u/Sad_Calligrapher9192

Hi everyone, I don’t normally do this kind of thing and it does not come easily to me to ask for help — I understand times are tough for everyone right now and cats might not be a priority for some, but if you are in a position to help even a little please consider it. Every penny makes a difference to this little one.

Two days ago I looked out of my window and saw a black cat lying in the wet grass in my garden. I had seen him hanging around for a while and always assumed he was just one of the neighbourhood cats. When I went outside I could see straight away he was in a really bad way — snotty, eyes full of pus, matted fur, just lying there completely still while my neighbour’s very territorial cat screamed at him. He didn’t even flinch.

I took him straight to the vets. It turned out he has a respiratory infection, most likely cat flu, an abscess on his neck, no microchip, unneutered and unvaccinated, and his teeth are in a really terrible state. He is only 3kg — the vet believes malnourishment at a young age stunted his growth. He was given subcutaneous fluids on the spot and is now on antibiotics, eye ointment and pain relief. The vet told me he probably had a couple of weeks left if he hadn’t been found.

Through all of this he was an absolute angel. The vet said that even very sick cats are not usually this compliant — he just has a very good personality. It broke my heart and melted it at the same time.

My husband named him Gavroche — after the little street boy from Les Misérables. Scrappy, rough around the edges, surviving against all odds. I think it suits him perfectly.

What has already been done

He has had his first vet appointment where he received subcutaneous fluids, had his abscessed neck and broken claws seen to, and was started on antibiotics, eye ointment and pain relief. His cat flu is already responding — he is less snotty, his eyes are clearing up and he purrs constantly. We have stocked him up with good quality food, special probiotic food to help his gut, lactulose, flea and worm treatment, and he has been drinking homemade boiled chicken broth to keep him hydrated. He had a proper brush and all his hair knots cut out. He has settled in incredibly quickly and just loves being safe and having company.

What he needs going forward

This is where I really need help. Once he gets through his current course of antibiotics the list of things he needs is significant:

∙	FIV and feline leukaemia testing and a full check up next week to make sure he is responding well to treatment — this is especially important as I am travelling abroad for a funeral next week and my friend has very kindly agreed to look after Gavroche while I am away. I want to get him seen by a vet before I leave, know his test results and have him in the best possible shape so I can leave with a calm heart knowing everything has been done for him

∙	Neutering and microchipping once he is well enough

∙	Dental treatment — this is the big one. His teeth are in a really bad state and will need quite extensive work. This is likely to be the most significant cost of his entire care and something I cannot manage alone right now

I have contacted local cat charities for guidance and am hoping to find vets in the West Yorkshire area who may be able to offer a discounted rate given he is a stray. But in the meantime I am doing everything I can to get him stable and healthy.

How he is doing right now

We do have one concern — his belly is quite distended and he is struggling with constipation, likely because his gut has been sluggish after such a long time on the streets. We have him on lactulose and probiotic food and are keeping a very close eye on him. He is not sluggish or being sick so we are cautiously optimistic, but we will not hesitate to take him to an emergency vet if anything changes.

Every single penny raised will go directly towards Gavroche’s veterinary care and I will update with costs as we go. He is a good boy who has clearly had a very hard life and he deserves a chance.

Thank you so much for reading. 🖤

I already have two black cats of my own and I am apparently physically incapable of saying no to a black cat because two days ago, CDS has sent me another one.

I had seen him around for a while before but always assumed he was just one of the neighbourhood cats. I have my neighbour’s cat Sausage who basically lives in my garden and I give her food and treats because she loves it there and my neighbour is completely fine with it. Sausage is very territorial and does not tolerate any other cats in her space — but this little one kept appearing anyway. Looking back he was probably absolutely starving, hungry enough to ignore her warnings just to get at her leftovers.

Two days ago I looked out and saw him just lying in the wet grass, completely still while Sausage screamed at him. He didn’t even flinch. That’s when I knew something was seriously wrong. When I went outside I could see straight away he was in a really bad way — snotty, eyes full of pus and matted, dirty fur.

I popped him in a carrier and took him straight to the vets. It turned out he has a respiratory infection, most likely cat flu, an abscess on his neck, terrible teeth, no microchip, unneutered and unvaccinated. He is only 3kg and incredibly petite — the vet believes malnourishment at a young age stunted his growth. He was given subcutaneous fluids on the spot and is now on antibiotics, eye ointment and pain relief. The vet said he probably had a couple of weeks left if he hadn’t been found.

Through all of this he was an absolute angel. The vet shaved patches of his fur where he might have been injured, sorted his broken claws, gave him fluids and examined him top to bottom — and he didn’t react badly once. I asked if it was because he was so unwell and the vet said no, that even very sick cats are not usually this compliant. He just has a very good personality. It broke my heart and melted it at the same time.

My husband named him Gavroche — after the little street boy from Les Misérables. Scrappy, rough around the edges, surviving against all odds. I think it suits him perfectly.

His cat flu is already responding to the antibiotics — he is less snotty, his eyes are clearing up and he is purring constantly. He inhales his food and I am feeding him small and frequent portions.

We are keeping a close eye on his belly though. It is quite distended and round and he has been struggling a little in that department. Yesterday he passed a very hard stool which was a good sign that things are moving, and today we are just doing everything we can to help him along — lactulose, probiotics, digestion food (has pumpkin in it) and making sure he has plenty of fluids. His belly is soft and he lets me touch it without any fuss so he is not in pain. I am monitoring him closely in case he needs to see the vet.

Money has been tight lately so I did set up a fundraiser and shared it with friends and family and their support has taken some pressure off and I am so grateful.

The plan is 28 days of antibiotics, pain relief and antibiotic eye drops, a check up and further testing next week including FIV and feline leukaemia, and then once he is better — neutering, microchipping and sorting those teeth, which is going to be the big one financially. He possibly needs a full dental clearance.

He is currently kept completely separate from my other two cats and will be until he is tested and healthy enough to meet them. I cannot wait for that day.

Helping a stray cat we took in two days ago — Gavroche’s story

Meet Gavroche — the little stray who found his way to me just in time