Cora was discovered in an abandoned apartment stuck inside of a pipe, behind a water heater. How this curious cat found herself in this seemingly impossible position was unclear, but it was estimated that she had been stuck alone, without food or water, for nearly five days. Luckily for Cora, a construction worker onsite at the apartment found her and came to her rescue.
Cora had no known owner and was brought to Oregon Humane Society Salem Campus. When she arrived, she was in critical condition—almost non-responsive, covered in feces, urine, and thick layers of dirt. Cora was hypothermic with an extremely low body temperature and emaciated after days of starvation and lack of water. At intake, her chances of survival were unknown.
The OHS medical team encounters a wide variety of medical challenges every day. Donor support provides our team with the resources and supplies they need to provide quick, lifesaving care when animals are in crisis.
The medical team acted quickly under the careful guidance of Dr. Sara Livesay, and began to triage Cora, hoping they would be able to stabilize this traumatized kitty.
Cora was given fresh water, a bath to clear her fur of layers of filth, and warming blankets to increase her temperature. Once stabilized, the team let Cora rest overnight to see if their hard work had been enough to move forward. By morning, this resilient cat was showing signs of improvement and then the real assessment began.
After a more thorough examination, it was determined that Cora’s back feet and tail were severely damaged after days spent pinched behind the water heater, causing significant blood loss to her hind limbs. Unfortunately, the blood supply to her tail had been cut off for too long and the medical team determined the best course of action would be amputation.
Once her tail was removed and her hind feet treated, Cora began to recover. With rest and a steady diet of healthy food and water, Cora came back to life. Her affectionate personality began to show—she seemed forever grateful to the staff that had saved her life.
Today, Cora—who now sports an adorable bunny tail—is still healing and getting rest in a comforting foster home. She has blossomed into a lovebug who snuggles up on any open lap, and—though she isn’t ready for adoption just yet—she will soon make a wonderful, loyal companion. Because of donor support, Cora received the critical medical care she needed to survive.
Be a Champion for Animals this Challenge Week
Your support is vital to animals in need, like Cora. Will you make a donation to help Oregon Humane Society continue to provide lifesaving care?
