Gordon Final Update #12: Adopted!

November, 5, 2024 An amazing couple, that I approved to come and meet him, has decided that GORDON must join their family!  This couple lives in Leland, NC and they have 1 cat-friendly rescued dog & 3 other cats!  GORDON took to them very quickly.  After getting over getting my feelings hurt (I am his mama!!!) I realized that GORDON “is” ready to move on to a “furrever” home and somehow I’ve got to say goodbye….

It’s possible that he will be leaving this Friday.  

I want to thank all the people who have helped this cat survive an unbelievable journey. Your can read Gordon’s amazing rescue & rehab story in the 11 prior dated postings below on this page.

Chris – who called me about this broken down cat in his yard.  Here is what he wrote to me:

“Hello,

There is a feral cat that’s been hanging around my home lately. The cat appears to be in poor health. I see it drooling, head appears to be shaking some. I have been putting out food and water. I wanted to reach out for some assistance as I think it’s health is deteriorating. Thank you

Chris”

Also, see the picture on the right he sent me.

Thank you to Sound Cat staff & Dr. Rockwell for putting this cat back together!  Thank you to the FURR volunteers that helped me care for him all this time & I have been “furrever” changed by having Gordon in my life.

Terry

October 19, 2023 Update #11 Watch his new video from TODAY showing our sweet boy Gordon, who is ready for adoption so he can give LOTS of LOVE to his “FURR-ever” family!

This is update #11 because poor Gordon has had a very long rescue and rehabilitation journey, as the prior 10 updates below describe. Terry Schultz, our President, pours her love and resources into these amazing kitties even in the early days after rescue when the poor kitty’s veterinary and behavioral needs are great. Gordon is feelin’ good and thankful for Terry’s help and for everyone who supports FURR!

January 13, 2024 Update #10 GORDON is making HUGE progress with me. Watch his latest video! He is always out & about in his room now.  He gets up on the cat trees & seems to be getting along well.  I clipped his nails yesterday, for the very first time, and he was wiggly, but pretty good.

He has come a long long way from a ferocious injured feral cat to a nearly tame cat.  He has a broken hip, still, but it has already set and he does not seem restricted by it.  We have decided not to do surgery on his hip.

His broken jaw was wired together, but as you know, it did not mend totally.  We took off the wire after 2 months and he seems to be doing ok….go figure!  His jaw drops down on one side and he drools out of that side of his mouth when he eats.

All in all, he is doing great!  I am able to pick him up, love on him, brush him and scratch him.  He still swats at me occasionally just to remind me that he is in control and a hiss here and there, but I just ignore him!  I tell him he is a beautiful and lucky boy!

October 12, 2023 Update #9 Really wonderful news from today when GORDON actually purred while I was petting him! Here’s a new video of Terry petting him while he’s purring (although it’s not audible in the video)! He has a very faint purr for such a big boy, but just feeling that vibration in his body and hearing that faint sound made me the happiest person ever!

GORDON went for his final vet visit and was released!  His broken jaw is as healed as it will ever be, but despite it not healing like we had hoped, it is more stable than it was.  He is eating just fine and has gained a couple of pounds! Many thanks to Dr. Rockwell who cared for him during this traumatic situation.  She had to make some tough decisions and I am so thankful for her expertise!

GORDON went through a wired-together jaw, then pulling all his teeth except 2, and possible hip surgery after that.  However, I have observed him getting around his room just fine and climbing in and out of the litter box with no problem.  We have decided that he is done with surgeries!  His broken hip has probably set itself in place by now and he is doing well.

The goal for GORDON’S future is somewhat up in the air.  I would absolutely LOVE to see him adopted into a loving home and to someone who can sympathize with his story, but GORDON is still quite timid, still hisses at people and has a long way to go.

I totally intend to give him every opportunity to continue improving his confidence and trust in people. Right now, most of the volunteers pet him a little bit and I work with him every day.

Please pray for GORDON as he stays on his journey to a beautiful life!

August 31, 2023 Update #8 Watch this video of Terry caring for Gordon and describing his recovery and very sweet demeanor!

Gordon cam through his full mouth extraction dental very well! All of his teeth were removed except one bottom canine, which was in good shape, and the other bottom canine. The 2nd bottom canine is broken, but Dr. Rockwell was worried about removing it. Some of the bone around the tooth might actually be helping to hold what is left of his jaw together!

He is tolerating my nursing care very well considering all he has been through. He surely would be dead by now just from infection alone if FURR had not rescued him!

