dog person,” don’t be offended by what we’re about to say. We adore all four-legged friends, but we’re rooting for cats for a million different reasons.
We’re aware that cats don’t get the same treatment as dogs do, for example.
Cats are considered reserved, detached, and standoffish even though they’re capable of becoming the most affectionate and appreciative pets ever. Cats are abandoned on the streets even more than dogs because people adopt them thinking they’d be “low-maintenance” and “easy.”
Cats with health problems are almost always put down because nobody wants to adopt them. Sure, adopting a cat with health niggles and complications comes with a set of serious challenges. However, you need to remember that these curious creatures didn’t opt for a life of suffering.
Before you turn a blind eye because that’s “for the best,” do your research. Offer your type of contribution to the cause (whether that’s a donation, volunteering at the shelter, or adopting a cat with a health problem), and make the world a better place for our fluffy friends!
We can agree that all cats deserve another chance at a happy and healthy life, and that’s exactly why we’re bringing you a story about a stray born on the streets of New York that battled a huge tumor on the side of her face – and won.
Starting from the beginning, Keta was found wandering the streets and brought to one of the animal care centers in New York. Because the placement of the tumor was preventing her from eating and affecting the quality of her life, Keta was scheduled to be put down.
Workers at the center thought she’d be “high-maintenance” and didn’t want to commit to aftercare. Despite the fact that she was beaming with purrsonality, charismatic, and charming, everybody at the center agreed that she didn’t deserve to live.
That’s when Kristin Livan played a part. Kristin Livan, who happens to be a vice president of a nonprofit by the name of Unwanted NYC Pets, rescued Keta and arranged a fundraising campaign to pay for her treatment and save her life.
Now, the case of Keta wasn’t out of the ordinary for Unwanted NYC Pets. Unwanted NYC Pets was started by Betina Wassermann, a graduate of Animal Behavior College who dedicated everything she had to save strays from the streets of New York.
Betina and Kristin wanted to rescue and rehome abandoned animals suffering from health problems, waiting to be put down, and struggling to get a forever home.
Unwanted NYC Pets was pretty much the best thing that could happen to Keta at that moment and we’re sure she’s over the moon that Kristin took notice of her and decided to help.
Keta, as we mentioned beforehand, suffered from a huge tumor that popped out of the bottom of her mouth. Kristin mentioned how she was shocked to uncover how enormous the tumor was, even though she’d seen upsetting conditions and diseases during her rescue career.
Because the tumor affected Keta’s ability to see, eat, breathe, or do pretty much anything, Kristin struggled to take care of her prior to surgery.
She remembers employing the tumor as a plate – she’d scoop some food onto the surface of the tumor because that was the best (and the only) way Keta could get the nutrients she needed to keep her immune system strong for the surgery.
She’d duct tape Keta’s bowl to the floor to prevent her from smooshing the food around. Kristin shared Keta’s story online hoping to gather enough money for the surgery while she was waiting for doctor’s orders.
She managed to get almost all of the $3,800 needed for the surgery, and once the doctor determined that the tumor was benign, the procedure was performed. Kristin wasn’t sure whether Keta would be able to recover considering that the tumor affected her eye sockets, nasal cavity, and mouth.
Truth be told, nobody expected Keta to come out on top. Everybody hoped she’d live a little longer, but nobody knew whether she would recover from having half of her face removed (sort of). Keta woke up from the surgery and demanded to eat right away.
Kristin, the doctor who performed the procedure, the nurses, and the workers at Unwanted NYC Pets couldn’t believe how unaffected Keta seemed. She recovered within days and weeks of the procedure – her scars healed and her face started shifting and going back to normal!
She was playing with toys, chasing after other cats at the rescue, and getting her strength back. She was back to being a charismatic, charming cat that wanted to get adopted more than anything. Kristin, of course, took to Facebook and Instagram one more time and posted about Keta’s swift recovery.
Everybody was rooting for her and everybody wanted to adopt her – but Kristin decided to keep her as close as possible to ensure she could provide her with aftercare.
In case Keta developed another tumor, for example, Kristin wanted Unwanted NYC Pets to be able to help. Of course, the story gets a happy ending with Keta getting adopted by a New York-based mom. We couldn’t be happier for Kristin, Keta, and Keta’s new family!
Read more: This Is Kitten Eggnog: Tiny Guy With A Sad Life Story, But He’s Finally Doing Well
