Russel

UPDATE: May 31, 2023:  He's gaining weight! We couldn't be happier! He may still need the remainder of his teeth removed (canines forward) but we will give him lots of time to see if that will be necessary, possibly several months to a year. He is doing fantastic and is soooo cuddly and affectionate - incredibly sweet around other cats and would love a playmate. We feel that a lucky family should be lovin' on him NOW and this is what we are prepared to do: he can be placed with a family on an extended foster-to-adopt where his prospective guardian will provide his care, litter, food, etc., but PAW will still be responsible for his vet care until a determination is made about his mouth. Then down the road, when we feel his mouth is well managed, his adoption fee would be due. If this option is of interest to you, please fill out an adoption inquiry by clicking HERE at which time we can chat more about it and possibly make a life-plan for this wonderful little gentleman. He really is one of a kind.

UPDATE: April 26, 2023: It's been a few weeks since Russel's dental surgery and he seems to be making progress. Still underweight but now that his mouth is healing, he is allowed to eat dry food (after a strictly canned food diet following surgery) and is eating with gusto! His energy is very good and he is as cuddly as ever. He had all teeth removed from the canines back. His veterinarian decided to not do a full mouth extraction (yet) as it would have meant a lengthier surgery which could have affected his healing process. As for the lymph node biopsy, the results showed nothing unusual except fat deposits surrounding it. When he was re-checked, his vet said his glands actually felt a bit smaller. This was the most optimistic news we've had so far. His coat is glossy and smooth and he is playing up a storm in his foster home. Will update in a month. Fingers crossed, he puts on weight!

UPDATE: March 17, 2023: Russel continues to have enlarged lymph glands and has now developed stomatitis (inflamed gums). We've decided to  tissue biopsy of a lymph gland, not just needle-aspirated fluid. Surgery is scheduled for March 20, 2023. He will also have dental xrays and as many teeth extracted as possible without leaving him under anesthetic too long. A full mouth extraction can actually cure stomatitis in some cases. Although extreme, teeth removal is not uncommon. Over the years, we've had it done for several PAW cats who were suffering with stomatitis. Recently, we re-tested Russel for FeLV and FIV and also tested for blood parasites and anemia. All were negative. Once again he was prescribed antibiotics and doxycycline but those medications did not reduce the swelling of his lymph glands this time either, nor did they reduce the inflammation in his gums.

Russel

Color:      DSH Golden Brown Tabby, white chin, chest and paws
Age:        Born Approx. August 1, 2021
Gender:  Neutered Male/microchipped

History:

We were notified of a stray kitty in a small town outside of Lethbridge. The resident said the young visitor was sad and thin. She'd seen him off and on for a few weeks and was pretty sure he'd been discarded. Because we had a foster family in the vicinity who was willing to take in Russel immediately, he became PAW's newest rescue. He was immediately booked for an evaluation where it was agreed, he was underweight and also dehydrated. He was also a bit congested so was prescribed antibiotics and a de-wormer. The de-wormer worked within a couple of hours and by the next morning, Russel was already feeling better. In fact, he's been quite ravenous and we are letting him eat as much as he chooses!

Personality:

Russel is a sweetheart! You can see from his pictures, he is very calm. He's a gentle little fellow too. A couple of weeks before he was neutered, his foster mom noticed he had enlarged lymph glands. When he was having his neuter surgery on July 3rd, our vet took a fluid sample of one of his lymph glands and sent it away for testing. The results were nothing too unusual, inflammation with an unknown cause. He had been previously tested for the usual viruses (Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficienty), all were negative. Since his neuter surgery, he's been doing very well. His appetite remains good, he's gaining weight and really enjoying playing! Russel really is the kindest of little souls. He is incredibly indulgent and gentle with other cats.

If you are interested in adopting or fostering Russel, click here