ORA's Cats in Need Series: Mungo

I've had a rough week!

orarescue.org | Mungo and Gizmo were given up just before the holidays in 2008 by their owner, a lawyer who had them since kittenhood. He was planning a move to his mother's home with his wife and their newborn child, he said, and they could no longer keep the cats. He signed a contract with ORA to pay a boarding fee of $3.00 a day for each cat until we could have them adopted out. The lawyer delivered the cats to us in cardboard boxes loosely tied up with rope. In the 8 years he has had the cats, he could not even buy a proper carrier for them! We managed to take them to our car somehow without them escaping.

Their health was not good. We noticed right away that Mungo had crusts all over his skin. At first we thought that this was possibly due to an allergic reaction to fleas. "No," said his owner, "just dermatitis." But in fact, the two cats were fed the cheapest of dry foods, which caused and continually exacerbated Mungo's severe skin allergies. He has greatly improved on a healthier and cleaner diet since then.

Soon after his arrival, Gizmo experienced severe diarrhea and had to be put on an IV in the hospital for several days. He made it through, but he still suffers from mild bouts of it every now and then.

Mungo and Gizmo have been with ORA now for almost three and a half years. They are not adoption material. They are older, in precarious health and do not have consistently proper toilet habits (to this day, Gizmo occasionally likes to defecate in front of the litterbox).

The lawyer stopped paying their meager boarding fees after only four months.

Last Tuesday, we noticed that Mungo was unusually quiet in a basket and that he was not going to his food. We took his temperature: 40.4, and nursed him with loving care overnight. The following morning, however, Mungo's temperature went up to 41.2, so we immediately arranged for his hospitalization. Mungo was put on an IV and a series of antibiotics until last Sunday when he was released. Total tab on Sunday: $1,500.

Can you help my big bro, Mungo?

Today, he finally began eating on his own. He moves around actively again and constantly asks for attention - sure signs of a healthier cat! We hope that everything will continue well for Mungo.

At ORA, we spend an average of $2,000 to $2,500 a month in vet bills, but lately we have had several surplus vet emergencies on top of the usual - and this latest one with Mungo has proved too much for us to handle.

Gizmo, in particular, has been very worried about his big brother Mungo, and would be very appreciative of any contribution you would like to give towards Mungo's vet bill, if you can help.

Donate online with PayPal (works best for Internet Explorer users), or call 416-726-5762 or 416-726-8895 to find out how you can help cats like Mungo and Gizmo.

ORA will be running our Cats in Need series all month long this May! Although the objective of ORA is to work for the benefit of all animals, given the compelling need, ORA is heavily involved in the rescue of companion animals. The animals who, throughout the years, have not been adopted out (for reasons of age, health or behavioural issues), live in ORA's foster homes or in ORA's residential sanctuary until the ends of their natural lives. If you would like to help ORA's Cats in Need with a donation, please click here to give. If you would like to volunteer your time and talents to help ORA, please click here to learn more and to apply.