Senior cat Sammy was surrendered into our care, sick and injured after living his entire life outside. This sweet old man is suffering from a severe upper respiratory infection and painfully overgrown nails in his polydactyl toes that have made every step he takes agony.
Sammy is a senior kitty who was recently surrendered into our care. This poor old man is around 10 years old, and he has lived outside for his entire life. When we first met Sammy, we noticed that he was in pretty rough shape, so we brought him directly to the vet. Sammy has a pretty severe upper respiratory infection, and several wounds that need to be addressed. He has scratches and cuts, both old and new, on his face and body. Sammy is polydactyl on all four feet, which means he was born with more than the usual number of toes. Polydactyly is caused by a genetic mutation, and can actually be beneficial to cats. More toes mean the paw is wider, which makes it easier for the cat to balance. Polydactyl cats have historically been considered lucky, as their large paws made them excellent mouse-catchers.
However, Sammy, it seems, was not regarded as a lucky charm by his former owner. The nails on his polydactyl digits have been long-neglected, and they have grown to be more than an inch long and become painfully embedded into the paw pads. Every step was agony for Sammy. We are so grateful to now have Sammy in our care, and we are going to give this senior boy everything he needs to live out his golden years pain-free.
Sammy is staying with our vet over the weekend for observation and diagnostic testing. We will know more about his treatment plan once we have the results of his bloodwork. In the meantime, we are doing everything we can to keep this old man comfortable. He is such a sweet and loving boy and deserves a second chance, and that is exactly what we’ll give him.
To support senior Sammy during his recovery, please donate any items from his wishlist, or make a contribution to help us cover the cost of his medical care. Thank you so much!