*Edited to add: We’ve received over $2,950 in donations in less than two days! That’s more than enough to pay for the surgeries for ALL of these kittens, thank you all so much! You guys are so incredible!!!
I have news about the kittens!
The vet consulted extensively with an ophthalmologist (I can never spell that right, I always have to ask Google how it’s spelled!) who practices in Birmingham, and there is a way to correct the kittens’ eye problem. What they do is, they take a bit of lip from the corner of the kitten’s mouth and graft it onto the eyelid. The kitten would have sutures both on his/ her eyelid and their mouth, poor thing.
The really good part is that I won’t have to put the kittens through the trauma of driving them down to Birmingham (a 2-ish hour drive each way), because the vet is confident that she can perform the surgery herself.
Since Bill, Hoyt & Sam are all over two pounds and big enough to be neutered, they have an appointment to be neutered tomorrow, and the vet is likely going to perform the eye surgery on at least one of the boys at that time, if not all three of them. Once the first surgery is down, she’ll have a better feel for exactly how long each surgery will take, and then she can determine whether the rest of the boys should have their eyes done at that time, or wait until a later date.
Sookie, the only girl, will be spayed, and since that’s a more extensive surgery than neutering, she’ll have to have two separate surgeries. And since Terry has to have his hernia repaired in addition to being neutered, he’ll have to have his eyes repaired in a separate surgery, also, since the neutering plus the hernia repair plus the eye surgery would have him under for too long.
So we have our solution and we’re ready to move ahead!
I don’t have a sum yet as to what the surgeries will cost – the vet is working on that and I should have a number later today, hopefully – but I know that it’s not going to be inexpensive to reconstruct the eyelids (or part of the eyelids) for six tiny cats, and I know that the surgeries will strain the shelter budget quite a bit.
That’s where you come in (you knew that was coming, right?). If you can spare some money to help pay the vet who will be reconstructing the eyelids of these kittens so that they won’t suffer eye damage as they grow up, it would be very much appreciated.
Challenger’s House accepts donations by mail (check or money order), by phone (Mastercard/VISA), or select the button below to donate through PayPal. (Make sure you make a note to let Susan know that the donation is meant for the True Blood Kittens’ surgeries!)
Challenger’s House
112 Tristian Rd.
Toney, AL 35773
Phone: 256-420-5995
Please help spread the word – steal either of the banners below, or create your own if you’d like. Link to the permanent page about the kittens. Every little bit of help for these kittens is very much appreciated.
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“But… I don’t WANNA go be tutored and have my eyeballs messed with!”
Bill thinks perhaps having good eyesight is overrated.
Snuggly Terry.
Got all six of them in one picture for once! Even looking in the same general direction!
I was waving a feather toy over my head to get their attention, and it makes me laugh that Terry (on the back of the chair) thinks perhaps if he stands up on two legs, he can reach the toy.
Bill in silhouette.
Bowl full o’ Sookie.
Terry keeps warm in the sun.
Upside down cat beds are far more comfortable than right-side-up, apparently.
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Previously
2008: At least she’s got Zoe and Kaylee to keep her company and to play with.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.