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Here is Merv's story:
11/13 UPDATE: MERV IS ADOPTED!!! Merv is SUCH a sweet kitty, it makes us so sad that he has had such a rough start in life. He was adopted as a young kitten from the shelter. His owners dumped him back at the shelter as a young adult. We think Merv is just one year old. Merv was spotted by a volunteer who was smitten with his handsome orange tabby good looks and his adorable deep pink nose with matching pink paw pads. When the volunteer pet Merv, he was so calm and sweet, rubbing his face against her hand and purring. She called to tell us about the cat who had been betrayed by his owners and Merv became a Rescued Pet Foundation cat.
Sadly, during Merv’s first veterinary exam, we discovered that this gentle boy had probably been struck by a car prior to being turned in to the animal shelter. He had a high fever, “road rash” all along his side, and couldn’t – or wouldn’t - put any weight on one back leg. Nobody noticed this before because the shelter noted his condition as "normal" and had no medical notes on him. Also, the whole time we visited with him, he was lying down so we did not see any signs of this problem.
Due to the nature of the leg injury, our vet recommended that Merv undergo a type of hip surgery called a femoral head ostectomy (FHO). An FHO involves the removal of the head of the thigh bone – the “ball” that fits into the socket of the hip joint. While the immediate impact of the surgery is a reduction in pain, getting used to walking again does take some time – since the joint is “wobbly” and causes an uneven gait. But it is the only chance that Merv has to walk normally again and be out of pain. He is SUCH a good boy-never complained, hissed or got upset during the whole exam.
If you met Merv, you would be touched by how gentle, good natured, affectionate and loving he is and we know that you would want to help him become a happy, healthy and playful kitten again.
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