Thanks AGAIN to CHRIS for alerting me to this poor cat’s condition!

Dental alone was over $1,000.  Please spread the word for tax-deductible HELP for Gordon!

August 24, 2023 Update #7 A few days ago, Gordon stopped eating.  I also noticed some blood on his front paws and he would become very agitated if I tried to examine him. I called Dr. Rockwell and she graciously agreed to work him in on an already busy day.  

After sedating Gordon, he was examined and x-rayed.  It appeared that the wire holding his broken lower jaw together had not worked.  Unfortunately, the injury must have been much older than we thought and his jaw remained in two pieces despite the great effort of Dr. Rockwell and Dr. Gervais. At this point, Dr. Rockwell could see that the wire was bothering him (he has had it for 2 months) and it needed to be removed.

After removing the wire, Gordon’s teeth were still horrible and infected, so he is scheduled for his dental surgery next Thursday, Aug. 31. I hope and pray that Gordon can survive with TWO bottom jaws. He did eat his dinner of canned food, so that’s hopeful.  He still has a long way to go, but he has pain meds and antibiotics on board to help.

I’m sure that between this 3 hour appt and his dental surgery next Tuesday, that FURR will NOT have enough money.  Please spread the word, forward this email and help raise support for this poor kitty!

I long for the day that the worn, sad look in his blue eyes turns brighter.

July 29, 2023 Update #6 GORDON went for his 2 month checkup this week.  Unfortunately, his poor little face was swollen when he got his broken jaw wired together.  Over the last 2 months, the infection improved and swelling went down (which is good), but the wires loosened up.  His jaw, therefore, was not held quite as stable as needed.

The wires had to be tightened up again and he was sent back to FURR to wait ANOTHER month!  I was so sad for him and so disappointed he could not be freed of his pain.  He is still on pain meds, antibiotics and prebiotic.

I love and pet him every chance I get and try to tell him how special he is. His recovery expenses include:

• His latest Vet visit to assess the healing of his jaw was $200.
• His next visit will be another $200. 
• Then he will have dental surgery for broken teeth ($800-$1,000)
• Finally, the fractured hip surgery ($800???)

Please continue to help us fundraise for his continued care. Thank you all so much!  

June 29, 2023 Update #5 Gordan has his one month checkup at Sound Cat Clinic and all is well! Watch this video to hear more! He is healing nicely, eating all his food (medicines and all) and just being a wonderful patient!

Someone will be very lucky to Adopt this miracle cat because he is living proof that there CAN be life after DEATH!  This cat should have been dead with all that had happened to him.

GORDON goes back in another month to have the wires removed from his jaw.  Then, shortly after that, he will get his full mouth extraction to remove all of his broken & assessed teeth.  

THEN, after that, we will need surgery on his fractured hip.

Pleeeeease remember that each checkup is just under $100 and we really need $$$ for his upcoming dental surgery!!!

Terry

>^,,^<

June 21, 2023 Update #4 Watch this touching video for Terry’s latest update on Gordon – he’s a good patient, eating as well as he can given the wires in his mouth and getting more handsome by the day!

June 10, 2023 Update #3 Terry has a great report for us now that Gordon is back at FURR!

I picked up GORDON late yesterday afternoon. He is doing well after surgery. I set up a large kennel for him at FURR so I could keep a close watch on him. GORDON is on 4 different meds and believe it or not, he is eating on his own with all his meds mixed in! HOORAY! He is getting plenty of clean water, mushy food mixed in with his meds twice a day and is using his litter box like a champ.

I have been talking to him, stroking his head and rubbing his back with no resistance.

The bill (although nothing to sneeze at) was much less than I anticipated at around $900. Any money we get donated over that amount will be used for his next 2 surgeries. In a couple of months, after his jaw has healed, GORDON will need dental surgery to remove damaged/decaying teeth, and “possibly” also surgery on his fractured hip. Thanks so much to all the generous donors who have raised $785 so far on Gordon’s Go Fund Me page, not counting the anonymous donor matching gifts up to $500. Given these additional surgeries ahead, please continue to help us support Gordon and raise awareness of his amazing rescue and rehabilitation story!

THANK YOU, CHRIS, FOR CALLING ME ABOUT THIS SUFFERING CAT!

THANK YOU, DR. ROCKWELL & DR. GERVAIS, FOR THEIR HEALING HANDS!!!

