Η Μάγια που ξέρει να επιβιώνει!
July 7, 2014The testament of Solomon
August 13, 2014
Sweet one-eyed Lucky was found with one of her eyes popping out painfully from untreated infection. She was just skin and bones, and terrified. It took a Nine Lives volunteer some time to manage to grab the poor soul who was darting between her ‘safe’ hole and dangerously into the road.
The vet operated to remove the eye as it was past repair, and true to her name, she had such good fortune to find her forever home with a lovely, caring couple, where she transformed into plump, healthy, and extremely affectionate kitty.
Every year, veterinarians working with Nine Lives Greece treat more than 50 kittens for severe eye infections caused by Chlamydia and Herpes, while we help a further dozen or more kittens like Lucky and Kitty each year to have much-needed enucleation surgery due to blindness in one or both eyes from these infections.
Yet there are many more requiring our help. Eye surgery costs between 150 and 200 euros and can drastically improve the quality of life of the cats and kittens who receive it. However due to the volume of afflicted cats we encounter, it takes up a large part of our resources- equally vital for feeding, neutering and other life saving surgeries- to be able to help every single cat in need.
Enter Rover. You could call her a seeing-eye dog – with a difference. A Golden Retriever who is blind in one eye, Rover has pledged her support to help visually-challenged stray cats and kittens in Athens just like Lucky, and appeals to the owners of other caring canines and felines to match her donation to provide care to double the number of cats in need.
According to Nine Lives Greece board member and veterinary nurse Carol McBeth, upper respiratory infections Herpes and Chlamydia are highly contagious and extremely common in cat colonies, particularly in young kittens. Feral kittens facing poor nutrition, excess cold/heat, flea infestations, stressful conditions, and contact with other infected cats are all high risk. As well as upper respiratory problems, these infections cause severe and painful conjunctivitis. The eyelids and the conjunctivae become swollen and the mucopurulent discharge can be so severe that their eyes close up, sealing the infected secretions around the eye. The eye can then rupture causing blindness.
Rover’s dad is a dear friend and supporter of Nine Lives. During his time in Greece, he missed Rover’s company and volunteered to foster cats for Nine Lives. “She was the inspiration for my initial support to Nine Lives,” says her dad, “helping the cats helped my separation anxiety from Rover.”
Inspired by Rover and her own personal eye problems, Rover’s dad is offering to match a sum of money so that more cats can have access to the life-altering surgery and medical treatment.
We are ever grateful for all that you continue to do in support of the street cats of Athens. There are so many stories like Lucky’s out there and with your continued help, we can provide a brighter future to even more “lucky” cats.
Sincerely,
Cordelia Madden-Kanellopoulou
Co-founder, board member and volunteer
Nine Lives Greece – Οι Εφτάψυχες
