Esmerelda

We are overflowing with joy! Following months of recovery, Esmerelda has found the perfect home. Her new mom works at a vet clinic with nearly every specialty on staff; what a wonderful match! Though, as you probably know, her beginning was far from easy. There was a time when it seemed like her world had ended. And it nearly did.

Esmerelda had once been a stray, searching desperately for a bite to eat, a place to rest her head. Then, a vicious human crept out and poured boiling water over her head for no reason at all. She squealed in agony before darting into an alleyway. With no one to care for her, she was sent away to a municipal shelter. There, she was given poor nutrition, basically no medical care, and her fate was undeniably grim. It’s not the shelter’s fault; they were doing the best they could. But evidently, this was no place for her. Not in her horrific state.

The moment we heard about Esmeralda’s story, we rushed over to pull her. When we saw the kitty up close, our hearts ached. Her ears were disfigured, her face marred by burns. As if all that wasn’t enough, this sweet girl is showing signs of kidney failure. But despite all of the horrors she’s gone through, she was incredibly sweet. She still had a fighting spirit left inside her. And we would stand with her in this fight every step of the way.

Our first stop was the animal hospital, where her healing would begin. The vet prescribed medicated drops for her damaged eye, but if that didn’t work, surgery was a possibility in her future. Luckily, a kind foster stepped up to offer Esmerelda a temporary home to rest and heal. Day by day, the kitty’s eye seemed to be improving. However, she tended to scratch and cause the wounds to tear open. Esmeralda was given a prompt pedicure (with rubber nail caps) to reduce the frequency and intensity of scratching.

Surgery remained a looming possibility. Esmerelda’s attentive foster continued administering the eye drops twice a day, hoping for a miracle. The nail caps helped significantly in accelerating her healing process. There was also a time when her phosphorus levels were elevated, a symptom of kidney disease. But thanks to some more nutritionally-dense food, her health bounced back with incredible resilience! She’s just an adorable girl… one evening, we hosted a little gathering, and although a bit shy at first, she happily came out to say hello.

We also want to note that we are still so blown away by the support we received for this amazing kitty. Your donations flooded in just as we needed them, making it possible for us to fund Esmerelda’s costly medical care. Your enriching gifts helped lift her spirits, whereas your kind words kept us moving forward.

Then came the beautiful day when Esmerelda was well enough to be transported to Michigan, where her new home awaited her. (She evaded the scorching Houston heat just in time!) Her wound is fully healed, and although her lip is still a little scabby, we know her new mom will take great care of her as she continues to recover. She’s not fully healed yet, but she’s in safe hands. Her mom, who is experienced with medical cases like Esmerelda’s, will truly provide the most lovely home.

Your support helped make this possible. You’ve given Esmerelda a second chance, healing, yummy food, a warm bed, and most importantly, a place to call home. She’s safe now because you made a choice. A choice to help an innocent soul with nowhere else to go. Thank you so much for being a driving force for good, for giving this precious girl the life she’s always yearned for.