This kitty should be dead….but instead, he has been given a chance to live again!

June 10, 2023 Update #2 Good news! Gordon is resting comfortably at the vet’s office this weekend after successful surgery late yesterday, which required 2 wonderful Vets from Sound Cat Veterinary Hospital, Dr. Rockwell and Dr. Gervais, to wire his jaw back together after it was badly broken in 3 places. During this weekend at the Vet’s, Gordon is being watched closely and of course getting plenty of pain medication and antibiotics. Now that we know more about the extent of his jaw injuries, which was broken completely in half from front to back, Terry says today that she does not know how this kitty survived because of how painful it must of been to eat, even soft wet food.

The Vets also reported to Terry that his entire mouth was badly infected due to abscessed teeth and the jaw injury. The Vets also shaved his tail (while sedated) because it was completely matted and very dirty since poor Gordon has been unable to clean himself due to his jaw injuries. Terry says his fur-less tail makes him look a bit like a rat (LoL!), but even just that grooming treatment probably feels like a huge relief to Gordon!

Going forward, the Vets explain that Gordon’s recovery is a multi-step process. This kitty needs 8 weeks with the wires in his jaw, then 8 more weeks for the jaw to completely heal. After that, he’ll require dental surgery to remove bad teeth, which cannot be done now due to the fragility of his jaw. Eventually he’ll also need hip surgery.

We continue to be very grateful to Chris, who found Gordon and reached out to FURR, to Terry getting him trapped and to the vet, to everyone at Sound Cat for their wonderful, emergency care and of course to everyone who has generously donated $555 so far on Gordon’s Go Fund Me page, including an anonymous donor matching gifts up to $500! Terry says Gordon has gone along with all this care pretty well, considering he’s still feral. He’s certainly come a long way in just a few days. It truly takes a village! Please continue to help spread the word and encourage others to donate as well!

June 9, 2023 Update #1 Here are 2 photos after his first bath (while sedated!) and lo and behold he is a “flame point” – see the darker fur on his ears? Terry reports that the vet said that his bath water was black from all the fleas and red from the blood from the fleas biting him! Poor baby, but better already! Awaiting another update from Terry after his surgery soon, if the Vet cannot do it today.

Original Story

June 8, 2023 Meet Gordon, FURR’s new “poster child”. This poor kitty is a perfect example of why Terry founded FURR many years ago and why she fights so hard day (and night!) for all the kitties who suffer so much when they’re left on their own!

Gordon’s Story … So far

A kind, animal loving man named Chris recently noticed a feral cat near his home who appeared to be in really rough shape. Chris called FURR and Terry advised him to begin giving the kitty food and water and soon the kitty came around regularly. A good start, but you can see in the photo above that Chris had good reason to be concerned this kitty had many more needs besides food and water. Even now, though, we can see this kitty is a “diamond in the rough” with buff furr and blue eyes!

Terry worked with Chris to trap the kitty and Terry took him to our Vet, Sound Cat Veterinary Hospital in Wilmington, NC who diagnosed Gordon these medical issues – imagine Gordon’s pain and suffering for who knows how long!:

Medical Issues:

Completely inundated with fleas and very anemic as a result
Jaw broken in 3 places in addition to rotten and abscessed teeth
Severe ear infection
Bloodwork: FIV Positive (still adoptable!) and No Feline Leukemia (yeah!)
Fractured hip – old injury – approach/treatment TBD

Treatments given to date while sedated:
De-flea-ed, deworm-ed and neutered
Treated for Anemia
Surgery very soon to wire his jaw together
Pain and antibiotic injections that last a few days
Microchipped
Bathed, as he was unable to clean himself due to his broken jaw and severe dental issues

What we need:
Beyond Chris’s generous donation, we need $1,500 more for these treatments and planned jaw surgery.
Please donate via the Donate button on the right, or from Gordon’s Go Fund Me page
Posting to FURR’s Facebook page to help raise awareness of the need for funds for Gordon’s treatments
Chris has already has volunteered to foster Gordon during his recovery

For adoption information or to schedule a visit to the Feline Urgent Rescue & Rehab rescue facility to meet this kitty, please email FURR’s President and Founder, Terry Schultz, at adoptafurrcat@gmail.com.

Learn how to adopt this kitty! FURR adopts to the Wilmington/Hampstead, NC and surrounding area only to approved homes.

If you are not ready to adopt a kitty, please consider fostering or sponsoring. All donations are tax deductible.